Skin Color Code : For all Skin tone color types (2024)

Skin color and accurate skin color code is an extremely important aspect to consider in photography , film making , color grading and to some extent in graphic design as well.

A wrong skin color can make or break your creative work. The solution to this problem is to use a standard skin color code based on the type of skin that your subject has it is also known as skin color palette . You can use a skin color hex code or RGB or CMYK skin color code.

We strongly recommend to use these skin color codes for creative purpose only and not to evaluate , discriminate based on skin color.

Table Of Contents

  • 1 Why Skin color code is important ?
  • 2 What are color codes ?
  • 3 What is a skin color hex code ?
    • 3.1 Skin color code RGB
    • 3.2 Skin tone Color code CMYK
    • 3.3 Skin color hex code
  • 4 What are types of Skin Tone colors ?
    • 4.1 Fair Skin Color Palette
    • 4.2 Dark skin color palette
    • 4.3 Caucasian skin color palette
    • 4.4 Indian skin color code (Brown skin Color Palatte )
  • 5 Real Skin Tone Color Scheme or Skin color palette
  • 6 Skin color tones in color grading

Why Skin color code is important ?

We have some colors that are imprinted in our minds. The most common colors we see are sky, grass, and skin tone color. These colors have a definitive reference in all humans minds.

It is particularly important to represent these colors accurately in your creative work to ensure audience immersion, unless the narrative specifically calls for a distortion of these hues.

Man-made objects tend to have less color memory associated with them, so you have more freedom to tweak the hue of a car or the saturation of a character’s dress. But you can never mess around with someone’s skin color.

Skin tone color has to be accurate and that’s where human skin color code comes in. Before going into detail of skin color code , lets understand what are color codes ? and what different types are in use ?

What are color codes ?

There are three different color code systems generally used. RGB, CMYK and Hex. These codes basically represent a color by using a series of numbers and/or letters.

The RGB color system is the most commonly used color model in computers, televisions , LEDs , smartphones etc. This color system uses combinations of these three colors to create all other colors on the spectrum.

Hexadecimal means that you type in six-digit numbers with the letters A through F representing the six different bits for each digit. Hex digits are available in both lowercase and uppercase letters without any spaces between them.

CMYK stands for cyan , magenta , yellow and black. It is more applicable to print projects where you have more control over what the final product will look like on paper. CMYK colors are also known as process colors. A color model with four channels.

What is a skin color hex code ?

A skin color code is either RGB , CMYK or Hex code of the exact skin color. It basically represents a combination of hues that exactly represents a human skin color.

The skin tone color lies somewhere between yellow and red and the saturation varies depending on type of skin.

Skin color code RGB

A typical natural skin color codes RGB values are (232, 190, 172).

This represents a natural skin tone color and be used for general purposes. For more dark or light skin color tones please refer sections below.

Skin tone Color code CMYK

CMYK skin tone color codes representing the same color as above are (0%, 18%, 26%, 9%). The first three values represent Cyan , Magenta , Yellow colors and last values represents amount of black.

Skin color hex code

The skin color hex code or skin colour hex code for same natural skin color is #E8BEAC .

Skin Color Code : For all Skin tone color types (1)

Following table gives you skin color code values in various different forms. Skin colour hex code is very easy to use and most professional coloring tools accept hex codes.

Skin Color Hex Code#E8BEAC
RGB Values(232, 190, 172)
CMYK Values(0%, 18%, 26%, 9%)
HSV/HSB Values(18°, 26%, 91%)
Closest Web Safe#FFCC99

What are types of Skin Tone colors ?

The color of your skin is determined by the amount of melanin (skin pigment) in your outermost layer of skin, whereas your skin undertone is the underlying hue. The amount of melanin (skin pigment) in the top layer of your skin determines your skin tone.

The 4 Main Types Of Skin Tones Are:

  1. White Skin Color Code : #fde7d6
  2. Light / fair
  3. Medium
  4. Deep (Dark)

Lets see some color palates based on different types of skin color types.

Please note that these skin color codes are given for creative purpose only and not for any discriminations or evaluation based on skin color.

Following are some examples of skin color palatte photoshop.

You can also read our post on peach color code where you will get a beautiful peach skin color code as well. Coral colors are also beautiful and have shades of pink , orange and red. You can read all about them here.

Fair Skin Color Palette

Fair skin is a little easier to handle in terms of photo editing and or film color grading. Following is an example of fair skin color codes. These can be used as skin tone color code in photoshop or a complete skin color palette in photoshop.

Or even for that matter any other photo editing application.

Skin Color Code : For all Skin tone color types (2)

Fair skin colors can take a lot more adjustments and re-touching compared to dark skin color. They can also handle a lot more saturation compared to dark skin colors.

These are also known as light skin color code or the first color in the palette is also known as white skin color code.

Dark skin color palette

Dark skin is very tricky to handle in photo editing and color grading. You should avoid doing a lot of re-touching and color correction for dark skin images as it can spoil the image quickly.

Following is an example of dark skin color palatte.

Skin Color Code : For all Skin tone color types (3)

Caucasian skin color palette

Caucasian skin color code is very typical and has more of orange , yellow feel to it. Here is an example for Caucasian skin color codes or color palatte.

Skin Color Code : For all Skin tone color types (4)

Indian skin color code (Brown skin Color Palatte )

Indian skin color code is again very typical with shades of brown in place. Following is an example of Indian skin color codes.

You can make brown by mixing blue and orange.

These are also known as brown skin color code.

Skin Color Code : For all Skin tone color types (5)

Real Skin Tone Color Scheme or Skin color palette

The real skin tone color scheme consists of following 5 colors , it is also known as skin color palette.

COLORINFORMATION
RUSSETName: Russet
Hex:#8D5524
RGB: (141, 85, 36)
CMYK: 0, 0.397, 0.744, 0.447
PERUName: Peru
Hex:#C68642
RGB: (198, 134, 66)
CMYK: 0, 0.323, 0.666, 0.223
FAWNName: Fawn
Hex:#E0AC69
RGB: (224, 172, 105)
CMYK: 0, 0.232, 0.531, 0.121
MELLOW APRICOTName: Mellow Apricot
Hex:#F1C27D
RGB: (241, 194, 125)
CMYK: 0, 0.195, 0.481, 0.054
NAVAJO WHITEName: Navajo White
Hex:#FFDBAC
RGB: (255, 219, 172)
CMYK: 0, 0.141, 0.325, 0
Skin Color Code : For all Skin tone color types (6)

Skin color tones in color grading

Skin color correction and grading is one of the most important aspects of color grading. Beautiful skin tones can make a huge difference to a project. Skin color adjustments are a part of secondary color grading.

If you are new to color grading then you can read our post here.

A common task for secondary correction is to make skin tones look more natural. Whether you are working on a documentary , music video or a feature film, the audience will be paying the utmost attention to the actions (and, therefore, the faces) of the people on the screen.

Skin tones are deeply engraved in people’s mind and are always referenced by the audience. You want to make sure to get the skin tones as accurate as possible to ensure minimum distraction from the narrative.

A vector scope is generally used with Skin color indicator. The skin color line lies somewhere between yellow and red.

Skin Color Code : For all Skin tone color types (7)
Skin Color Code : For all Skin tone color types (8)

You can sample the skin in your scene to see if it lies near to this line and then use the hue vs hue and hue vs sat curves to adjust the skin tone to make it look natural.

In color grading light skin tones can handle a lot more saturation before they get distorted while the dark skin color tones get distorted very eaily.

Here are two good videos about getting perfect skin tones in Da Vinci resolve.

Skin colors can also be used for adjustment of white balance in videos. This is required when you do not have any white or neutral colors in your frame and you are not sure about the white balance.

Here is a video about how you can do that in resolve.

Skin Color Code : For all Skin tone color types (2024)

FAQs

What color fits all skin tones? ›

No matter your skin type, you can wear pale pink, bright red, teal and dark purple with confidence, as they are all universal colors that work with all skin tones.

What color code is skin color? ›

In the RGB (red, green, blue) system, the skin color percentage is comprised of skin in the RGB system is (255,204,153).

How do I know my skin tone code? ›

In natural light, check the appearance of your veins beneath your skin.
  1. If your veins appear blue or purple, you have a cool skin tone.
  2. If your veins look green or a greenish blue, you have a warm skin tone.
  3. If you can't tell whether or not your veins are green or blue, you probably have a neutral skin tone.
Mar 16, 2018

What is fair skin tone? ›

The term “fair skin” is typically used to describe a human skin color that is usually considered the lightest natural shade. People with this sort of skin are typically of Caucasian or East Asian descent, though it can occur in people from various racial and ethnic backgrounds.

What is a neutral skin tone? ›

If you have a neutral undertone, this means that your undertones are roughly the same color as your actual skin tone. It's important to note that your undertone isn't the same thing as your natural tone, or the color of your naked skin before you put on foundation or any other makeup.

What are the 6 skin types? ›

The Fitzpatrick classification
Skin typeTypical featuresTanning ability
IIIDarker white skinTans after initial burn
IVLight brown skinBurns minimally, tans easily
VBrown skinRarely burns, tans darkly easily
VIDark brown or black skinNever burns, always tans darkly
2 more rows

How many skin tones are there? ›

From pale to dark and everything in between, human skin color covers a wide range. The Pantone company, a leading authority on standardized color reproduction, has identified 110 different skin tones.

How many skin types are there? ›

The type of skin is determined by genetics, although it will also be affected by other factors and can change with time. Based on these characteristics, there are five types of healthy skin: normal, dry, oily, combination (both oily and dry skin) and sensitive.

What are the types of skin color? ›

Skin type
Type IExtremely fair skin, always burns, never tans.
Type IIFair skin, always burns, sometimes tans.
Type IIIMedium skin, sometimes burns, always tans.
Type IVOlive skin, rarely burns, always tans.
Type VModerately pigmented brown skin, never burns, always tans.
1 more row
Mar 3, 2006

What is skin color name? ›

Fitzpatrick scale
TypeAlso calledTanning behavior
IIWhite, fairMinimally
IIIMedium white to light brownUniformly
IVOlive, moderate brownEasily
VBrown, dark brownVery easily
2 more rows

Which colors make skin color? ›

While all skin tones are different, a blend of the colors red, yellow, brown, and white will result in a suitable foundation color. Some skin tones will require more red, while others will require more white and so on. But for most subjects, a mixture of these four colors works nicely.

What skin tone is Indian? ›

People in India have a general skin tone that is gold-yellowish. This skin tone is described as wheatish because it is very similar to the color of wheat.

What value is a skin tone? ›

Results. Skin tone was classified into three categories (dark, normal, bright) based on L* values. Compared with the contrast value, the dark group L* was 60.66 and the normal group L* was 63.87 (with a difference of 3.21), and the bright group L* was 66.66 (with a difference of 2.79 from the normal group).

What is beige skin tone? ›

Beige skin tone is a skin color that ranges from white to light brown. It belongs to the color spectrum of olive. This skin tone usually looks more tanned with green or yellow undertones. These characteristics make beige skin appear like it is a golden skin tone.

What is the skin tone of Filipino? ›

People of full Filipino descent typically have tan skin, dark hair and flatter noses. People of mixed ethnic origin generally have lighter skin and hair, as well as narrow noses — features desired by many Filipinos today.

What is my skin color app? ›

A newly launched app called MatchCo, however, aims to fix this beauty conundrum and take the beauty tech game to a whole new level. MatchCo uses your smartphone's camera to get an exact read of your skin tone. To start, you must calibrate the app.

What is cool tone skin? ›

Cool skin tone refers to a skin type with a bluish undertone. People typically fall into one of two skin type categories: cool or warm skin tone. Determining one's skin tone will allow them to learn what types of colors look best on them, for the purposes of hair color, makeup, jewelry, and clothing.

Is pink skin tone cool or warm? ›

Aimee summarised the three main undertones to look for, telling us; "Cool undertones include pink and bluish hues. Warm undertones range from peach to yellow and golden. Neutral undertones have a mixture of both warm and cool tones."

What is pink undertone skin? ›

A pink undertone is a term for a light reddish-pink tone that is generally found in fair-skinned people. If you have a pink undertone, it's likely you're more prone to rosacea and sensitive to sunburns, but those with this undertone look great in makeup and red clothing.

What is your skin type? ›

If after 30 minutes your skin appears shiny throughout, you likely have oily skin; if it feels tight and is flaky or scaly, you likely have dry skin; if the shine is only in your T-Zone, you probably have combination skin; and if your skin feels hydrated and comfortable, but not oily, you likely have normal skin.

What is Type 3 skin type? ›

Fitzpatrick skin type 3

skin color (before sun exposure): fair to beige, with golden undertones. eye color: hazel or light brown. natural hair color: dark blonde or light brown. sun reaction: skin might freckle, burns on occasion, and sometimes tans.

How can I check my skin type? ›

Gently pat a blotting paper on the different areas of your face. Hold the sheet up to the light to determine how much oil is visible. If the sheet picked up little to no oil, you most likely have dry skin. If the blotting sheet reveals oil from the forehead and nose areas, your skin is combination.

Which skin type is best? ›

The scientific term for well-balanced skin is eudermic. The T-zone (forehead, chin and nose) may be a bit oily, but overall sebum and moisture is balanced and the skin is neither too oily nor too dry. A velvety, soft and smooth texture is a sign for a healthy and radiant skin.

Which skin type is most common? ›

Combination skin is the most common skin type, says Hale. And it looks different from person to person: you might have an oily T-zone (nose, forehead, and/or chin) but dry skin everywhere else, or you might be dry and sensitive only in certain concentrated spots—say, around the eyes or mouth.

What is combination skin? ›

Combination Skin Type

Your skin can be dry or normal in some areas and oily in others, such as the T-zone (nose, forehead, and chin). Many people have this type. It may need slightly different care in different areas. Combination skin can have: Pores that look larger than normal because they're more open.

What is Type 2 skin? ›

Skin Type 2

If you have Type 2 skin, you probably have blue, gray or green eyes and naturally blonde hair or brown hair. Your skin is fairly light but may build a tan with repeated exposure to the sun. It's more likely to burn and then peel away, and you may notice freckles if you spend too much time outdoors.

How do you mix skin tones? ›

Mixing Light Skin Tones

Start by mixing equal portions of yellow, red, and blue. Now, you can use white, yellow, or both to lighten this color. With light skin tones, you can add quite a significant amount of white. Adding red or yellow in various proportions will create more of a “tan” or “blush”.

What colors make white? ›

By convention, the three primary colors in additive mixing are red, green, and blue. In the absence of light of any color, the result is black. If all three primary colors of light are mixed in equal proportions, the result is neutral (gray or white).

What is Korean skin color? ›

Korean skin color can be described as a yellow to red tone. However, much like Whiteness, skin color alone does not determine the implications of Koreanness because racialization is complex.

What is the skin tone of Pakistan? ›

A majority of the country's population has a light to dark brown skin color. This also holds true for Pakistan.

What is honey skin tone? ›

So what is honey skin? Honey skin is essentially the next level glow after healthy skin. It's a huge trend on social media right now, and is #goals as far as dewy and glowy complexions are concerned. Keep in mind that healthy, normal skin doesn't mean you can't see any pores and flawless.

What is ivory skin color? ›

As the name would indicate, ivory skin is very light–like the color of ivory tusks that you might find on an elephant. There are a few different tones that can be classified as very light, including porcelain and alabaster, and ivory is considered the darkest of the group.

What are nude colors? ›

Nude was originally named after the Western-European centric Caucasian skin tone. It is close to beige in terms of being a pale shade of the mixture of brown and white. Its hex code is #E3BC9A.
...
The following colors are related to nude.
  • Brown.
  • Tan.
  • White.
  • Beige.

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