When you get a tattoo, your body essentially becomes the canvas. And that's why you have to consider your own skin before deciding on a tattoo. Some colored inks will display beautifully on some people while they can become dull on others. And the key is to look at your skin's undertone.

What Is an Undertone?

An undertone is simply a color you can see when you look at your skin in natural daylight or under full-spectrum light. When you have a yellow undertone, you will see an underlayer of yellow under your skin. The same is true for pink, blue, and peach.

When you have the ability to see your skin's undertone, then you can choose a tattoo ink color that will work with your skin to make your tattoo look nice, functional, and unique.

How to Identify Your Skin's Undertone

When it is truly impossible to determine your skin's undertone, you can try some old-fashioned methods. One of the most common methods is to examine the veins on your inner wrist. If they appear blue, then you have a cool undertone. If they appear green, you have a warm undertone.

Another option is to use a mirror and watch your face as you get in the shade. You can see your natural skin tone under your makeup.

If you don't have time for such challenges, the scientific method to choose a full-color tattoo is to have a skin undertone analyzer scan your skin's undertones in just a few seconds.

How to Choose a Full-Color Tattoo Based on Your Skin's Undertone

Yellow or Golden Undertone

A tattoo with a yellow undertone looks great when it is combined with an ink color that is a little darker than the skin's tone. This will give the tattoo a nice contrast which will make it stand out. If you need a warm color that has a little more life to it, your best option is orange. It is bright and gentle. But if you want something that is a little more subtle, then you can try a brown color. If you go for a brown color, it might be good to have some black ink in the piece as well.

Blue Undertone

If you have a blue undertone, your best color choices for a full-color tattoo are red, purple, and pink. These colors will stand out nicely, and the tattoo will look good with your tone. If you are dealing with a cool tattoo, you can add some blue or black ink to the piece as well.

Green Undertone

If you have a green undertone, then you can pick from a wide range of shades. A lot of the time, the green undertone will make the tattoo stand out. You can go for a dark or light green color or even a yellow or red in the piece.

Pink or Peach Undertone

If you have a pink undertone, then you can choose a very dark or very light ink color. Either one of these is good to go with a pink tone. You can go for blue ink as well. Another great option for a pink undertone is to have a light green tone.

Final Thoughts

Before you choose a tattoo color, you need to take into consideration your skin's undertone. It will help you choose the right color and make your tattoo stand out.

Get beautiful full-color tattoos at Certified Tattoo. We are one of the best full-color tattoo shops in Colorado. At Certified Tattoo Studios, we offer free consultations for anyone getting a tattoo in Denver so that you can learn everything you need to know about getting your first tattoo. Book a consultation now!