Alright so let me share how I figured out this whole “best colors for Asian skin” thing. Been shopping blindly for years until my cousin snapped a photo of me in bright orange – dude looked like I had food poisoning. That was the kickoff.
The Awkward Start
First I raided my own closet. Pulled every single shirt, jacket, even those socks grandma gifted me. Dumped ’em on the bed under natural daylight. Took selfies wearing each one near a window. Sounds tedious? It was. But holy smokes did it expose some ugly truths.
My old favorite mustard yellow tee? Made my face look grey and tired. That sky blue polo I wore to weddings? Total mistake – washed me out like cheap bleach. Felt kinda dumb wasting cash on clothes that actually made me look worse.
The Silver vs Gold Test (Spoiler: Failed Hard)
Read online you should try silver and gold jewelry to find undertones. Dug out my mom’s old accessories. Held a dangly silver earring near my face. Then switched to gold. Squinted at the mirror like an idiot for 10 minutes straight. No clue which looked “better.” Both just looked… shiny. Gave up after my neck got stiff.
Went practical instead. Compared warm colors (reds, oranges) and cool ones (blues, purples) directly. Noticed something huge: Bright fire-engine red made my yellow undertones scream. But brick red? Actually made my skin glow. Same with electric blue vs navy – darker cool tones won.
Neutrals Aren’t Neutral At All
Always thought beige was safe. Hah. Tried on 3 beige sweaters – one looked dusty, one made me sweaty-pale, only a greyish-beige worked. Same disaster with whites: Pure white = instant zombie mode. Creamy off-white? Perfection. Who knew?
Patterns tripped me up too. That black-and-white striped shirt? Bad contrast highlighted my dark circles. Swapped for a softer navy/cream stripe – instantly better. Printed florals were messy unless colors matched my “good” palette.
Cheap Hacks That Actually Worked
- Phone Photos Are Key: Seriously. Compare photos not mirror stares.
- Hold Fabric Under Chin: Faster than wearing everything.
- Shop With Purpose: Now I only grab emerald green, burgundy, soft coral – skip pastels like mint unless I wanna look sick.
- Accept Some Losses: Still regret buying that neon green windbreaker.
Final takeaway? Screw universal rules. My skin changes seasonally too – tanned in summer needs richer colors. Experimentation’s annoying but worth it. Wardrobe’s smaller now but actually makes me look alive. Huge win.
