I have often heard that freckles are only found on warm people, not cool, but I’m here to bust that myth.
In fact there are many cool people who have freckling and today I’m going to share with you a photo of a recent client who has cool colouring who is definitely freckled.
Now here are photos of two recent clients of mine. Both have a smattering of freckles across their face, yet one has a cool undertone, the other warm (though she is not super warm, just medium warm). When you look at them you probably wouldn’t notice, but you will see (and if you click on the picture you can make it double in size if you want to have a good close look) that in many ways their freckles are a simlar colour.
What is interesting, is what happens when you put on the wrong undertone colour, they each look more freckled and ‘muddy’ in their complexions. The right ones make their skin look more clear, vibrant and alive.
So it’s a complete and utter myth that you can’t have cool freckles!
A face without freckles is like a night sky without stars.
As a freckle faced 67 year old who loves gazing up at the sky when there are stars – I love your comment!
I guess those of us with red hair and freckles simply need to make the most of them – because there’s nothing we can do about it! Although I’ve noticed those who live in cold climes often have very few.
You will find with age your freckles become less obvious
Actually that’s not true (I’m over 60 now). I find my freckles virtually disappear over winter and return with warmer weather – and that’s DESPITE coating myself in top of the range sunscreen (which wasn’t around when I was a child) and hats, long sleeves and keeping out of the sun. But they’re still as obvious as when I was a child. Sometimes I think they react to heat … but whatever, they’re still there.
You are more unusual Jennifer as I have found that many many people’s freckles fade as they age (sadly age spots start appearing instead!)
Very interesting! What about natural redheads? Have you come across any with cool undertones?
Thanks for sharing! How intriguing that we generally also associate more freckles with warmness (when your cool model actually has more in this case!) Please also enlighten us what super warm v just medium warm really means!
Oops sorry Rachel that was meant to be a new, separate post! For what it’s worth, I recall Imogen once mentioning that natural redheads are warm under all circumstances and people with cool colouring will never truly suit dyed red hair either.
Great read. What was both their seasons please?
I don’t do seasonal colour analysis I have an 18 colour palette system that goes way beyond the seasons and is much more nuanced and accurate – one is warm and deep the other cool and deep.
Hi Imogen,
That is very interesting, & your first model looks very similar to my sisters colouring.
Susie, mentioned that redheads have warm undertones, is there any red’s that do suit cool skin undertone?
For example I look great in burgundy & blue red, my skin is very cool. I sit possible to wear these colours on your hair?
There are lots of reds that suit cool colouring, but they are hard to get in hair colours because most hair dyes throw warmth
That totally makes sense, as you don’t see to many cool red hair colour around.
I just put a gloss in my hair & it clashes with my skin as it has too much warm.
It was beautiful in the beginning;(
Thanks, this is very interesting article.
Thank you Imogen, the images side by side of the two women with freckles is very helpful! Your post gives me insight about how I can have warm tone freckled skin and also have naturally white/silver hair color. I’m thinking about a color combination for clothing such as a warm tone leopard print pattern that is mostly warm browns with a bit of white or silver for a harmonizing look.
Hi Imogen, would you consider doing a similar post on hazel eyes? I have posted a comment about this before – which you very graciously answered – but I’d love to see a post on it – are hazel eyes always an indicator of a warm undertone? Like, always….? 🙂
Kate. In general I find that the olive green or bronze type hazel eyes correspond with a warm undertone in the skin, but sometimes if it’s a more bluey green hazel then the skin can be cool. People call many eye colours hazel when they are not sure how to describe them
Yes it does seem like there’s blue, brown, green – and everything else. If there’s a mix going on people call their eyes hazel.
Thanks for this! With a face full of freckles I definitely am cool (a color consultant told me I was an obvious winter when I was just about 10 years old) although I find I can get away with some autumn colors (I have high contrast with dark hair and fair skin).
I’ve got brown hair with red undertones (darkened strawberry blonde), green eyes, and freckles. Most online calculators classify me as “warm” but actually I’m very much a “cool”. My skin is pale and has pink, not yellow, undertones. Gold jewelry and warm beiges wash me out, but silver jewelry and cool colours like purple, yellow, dark rose and teal suit me very well.
Many people with freckles are not warm. Teal and many purples are actually universal colours, yellow is usually warm, I suspect you are warm, but only just warm, not the traditional sort of Autumn warm colours.
Wow. For the first time ever in so many years I have finally found a picture of someone who actually has my coloring! Almost exactly! I am African American/Caucasion, and I have the asian woman’s complexion, with my hair having natural red copper highlights visible in the sun. Dark brown mahogany in the shade. Just like she’s a warm, but not that warm, I always have debated whether I’m warm or am I imagining it, because my friends want to put me in cool colors (they are obvious warm autumns and springs). I present neutral without Sherlock’s magnifying glass. May I ask what season she is?
Thank you so much for the pictures!!
Jaylene she was Opulent in my system – which is deep and warm (so only medium warm not really warm)
I forgot to mention that my eyes are lighter than hers, olive with a orange rust sunburst. but with low contrast between them. I’m just wondering if that affects the season or not that she is and I am…
What season is the other cool toned lady?
I don’t use seasons – one is deep, soft and cool, the other is deep, jewel toned and warm
My natural color is strawberry blonde, reddish, pale, freckled skin. My color now is more blonde with brown low lights. Blue eyes. I absolutely cannot stand browns and oranges on me, same with yellow. I look very good in burgundy, teal, blue, and white. By everyone’s calculation, I should be warm but these are obviously cool colors. I’ve never been able to figure this out. Do you have any insight? Thanks!
Actually, teal is both warm and cool, some blues are warm https://insideoutstyleblog.com/2017/07/undertone-of-blue.html , burgundy can also be both warm and cool (check out my post about it here, https://insideoutstyleblog.com/2017/07/undertone-of-red-and-burgundy.html). Has your hair naturally changed over time or have you dyed it differently? Many people cool with age (you may no longer have strawberry blonde hair naturally). There are also warm and cool browns, warm and cool whites, and some people never like orange or yellow – and like anything – there are many versions of these colours. How long since you were strawberry blonde naturally? Have you gone through menopause? all these things can influence colouring and without actually seeing you and doing a colour analysis I can’t tell!
I would love you help. I am always always confused by my coloring.
I was born a strawberry blonde, I have very few freckles and blue veins. I also have cool blue eyes and light light light skin that gets red.
I tend to perfer when I highlight my hair as I dont like the strawberry on me…. I would say my natural haircolor is a mix of brown red and blonde…. when I over highlight my hair I look washed out.
Nicole Kidman is warm and looks best in highly tinted warm colours.
also if I had to pick a celeb I would say Nichole kidman has the closest coloring and eyes to me, but I have never had real read hair. I did try to go red and it look AWFUL. Also my eyeblashes and brows are blonde
Hi, my name is Kim now that I am in my 50’s I have been putting high lights in my hair because of all the Grey.
All the Older ladies in my family talk about how pretty my light strawberry blonde hair was how it brought out my blue eyes up until I was 17 you know the rest.
Now my hair is just an Ugley color and the bleach makes my pink under tones and freckles Look washed Out can you Help Me Please!
I have hyperpigmentation and other dark areas on my face because of eczema and other reasons. It’s always been a huge insecurity of mine. I’ve been using Dermalmd Lightening Serum for about 2 weeks and have definitely noticed those problem areas getting lighter and lighter, and my overall skin tone is becoming evener.