The right piece of jewellery can make you feel fabulous. It will flatter your skin, indulge your whims and sate your inner goddess. Each person will find their jewellery mojo in different metals, designs and colours. Simple & contemporary, or wild and organic, there is something for everyone. Choose pieces that act as an extension of your individual style; boosting confidence and expressing yourself through the ancient ritual of adornment.
The overall appearance and style can be greatly influenced by how it sits on, and against one’s skin. Think of it in terms of makeup or hair colour. What works for one doesn’t mean it will work for another, but by selecting the right colour of metal or sea glass or gemstone, it is possible to improve the radiance of the skin, and even make teeth appear whiter or accentuate eye colour.
When attempting to decide upon the most flattering piece of jewellery, a useful and effective place to begin is by considering skin tone. Although not the ultimate adjudicator, skin tone is a key element to include alongside personal preference and style when hunting for that perfect piece of jewellery.
Determining Skin Tone
Skin tone can be split into two main types, cool and warm, and is actually best determined by the colour of your veins. Neutral skin tones can be identified by veins that appear colourless or match the skin, and these individuals can wear pretty much any colour they like, and still look fab.
‘Cool’ Skin Tone
Bluish or purplish veins indicate a cool skin tone, and those who have it can often notice pink or blue undertones when looking in the mirror:
Skin colour: very fair, olive, tanned (can often burn in sun)
Hair Colour: natural ash or pale blonde blonde, cool browns & black
Eye Colour: most often blue, grey, green
‘Warm’ Skin Tone
Greenish veins indicate a warm skin tone, and those who have it often notice yellow or apricot undertones when looking in the mirror. The warm category usually splits into two specific variations:
Paler Skin Tones
Skin Colour: very fair, fair
Hair Colour: light blonde, strawberry blonde, ginger, red or any shade
Eye Colour: greatly varies but tends towards, hazel, amber & brown
Darker Skin Tones
Skin Colour: tan, Mediterranean, dark (tans easily in sun)
Hair Colour: caramel, brown/dark brown (with reddish hues), black
Eye Colour: most often brown, but can vary
Note: Skin tone is a different concept to skin colour. It is possible to have dark skin with a cool skin tone or fair skin with warm skin tone.
Jewellery Choice
After establishing skin tone, you can begin to ascertain what colours of metals, gems, and in this case sea glass, are best suited to you.
‘Cool’ Skin Tone
Metal: silver, white gold, stainless steel, titanium and platinum
Gemstones: Brightly coloured stones in red, shades of blue, purple, green and pink. These include pink diamonds, sapphires, amethyst, alexandrite, pearls, blue topaz, aquamarine, emerald and moonstone. Diamonds or white pearls can be particularly flattering.
Sea Glass: Similar colours as above; cobalt blue, seafoam, amethyst purple, aqua, soft blue, red, turquoise blue, lavender, cornflower blue, pink and ice blue.
‘Warm’ Skin Tone
Metal: gold, yellow gold, rose gold (avoid if type 1 warm tone as it will accentuate any pink undertones), copper and brass
Gemstones: Earthy toned stones like orange, brown, green, peach, yellow and turquoise. These include yellow diamond, emerald, garnet, amber, ruby, prehnite, green opal, brown diamond, fire opal, orange sapphire, citrine, peridot, aquamarine, or turquoise. Coral or golden pearls also work well.
Sea Glass: Similar colours as above; yellow, orange, seafoam, turquoise blue, amber, jade green, golden amber, cornflower blue, peach and aqua.
It is, however, important to remember that the most important aspect is how the jewellery makes you feel. If it holds sentimental value, is a colour of sea glass you absolutely love, or happens to be a spectacular piece of jewellery, don’t let skin tone affect your decision. The rules are not absolute, and it is far more important to step out wearing something that feels right for you than settling with uninspiring jewellery.