Find The Best Swimsuit Colors For Your Skin Tone

Swimsuit shopping often involves going through a laundry-list of components: finding the proper fit, a flattering silhouette, comfort level, bikini or one-piece? There seems to be a lot to consider - let alone adding the worry of selecting the right swimsuit color for your skintone. 

However - we are here to help guide you through the process of determining what colors best suit your unique skin tone! Because selecting a suit that harmonizes with the tone and color of your skin can help to accentuate your natural beauty - and give you more of that sun-kissed glow we all strive for.

Find out which colors are guaranteed to flatter your particular skin tone in this article, as well as an easy guide for using the color wheel to your advantage when picking out swimwear this season (and for many seasons to come!).

What is the best swimsuit color for my skin tone?

The million dollar question: What color of bathing suit would look the most flattering against your skin tone? Let’s first take a look at the undertone of your skin, and what skin type you have. This will help to pinpoint what colors on the spectrum would best compliment your skin tone.

Skin UNDERtone

You likely already know whether your skin tone is light, medium, or dark. That said, determining what your skin undertone is, can prove to be a bit more difficult.  

Of course, the literal color of your skin can (and oftentimes will) change throughout the year - depending on the season. However, your skin undertone will remain constant. If you’ve been shopping for makeup foundation before, you may be familiar with the different types of skin undertones that are out there. But if you are unfamiliar with undertones of the skin, you’ve come to the right place!

Your skin undertone will either be neutral, warm, or cool. 

So, how do you know which undertone your skin possesses?!

You have a WARM skin tone if:

• The color of your skin looks slightly yellow when up against a stark white surface
• You tend to tan easily in the sun
• Your natural hair color leans towards the warmer side - with tones such as golden, strawberry blonde, or honey or caramel brown, warm brown-black, copper, or a creamy light blonde

You have a COOL skin tone if:

• The color of your skin appears slightly blue when up against a stark white surface
• The veins throughout your body appear more blue in color, as opposed to green
• You usually burn when out in the sun, rather than tan
• Your natural hair color is on the ashy side of the spectrum, such as ash-blonde, sandy blonde, dark cool brown, stark black with blue undertones, deep auburn, or snow white/silvery platinum gray

You have a NEUTRAL skin tone if:

• You have observed a mixture of both warm and cool characteristics within your skin/hair colors
• Your natural hair color would be described as blonde, red, brown, or white/platinum with depth featuring both cool and warm tones throughout

Best Swimsuit Colors for Your Skin Tone

Below, you’ll find a list of skin tones - find yours and read on to discover what swimsuit colors would look best on you and compliment your complexion. We’ve also added swimsuit colors that you should avoid - based on your skin tone and skin undertone.

Porcelain Skin 

Porcelain skin is the palest of all the skin tones. Generally speaking, those with porcelain skin tone tend to appear “flush” more frequently, and burn in the sun if exposed for too long. 

If you have porcelain skin, it is a good idea to avoid red swimsuit shades - since the color red has been shown to bring out the ruddiness in those with especially fair skin tones.

There is a misconception that people with porcelain skin should avoid dark colors, believing that the extreme contrast will make porcelain skin appear even more pale. However, light swimsuit colors can actually make porcelain skin look washed out. 

Porcelain skin looks best with jewel toned swimsuits, and colors that are more “central” on the color pallet (not too dark, not too light). For example, sapphire blue, emerald green, and deep teal swimwear looks beautiful against ivory skin tones. 

Fair Skin

Fair skin is slightly darker than white, porcelain skin tones - thus able to stand the sun a little bit more without being as flushed. This skin tone allows for more freedom to wear warm tones, such as rust red. On the other hand, light colors, such as yellow or white can leave a fair skinned person looking flat and/or shallow. 

Fair skin pairs beautifully with rich burgundy, dusty emerald green shades, and dusty rose swimsuits.

Golden Skin

When it comes to golden skin tones, people may start off the year with skin as pale as those with fair skin, but a little sun goes a long way for this skin tone. Some exposure to the sun leaves golden skin tones with a radiant glow. During the summer, golden skin toned individuals often reach their peak of sun-tanned skin tones. 

Golden skin goes very well with olive green tones, as well as just about any shade of blue.

Olive Skin 

Bright, colorful shades look amazing against olive skin tones. Colors that tend to make other shades look shallow or flat - POP against warm, rich tawny skin tones. Olive skin is very versatile when it comes to choosing a flattering swimsuit color (got a lot of options!).

Bright orange is a fun and playful swimsuit color that compliments olive skin shades very well. Red is another hue that looks stunning on those who have olive skin. Olive skin tones almost never burn, and when they do get a bit flush, it isn’t very noticeable.

Dark Skin

Deep brown skin tone shades look stunning on the beach, and pair well with just about every color of swimsuit. 

Yellow, white and pale colors look great against dark skin tones. Metallic shades, such as shimmery or glittery shades of fabric look ideal on dark skin tones.

Most other skin tones will have a difficult time pulling off a white swimsuit, as white swimwear tends to wash out other skin tones.