Pretty in Her Palette: How Undertones Unlock Your Best Self (Ft. Agata)

Written by Seon Reverie Girls:

• Editor-in-Chief: Liz

• Seon Muse / Co-writer: Agata — @wwxlsh on Tiktok

Liz’s note: this will be more focused on makeup! More guides on how to align hair and clothing with your undertone will be released soon.

Have you ever tried to recreate a soft, pinky makeup look — one that looked absolutely stunning on the model — but somehow, on you, it just… doesn’t hit the same? Maybe it even made you wonder: Do I just not look good in makeup? Isn’t that kind of the opposite of what it’s supposed to do?

Well, I was in the exact same position as you 4 years ago. The truth is, it might not be you.Before contour and lipstick, before outfits and accessories, there’s an invisible thread running through all of it: your undertone.

What Are Undertones, Really?

Don’t get it mixed up with skin-tone! Undertones are the subtle hue beneat your skin’s surface, not always just the typical warm or cool in the obvious sense, but it could be something deeper!

Imagine it like a painting’s canvas slightly tints the colors layered on top. Your undertone quietly shifts the way every shade interacts with you. And in beauty, fashion, and even hair color, that shift can mean everything.

Here’s a soft guide to the four main undertones:

• ♡ Cool Undertones

  You have a rosy or bluish cast beneath the skin. Silver jewelry flatters you best, and colors like icy pink, lavender, blue, and charcoal often feel right.

• ☀︎ Warm Undertones

  There’s a golden, peachy, or yellow hue under the surface. Gold jewelry tends to glow on you, and you look radiant in coral, olive green, warm browns, and creamy ivory.

• ❁ Neutral Undertones

  A balanced blend — neither distinctly cool nor warm. You can wear both gold and silver. Many colors feel harmonious, but soft pinks, muted mauves, and dusty tones tend to flatter best.

• ♧ Olive Undertones

  Slightly greenish or grayish — a complex undertone that can lean cool or warm, depending on lighting and context. Olive-toned skin often needs subtle shades that don’t overpower, like fig, muted berry, or soft bronze.

Finding Your Undertone (Without a Glam Squad)

There are plenty of ways to explore your undertone from home (or even professionally!)

Korean & Japanese Beauty Boutiques

• Brands like Fwee, WAKEMAKE, and Rom&nd organize products by tone (e.g., cool vs. warm). In Seoul and Tokyo, you’ll even find boutique studios offering in-person seasonal color analysis using drapes, lighting, and digital scans. This is super popular but if you don’t have the money or time to head to professionals, I got you.

TikTok Filters

• Try popular filters like “find your season,” “cool vs warm,” or the 12-season analysis trend. They use digital overlays to test which hues flatter your features.

The Vein Trick (Kinda Helpful, Kinda Flawed)

• Look at the veins on your wrist under natural light.

  
  

  — Greenish veins = warm

  
  

  — Bluish/purple = cool

  
  

  — Both = neutral

  
  

  Not perfect, but it’s a starting point. Personally, this worked as a great foundation and helped narrow things down!

Compare Yourself in Different Colors

• Try on tops or scarves in clear cools vs. soft warms. Pay attention to which ones make your skin glow without makeup — and which ones wash you out. Additionally, test out gold and silver jewlery. Ask a friend or observe how your skin glows differently depending on silver or gold. All my life I’ve worn silver jewelry, but as I got older I saw that it washed me out, or made my skin less radiant than gold jewelry, therefore I switched!

Lighting & Hair Clues

• Your natural hair, eye color, and how your skin reacts to sunlight (do you tan golden? burn easily?) can give clues about your undertone.

example guide for vein-checking

The Cognitive Psychology Behind Undertone Perception + “Looking Right”

But why does it work?

Because color isn’t just visual, it’s cognitive.

Our brains are wired to seek harmony. Anything that doesn’t provide harmony or balance, such as an off-tone on your face or a lip color that is not cohesive with the rest of your makeup, can reduce the satisfying effect. Additionally, we as humans are attracted to “healthy” looking individuals. Wearing the wrong tones can unintentionally make you look discolored or tired.

Certain hues create balance between skin, eyes, and hair, while others create subtle dissonance — that off feeling you can’t quite name. This is where cognitive psychology meets color theory: it’s not just about what looks good on paper (or a palette), but what our perception reads as true, effortless, and coherent.

We’re constantly processing visual information — contrast, saturation, temperature. When all the elements of your appearance align, your brain flags it as natural. This is why finding the right color isn’t about following a trend. It’s about mirroring the quiet logic your brain already understands.

Introducing Our Seon Muse: Agata (@wwxlsh)

To truly understand undertones from a personal perspective, I invited someone who has become a guiding light for countless girls online. From makeup recommendations tailored to Neutral undertones, to honest product reviews and tutorials, Agata has proven herself a trusted voice in the beauty community With her most popular video reaching over 648.7k views, Agata is a reliable source for anyone searching for the right products to suit their undertone — and now, she’s our newest beautiful Seon Muse.

In her own words, here is Agata’s journey discovering her undertone, alongside some of her favorite product picks for that perfect, muted glow.

Seon Muse: Agata

✧ “Do I Look Like an Orange?” — How I Fell Into the Color Typing Rabbit Hole

A Hello From Agata — Beauty Influencer

Hey everyone! I’m Agata — beauty newbie, makeup enthusiast, and a proud Muted Summer girl (yeah, I only recently found out too). Huge thanks to Seon Reverie for giving me the chance to write my very first piece — and on a topic as juicy as undertones!

Let’s be real: I used to just slap on anything that looked cute in the pan. But once I dipped into the world of color theory? Game. Changer.

Color Typing — Just a Tool, Not a Rule

These days, makeup brands and beauty creators are all about knowing your undertones. There are endless TikToks breaking down which blush works for your season or what lipstick flatters your skin tone best. But here’s the thing: you don’t have to follow the rules.

Color typing isn’t a rigid formula — it’s just one way to level up your daily makeup. If you’re rocking full glam with bold eyes and a heavy beat, girl… color theory who? It doesn’t matter.

But for those lowkey, everyday “I woke up cute” looks — it actually really helps. The key thing to remember: you complete the makeup, not the other way around.

So… What’s My Color Type and How Did I Figure It Out?

Honestly? It’s kind of a funny story. I’m a total shopaholic (would not recommend), constantly trying new products, shades, vibes. One day a friend asked, “Why do you buy literally everything without checking if it even suits your undertone?” And I was like… wait.

I genuinely had no idea what my undertone was. I just assumed that if a product looked good on the face and colors were blended well, that was enough.

But curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to dig deeper. Side note: trying to figure out your undertone by checking the veins on your wrist? Kinda useless. Instead, look at your natural contrast, hair and eye color, and especially the tone of your lips when bare.

After a few tests and lots of trial and error, I landed on the color type Muted Summer. And to be honest, I was surprised — I always thought warm shades looked better on me because they made my eye color pop.

muted summer (or also known as soft summer) — cool tone

But the truth? I was going for bright, bold makeup in cool tones and thinking that was the problem. It wasn’t the cool tones — it was the vibrancy. Turns out, muted, soft, pastel-like shades actually bring my whole face to life. When I finally did a full face in muted summer tones, I saw it: this was the version of me I was supposed to meet all along.

Now I do it every day — and I like what I see in the mirror a lot more. It feels right. Like finally finding your aesthetic, but on your actual face.

My Makeup Ride-or-Dies (aka Products That Just Get Me)

Okay, real talk — finding good products for muted girls is harder than I thought. Blushes? We’re good. But lip tints and glosses in the right pale cool tones? It’s a mission. Still, after months of digging, here are my absolute faves:

Gloss Goals — Fwee Glowy Jelly Pot in #JN01 Lavender

This is hands down my fave lip gloss-slash-wet highlighter. The texture is glassy, hydrating, and literally smooths over any lip texture. The color? The perfect icy lavender.Why I love it: Feels like a serum, looks like dewy glass, and it’s that ideal pale-cool shade that actually flatters muted tones.

Tint But Make It Shiny — Heart Percent Dote On Mood One Way Glowy Tint in #02 Pale MauveThis is my go-to. I’m obsessed. The shade? Perfection. It looks like I layered a clear gloss over it, but nope — that’s just the tint doing its thing. And it lasts.Why I love it: A muted queen’s dream — shiny, mauvey, and doesn’t budge.

Blush Heaven — Peripera Syrupy Tok Cheek in #02 Milky LavenderListen, I own 60+ blushes (yes, I counted). And I still reach for this one all the time. The shade is stunning, it has a luminous glow, and it just… works.Why I love it: Creamy, glowy, and actually matches my face instead of overpowering it.

The Cloud Blush — Wakemake Sheer Glow Liquid Blusher in 01 Silky LavenderOkay yeah, everything here is lavender — but that’s not a coincidence. Lavender is a great guidepost when you’re navigating muted summer territory.Why I love it: Feels weightless, blends like a dream, and makes my cheeks look fresh without screaming “blush.”

The Glitter Girlie Go-To — CLIO Pro Eye Palette Air #10 Season PlumMy fave for sparkles and soft, cool-toned eyeshadow moments. The only downside is it’s missing deeper shades for liner or aegyo-sal looks, but it slays everything else.Why I love it: Glitters = chef’s kiss, and the color story is so soft summer-coded.

Muted But Make It Chic — Wakemake Blur Palette #21 Fall in Fig BlurringThis palette has everything. Day-to-day looks, soft glam, even experimental styles. And the matte formula? Next level. Plus, there’s a creamy shadow pan that’s super unique.Why I love it: Ultimate multitasker. Perfect for muted makeup that still feels cool and current.

Now… Foundation? That’s Your Personal Quest. Good Luck.

Finding the right base shade is hard. Period. Undertones, oxidation, formula — it’s a whole separate journey. I’d love to help, but honestly? That’s something you’ll have to go through yourself. Trial by fire. I believe in you.

Final Words from a Muted Muse

I hope my little story helped you out — or at least made you feel a little more seen. Makeup isn’t just about trends or rules. It’s about feeling yourself. And when you find colors that highlight who you already are? That’s when the magic happens.

Thanks for reading, and thank you again Seon Reverie for letting me be part of something this special.

Now go forth, glow soft, and slay with subtlety. xoxo, Agata

Conclusion

Color is more than a beauty choice, it’s a mirror.

When you understand your undertone, you’re not just choosing the “right” blush or lip tint. You’re choosing alignment. Ease. That feeling of looking in the mirror and finally seeing a version of yourself that feels true.

Whether you’re a cool-toned lavender dream like Agata, a golden Spring girl, or still figuring it out, your glow doesn’t have to be loud to be real!

With love,Seon Reverie