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Gold or Silver Jewelry: How to Choose Metal for Your Skin Tone

Gold or Silver Jewelry: How to Choose Metal for Your Skin Tone

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Have you ever bought a cute piece of jewelry online only to find out that it looks nothing like it did on the website? Well, you’re not alone. Many people face this problem and the culprit here is your skin tone, which doesn’t match the color of your metal.

So, before you pull out your credit card for that beautiful gold pendant or that stunning silver zircon bracelet you came across online, take a moment to think about whether it will suit your skin tone.

If you’re wondering whether it is better to wear silver or gold on a pale complexion or what looks better on your fair skin, we’re here with the answers you need. You’ll never wear something that looks dull and lustrous against your skin again.

You Don’t Have to Settle for Just Gold and Silver

Before we dive into the discussion about gold and silver, you should know that they are not your only options.

Rose gold is a stunning alternative that is feminine yet modern. And the best thing about rose gold jewelry is that it looks great on almost everybody.

If you’re looking to brighten up your look with a pop of color, diamonds are your best friend (you can get diamond ornaments or earrings). They can be a great addition to any outfit regardless of the metal color and will totally transform your look. And of course, you can’t forget about the classiest of all jewelry — pearls. Pearls aren’t going out of style anytime soon.

Okay, now let’s get back to skin tone, gold, and silver.


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Determine Your Skin Undertone

First things first — you need to figure out what your skin undertone is. We all have different skin tones, which is the actual color of our skin. But your skin’s undertone is an entirely different matter. The undertone is your skin’s hue and the color that lies beneath the surface of your skin.

There are three types of undertones — warm, cool, and neutral. If you’re unsure about your undertone, consider the following questions.

What Color Are Your Veins?

The best way to determine your skin undertone is by looking at your veins in natural light. If your veins look blue or purple, you have a cool undertone. If they are olive or yellow, then you’re warm. If you see a mix of both colors, you might have a neutral undertone.

Do You Tan or Burn Easily?

0When you sit under the sun for a while, how does your skin react to it? If you tan easily, you likely have a warmer undertone. If you tend to get a little pink and burn, you might have a cool undertone. If you don’t fall in any of the two categories, you’re probably neutral.

What Color Are Your Hair and Eyes?

The color of your hair and eyes can give you a clear insight into your skin undertone. If you have blue, gray, or green eyes with blonde, brown, or black hair, you’re probably cool-toned. Brown, amber, or hazel-eyed individuals with red, black, or blonde hair are likely warm-toned.
However, keep in mind that this isn’t always true. You can have black hair with hazel eyes and be cool-toned. Or you can have blonde hair with amber eyes and be warm-toned.

What Jewelry Suits You?

Another easy way to determine your skin undertone is by looking at the color of your jewelry. Put on some gold and silver jewelry and decide which looks best on you. If you lean towards silver, you’re cool-toned. If gold is your color, you likely have a warm undertone.

What Are You Wearing?

A pure white piece of clothing might be all you need to determine your skin undertone. Hold the cloth against your face in bright, natural light. If your skin looks slightly yellow, you’re warm-toned. On the flip side, if your skin turns a beautiful shade of pink or rose, you’re cool-toned.
You can also consider the colors that suit you. If you feel you’re better off in cream or off-white clothing, you’re warm-toned. And if you feel that you can pull off both colors without looking pale or washed out, you likely have a neutral undertone.

Gold or Silver for Your Skin Undertone — Why Does it Matter?

You might wonder what all the hype is about your skin undertone. And you would like nothing more than the option to wear whatever you like.

Unfortunately, the jewelry you choose to wear — gold or silver — tends to rest directly against your skin. This creates a stark contrast between the color of the metal and your actual skin tone, which can be quite vivid.

While it won’t necessarily look ghastly if you choose a piece of jewelry that doesn’t go well with your skin tone, you will definitely look a lot more stunning if you go with one that does.

Gold or Silver — What Will Look Better On You?

Now that you’ve worked out your skin undertone, it’s time to choose your jewelry. Silver necklaces, bracelets, and earrings will suit you better if you lean towards a cooler undertone. It would be best if you completely avoid rose gold as it can accentuate the red pigment in your skin.

If you’re warm-toned, gold accessories are the way to go. Consider yourself very fortunate if you have a neutral skin tone. Because this means you can pull off both silver and gold jewelry and don’t have to choose between the two.

The good news is that gold and silver look great on all types of jewelry pieces. If you’re looking for an elegant necklace for a formal occasion, you can get a pendant in either silver or gold. Or you could opt for a rose gold one if you’re into vintage vibes. Similarly, rings look stunning on either metal — you can get one with a gemstone or go with diamond embellishments.

If you are confused about what jewelry to wear to your next event, here’s a guide on how you can choose the right jewelry for all occasions.

Finding the Right Gemstone is Also Important

Selecting the right metal is important. However, it’s the gemstone in a jewelry piece that steals the limelight most of the time. So choosing the right gemstone is as important as selecting the right metal. Here are some basic rules for gemstones:

  • Focus on reds, blues, purples, and greens for cool undertones. You can go for stones such as topaz, aquamarine, amethyst, opal, ruby, blue sapphire, and emerald.
  • For warm undertones, think earthy colors — yellows, browns, and oranges. You should opt for stones like agate, alexandrite, morganite, brown zircon, peridot, yellow diamond, and citrine.

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