The quickest way to find a flattering frame colour is to match it to your skin undertone, not your skin tone. Undertone — the subtle hue beneath your surface complexion — stays constant whether you are fair, wheatish, or deep. Once you know yours, the guesswork disappears.
How Do You Find Your Skin Undertone?
Three simple checks work for most people. First, look at the veins on your inner wrist in natural daylight. Blue or purple veins suggest a cool undertone; green veins point to a warm undertone; a mix of both indicates a neutral undertone. Second, hold a white piece of paper next to your bare face — if your skin looks slightly yellowish or peachy against it, you lean warm; if it looks pinkish or ashy, you lean cool. Third, recall how you tan: warm undertones tend to go golden, cool undertones go pink or red.
Cool Undertone: Which Frame Colours Work Best?
Cool undertones have pink, red, or bluish hints in the skin. Frame colours that share those blue-based pigments create a harmonious look without washing you out.
Best picks: silver, gunmetal, black, navy, jewel tones (sapphire, emerald, amethyst), rose gold, mauve, and soft grey.
Frames that clash: warm oranges, warm browns, and yellow-gold metallics can make a cool complexion look sallow.
If you want a versatile everyday frame, a classic black or a deep navy acetate rarely goes wrong on a cool undertone — they echo the natural depth in your complexion.
Warm Undertone: Which Frame Colours Work Best?
Warm undertones carry yellow, peachy, or golden hints. Earth-adjacent frame colours mirror that warmth and make the skin glow.
Best picks: tortoiseshell, honey, caramel, cognac brown, olive green, warm gold metallics, burnt orange, and cream.
Frames that clash: stark silver, cool grey, and icy pastels can dull a warm complexion rather than complement it.
A rich tortoiseshell or a honey-toned acetate is the warm-undertone equivalent of a wardrobe classic — it works with almost every outfit.
Neutral Undertone: The Most Flexible Palette
Neutral undertones sit between warm and cool, which means you can borrow from both palettes. The only frames to genuinely avoid are the most extreme ends: very icy silver and very vivid orange may not serve you as well as mid-tones do.
Best picks: blush pink, dusty rose, warm taupe, soft teal, nude-brown, muted burgundy, and rose gold.
Bonus move: translucent or clear frames look striking on neutral undertones because the frame takes on the colour of whatever you wear underneath.
When Should You Break the Undertone Rule?
Always. Undertone matching is a starting point, not a law. Bold contrast — a cool-undertone person in a vivid tortoiseshell — can look intentional and fashion-forward. The key is confidence and fit. A frame that sits poorly on your face shape will look off regardless of its colour, so always consider both undertone and face shape together. If you want guidance on shapes, our style guides break it down frame by frame.
A Quick Shortcut When You Are Unsure
If you genuinely cannot identify your undertone, start with two safe universals: classic black and warm tortoiseshell. Between them, one will almost always photograph and feel better on you — and that is your undertone signal right there. Browse Rimloo's full frames collection with the colour filter to shortlist options before you try them on virtually or in person.
