Best colors · By skin tone
The best colors for olive skin
A green-gold undertone that looks rich in deep, slightly muted colors and dull in pale yellows and grayish pastels.
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The short answer
Olive skin looks best in rich, slightly muted colors with depth: teal, emerald, burgundy, plum, terracotta, mustard and warm cream, with camel, chocolate and olive-brown as neutrals. Avoid pale yellow, beige that matches your skin, icy pastels and neon, which bring out the green in olive skin and make it look sallow.
The palette
Colors that flatter olive skin
Olive skin has a muted green or gray-gold cast on top of a warm or neutral base. It shows at every depth, from light olive that reads beige-green to deep olive that reads bronze. A good test is jewelry and white: gold looks natural but so does silver, pure white looks slightly harsh, and pale yellow makes you look tired. That in-between undertone is why olive skin gets mislabeled as warm or cool so often.
Neutrals
Build trousers, coats and knitwear on these instead of beige and black.
- Warm Cream#EFE6D2
- Camel#B08A5E
- Olive Brown#6B5E3F
- Chocolate#5A3E2E
- Charcoal Brown#3E3833
- Navy#26324A
Everyday colors
Easy near the face: shirts, sweaters, dresses and scarves.
- Teal#2F7472
- Terracotta#B4644A
- Mustard#B8913A
- Dusty Rose#B47B7A
- Sage#8F9A78
- Denim Blue#4D6A8A
Statement colors
For evenings, events and one bold piece at a time.
- Emerald#0F6B4E
- Burgundy#6E2333
- Plum#5E2F4F
- Brick Red#9C3B2E
- Sapphire#24477A
- Copper#A9603A
Why it works
Why these colors work
The colors that work share two traits with your skin: some depth and a little softness. Teal, emerald and plum echo the cool side of the green; terracotta, mustard and brick red echo the gold. Together they make olive skin look even and luminous. Colors that are too light, too yellow or too close to your own skin tone remove the contrast your face needs, so the green reads as sallow and shadows look deeper.
Your season
Seasons where olive skin is common
Soft Autumn
Light to medium olive skin with soft, blended features: muted earth tones and soft teal flatter most.
Deep Autumn
Medium to deep olive skin with dark hair and eyes: rich browns, forest green and burgundy.
Soft Summer
Olive skin that leans cool and gray: dusty rose, smoky blue and soft plum work better than gold.
Deep Winter
Deep olive skin with very dark hair and high contrast: jewel tones and crisp, dark neutrals.
One trait doesn’t settle a season: undertone, depth and how soft or bright your coloring is decide it together. Avarobe reads all three from one selfie and shows your best and worst colors on your own face.
Keep away from your face
Colors to avoid
- Pale Yellow#F6EBA0
- Skin-tone Beige#D8C3A5
- Icy Pastel Blue#DCEBF5
- Neon Green#5BFF3B
- Orange Sherbet#F8B26A
- Ash Gray#B2B4B0
You don’t have to give these up: wear them away from your face, in trousers, skirts, shoes and bags, and keep a deeper color like teal, cream or plum between them and your face.
Put it together
How to wear them
- Swap black for chocolate, charcoal brown or navy near your face; keep true black for shoes, belts and trousers.
- Choose warm cream or ivory over bright white for shirts and tees. If you love crisp white, add a teal or burgundy scarf.
- Wear olive green itself in a deeper or browner shade than your skin, so the two don’t blend into one flat tone.
- Pair one rich color with one neutral, like emerald with camel or burgundy with navy, rather than three bright colors at once.
- Matte and satin fabrics flatter olive skin more than shiny, metallic or neon finishes, which exaggerate the green.
Makeup
Lips in brick, berry, rosewood and warm mauve. Blush in terracotta or soft plum rather than baby pink. Bronze, olive and plum eyeshadow bring out green and hazel eyes.
Metals
Both work, so let your undertone decide: antique gold and bronze if you lean warm, brushed silver and pewter if you lean cool. Rose gold suits almost every olive complexion.
Hair color
Rich brunettes, chocolate, mocha and dark caramel highlights flatter most. Avoid brassy golden blonde and flat ash, which turn the skin greener.
Questions
Olive skin: FAQ
What colors should olive skin avoid?
Pale yellow, beige close to your own skin tone, icy pastels, neon and grayish ash tones. They bring out the green in olive skin and make it look sallow or tired. Wear them away from your face and keep a richer color, like teal, cream or plum, near it instead.
Is olive skin warm or cool?
Usually neither. Olive skin has a green or gray-gold cast on a warm or neutral base, which is why both gold and silver can look good. Many people with olive skin are Soft Autumns or Soft Summers; deeper olive skin is often Deep Autumn or Deep Winter.
Can olive skin wear black?
Light and medium olive skin often looks tired in pure black near the face; deep olive skin usually wears it well. If black dulls you, try chocolate, charcoal brown or navy for tops and keep black for trousers, shoes and coats worn open.
Does olive skin look good in white?
Warm white, cream and ivory flatter olive skin more than optic white, which can make it look sallow by contrast. If you want a white shirt, choose a soft off-white or wear crisp white with a teal, burgundy or navy layer near your face.
What is the best hair color for olive skin?
Rich brunettes, chocolate, espresso and mocha, with dark caramel or bronze highlights for dimension. They work for the same reason the best colors for olive skin do: depth with a little warmth. Steer away from brassy yellow blonde and flat ash, which bring out the green. The hair color guide covers shades by skin depth.
Keep exploring
Related guides
Avarobe
See your best colors on your own face
One selfie: Avarobe reads your undertone, depth and contrast, names your season and shows the colors that flatter you, and the one to keep away from your face.
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