Buying the perfect bikini to look your best throughout the summer months feels like it should be an easy task, but there are a lot of different factors that go into choosing the best bikini for your body and your aesthetic. One of the contributing factors that many people fail to consider is how their skin tone can affect which swimsuits look best on them.
Just like with your everyday regular clothes, certain swimsuit colors look better when paired with certain skin tones. Although your skin color is an important factor in swimsuit shopping, most people fail to consider it when they head to the shop to buy a bikini. We created this expert guide to help you identify your skin tone and which bikini colors work best with it!
What color swimsuit is the most flattering?
One of the most flattering swimsuit colors is black, although it is also one of the most generic colors. If you are looking to add a pop of color to your summer swimwear wardrobe, we recommend blue. Most shades of blue are flattering, but our favorite is dark blue as it looks amazing on every single skin tone.
A dark or navy blue is a great choice as you are moving out of the realm of black without veering too far away. If you are not yet ready to experiment with bold colors of pinks and greens, blue is the perfect happy medium whilst also ensuring your body looks amazing.
However, if you want to be a bit more experimental, you can still do that without moving out of the realm of blue. For example, a pair of navy bottoms paired with a lighter top can have a style impact without taking too many stylistic risks.
Find the perfect blue swimsuit here
What color swimsuit is the most slimming?
Black or dark blue can make you look slimmer, but the most slimming color is red! No matter what shade of red is your favorite, chances are it will be slimming, so it is a great choice if that is the look you are going for.
The red color, especially maroon or burgundy shades are a great way to ensure the right curves are accentuated and you achieve a flattering look. Many are worried to buy red swimsuits as they think they will be too loud and will encourage more unwanted attention, but the reality is, that this year's swimsuit trends are going to be all about bold pops of color, so you will not stand out too much.
It also helps to understand what your body type is to figure out what swimsuit will be the most slimming for you. Swimsuit styles and colors work together to ensure you create the perfect overall look which makes you feel confident and beautiful!
How to pick the right bikini for your body type
How do I choose a swimsuit color?
When choosing a swimsuit color, you should consider your skin tone as well as your personal style. You first need to consider your skin color and tone as there are certain skin tones and undertones which work better with certain bikini colors.
However, this should not be the only thing that influences your decision about what color bikini to wear. Your style and aesthetic are just as important. For example, if your skin tone suggests that bright green is the best color for you but you do not feel comfortable going out in bold colors, then bright green is not the best choice for you.
Equally, if a navy blue or black is best for your skin tone, but you are a colorful character whose style revolves around bright colors, you are likely not going to want to be restricted to black bikinis. It’s essential to find a happy medium between what your skin color suggests is best for you, and what you think is best for yourself.
Discover your skin tone
Before you find out what bikini color suits your skin tone, you first need to identify exactly what your skin tone is. Although everyone can tell you what their vague skin color is, few are able to identify their exact skin tone, taking into account the intricacies of things such as skin undertones.
Cool skin tones
When it comes to skin tones, cool skin tones tend to be held by those with more pale skin, such as Caucasians. There are a few different features that most individuals with cool skin tones share. For example, they usually have either blonde or black hair and have either blue or dark brown eyes.
As for the color of their skin, it is usually pale, and they have either light pink undertones in their cheeks or no color under their cheeks at all. It’s also important to know that individuals with a cool skin tone usually have blue veins showing.
Warm skin tones
Warm skin tones are characterized by amber, green or hazel eye colors and having either brown, black, red or dirty blonde hair. This is not an exhaustive list of characteristics, and sometimes people have characteristics outside of the norm and still have warm skin tones, so be aware of that. These individuals usually have skin with yellow, peach or olive undertones and they tan easily. Warm skinned people also tend to have veins that are greener in color.
Neutral skin tones
Those with neutral skin tones often have a mix of the characteristics of both of the above skin tones. Whilst you might have olive undertones in your skin, you might have blonde hair, and blue eyes, which can make determining neutral skin-toned people difficult.
However, the vein test remains a good way to figure out whether or not you have a neutral skin tone. If your veins are virtually the same color as your skin, there is a good chance that you have a neutral skin tone.
The best swimsuit colors for your skin tone
Now that you have hopefully identified your skin tone, it’s time to match that with the best bikini color. Below we talk you through the best bikini color to choose, based on whether you have cool, warm or neutral skin tones.
Cool skin tones
If you have a cool skin tone, we suggest either going with extremely bold colors or muted colors, as these two extremes will compliment you. This means that there is something for anyone! If you want to make a statement with bold colors, you can, whereas if you want to remain understated, you also have the option to do just that.
For the bold colors, think of deep blues, emerald greens or sapphire yellows. These are known as jewel tones and will look great on you. On the other hand, if you would prefer to opt for less intense color, we suggest pastels. One of our personal favorites is pastel purple, but any pastel color will be a hit!
Warm skin tones
Just as with clothes, earth tones are going to be your best friend when it comes to bikinis if you have a warm skin tone. The olive undertones in warm skin work brilliantly with khaki greens and deep yellows. Another personal favorite of ours, which we can see becoming big this year, is burnt orange.
Neutral skin tones
Luckily for you, if you have a neutral skin tone, you can pull off virtually any color of bikini. From the big bold reds and yellows to the more refined and understated colors such as pastels or dusty colors, you can shop freely!