Skin Tone Names by Color and Shade

We’ve all heard skin tones thrown around -- fair, pale, caramel, olive, tan, black, brown, etc. clearly, there’s no shortage of different terms involved in this concept.

As a result, it can be difficult to determine your exact shade and take the best care of your skin.

When it comes to your skin, we here at PROVEN believe that knowledge is power which is why we are here to tell you all about some of the different skin tones out there and what it means for your skincare.

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Why Determine Your Skin Tone?

Before we get into skin tones, you may be wondering why you should even bother with such a concept. After all, skin tone doesn’t really matter that much, right? Not necessarily.

In fact, knowing your skin tone can help you care for it properly. For instance, some skin tones are more prone to skin issues like skin cancer, sunburns, and hyperpigmentation just to name a few.

Additionally, it may be helpful to know your skin tone when you’re buying or applying makeup or choosing outfits. This is because certain color combinations may work better for your skin type than others. At the end of the day, you’re trying to look your best -- and knowing your skin tone can definitely help you do that!

How To Determine Your Skin Tone

Skin tone is largely regarded as a subjective concept. After all, you may look quite bronzed when you’re with some people while looking quite pale when you’re with others.

The good news is that it’s not all subjective! In fact, there’s an official scale that is often used to determine skin tone called the Fitzpatrick Pigmentary Phototype Scale. This scale includes a range of different skin tones from one to six -- starting with the lightest and ending with the darkest.

You can take a look at this scale to determine your proper skin tone. For starters, there’s Type 1 which is known as pale white skin, Type 2 which is known as white skin, Type 3 which is known as light brown skin, Type 4 which is known as medium brown skin, Type 5 which is known as dark brown skin, and Type 6 which is known as very dark brown or black skin.

It can be hard to picture such a scale without looking at it, which is why we are going to break down some of the different tones even further so that you can determine your correct tone.

Different Skin Tones by Color and Shade

As you know, there’s a wide variety of different skin tones out there and it would be nearly impossible to discuss them all at once. For this reason, we are only going to focus on a few of them for the moment.

If you don’t seem to fit any of these, check out our comprehensive guide to skin tones and undertones for the complete picture.

Fair Skin Tone

Fair skin is the lightest skin tone on the Fitzpatrick scale. Also known as Type 1, this skin tone consists of very pale white skin that experiences frequent sunburns and doesn’t tan easily.

This skin tone is common for those with blonde or red hair and blue or green eyes. If you have fair skin, you’re at a higher risk of skin cancer since your skin isn’t able to block out much of the sun’s ultraviolet rays with melanin pigment.

As a result, sun protection for this skin tone is paramount and should be applied everyday. People with fair skin may also experience heightened skin sensitivity to various environmental factors.

Medium Skin Tone

Medium skin falls in the middle of the Fitzpatrick scale. Also known as Type 3, this skin tone consists of medium white to olive skin that experiences occasional minor sunburns and tans well when out in the sun.

This skin tone is common for those with brown hair and brown eyes. Although people with this skin tone are at a relatively lower risk of skin cancer and sun damage when compared with fair skin, it’s still important to practice diligent sun protection.

Bronze Skin Tone

Moving right along the Fitzpatrick scale, we also have bronze skin. This skin tone comes near the end of the scale at Type 5.

Bronze skin has a dark brown appearance and commonly occurs in individuals with African or Hispanic roots. This skin tone is unique in terms of its red undertones.

People with a bronze skin tone do not typically burn very much at all if ever and consistently enjoy a tanned appearance throughout the year. People with this skin tone should still practice sun protection, drink enough water, and eat a skin healthy diet in order to maintain a bronzed glow.

Mocha Skin Tone

The last skin tone on the Fitzpatrick scale is mocha skin, also known as Type 6.

This skin tone is characterized as deeply pigmented dark brown or black skin and commonly occurs in individuals with African or Caribbean roots. Black hair and dark eyes are common traits for those with this skin tone.

People with this skin tone do not experience sunburns but may experience changes in skin undertone throughout the year as the seasons change and are still at risk for skin cancer.

Additionally, people with this skin tone may experience a skin condition known as hyperpigmentation, which causes the development of dark spots or patches on the skin.

Wrap Up on Skin Tone

Now that you’re able to determine your skin tone, it’s time to take proper care of it! The best first step is to take PROVEN’s skin quiz so that you can receive your customized skin regimen that will help you take the best care of your skin -- no matter your skin tone.

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