You've found the perfect frame shape for your face, but one question remains: what color should you choose? In optics, color is paramount. An unsuitable frame can dull your complexion or make you look tired. Conversely, the right shade acts as a true beauty product: it illuminates your face, hides dark circles, and makes the color of your irises vibrate. Discover the secrets of colorimetry to make the perfect choice.
1. The basic secret: Identifying your skin undertone
The fundamental rule of colorimetry is to match the color of the frame to the natural "undertone" of your epidermis. Even if your skin tans in the summer, its undertone always remains the same.
- You have a cold undertone: Your skin has pink, blue, or porcelain undertones. Silver jewelry generally suits your complexion better. Colors to favor: Navy blue, plum, magenta, intense black, charcoal gray, silver metal, or cold-toned tortoiseshell. Avoid mustard yellow and bright orange, which could make you look washed out.
- You have a warm undertone: Your skin has golden, copper, or peach highlights. You tan easily, and gold jewelry flatters you particularly well. Colors to favor: Coral red, khaki green, caramel and honey tones, blonde tortoiseshell, gold metal, or bronze. Cold tones that are too strict, like steel blue or metallic gray, could dull your natural glow. If you're looking for ultra-luminous models, take a look at the crystal and rose gold frame trends which warm up all complexions.
2. Blondes, brunettes, redheads: Harmonizing glasses with your hair
Your hair literally frames your face. It is therefore in direct visual contact with the temples of your glasses. To ensure you don't break this harmony, consider checking out our guide on choosing glasses according to your face shape and haircut.
For blonde hair (light to strawberry blonde): Softness is key. Pastel colors (peach, powder pink, sky blue) enhance blondes with fair complexions. Honey or amber tortoiseshell frames bring a lot of chic without the harshness of black. If you want metal, opt for a very elegant rose gold. Avoid very thick black frames that create a visual "barrier" that is too severe.
For brown and brunette hair: You can afford anything when it comes to contrasts! Black will give you a bold, intellectual-chic look. For more subtlety, deep burgundy, navy blue, or fir green are rich shades that blend divinely well with dark hair. Bright gold or silver metal will also stand out spectacularly.
For red and auburn hair: Draw inspiration from the autumn palette. Shades of green (khaki, emerald, olive) are the complementary color to red and will highlight your hair like no other shade. Copper, rust tones, and traditional tortoiseshell are also perfect allies.
For salt and pepper or white hair: Go for brightness! Bright colors like cherry red, raspberry, or purple will bring an incredible touch of dynamism to your face. Transparent or silver metal frames are also very pure. However, avoid yellow or light brown tones which can give a dull appearance to white hair.
3. Iris and Contrasts: How to bring out the color of your eyes?
Your glasses are the showcase for your eyes. To make your gaze sparkle, two methods are available to you: play on tone-on-tone, or use the complementary color (the opposite shade on the color wheel).
- Blue Eyes: For a magnetic gaze, bet on warm complementary colors: copper, orange, tortoiseshell, or golden tones will spectacularly bring out the blue of your irises. If you prefer discretion, a monochrome of gray-blue or slate will work very well.
- Green Eyes: The secret to intensifying a green gaze lies in purplish shades. A plum, burgundy, eggplant, or lilac frame will make the color of your eyes explode. Rose gold metal is also an excellent, luminous choice.
- Brown or Hazel Eyes: This is the easiest color to match. To illuminate brown eyes, forest green or midnight blue are of rare elegance. To enhance hazel highlights, turn to amber shades or gold metal.
If you are still hesitating between several shades, know that you can use our high-definition 3D virtual mirror to instantly test different colors on your face using your camera, directly from the comfort of your living room.
★★★★★
"For years I wore black glasses out of habit, but they always made me look tired. After reading advice on colorimetry, I dared to try a burgundy and rose gold metal frame from Visionet. The change is crazy! My complexion is fresher and people keep asking me if I changed my makeup!"
— Amélie D., verified customer.
Visionet Expertise for your Gaze
Choosing the right frame color is essential, but don't forget the lenses! To ensure that the beautiful color of your eyes (and your makeup) remains visible, our opticians strongly recommend adding a quality anti-reflective coating. This removes the "mirror" effect on the lens, guaranteeing that people see your eyes, and not the reflection of their own environment. You can also perfectly customize your lenses by exploring our wide selection of 250 available custom tints to create a truly unique and personalized look.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my skin undertone is warm or cold? +
The simplest trick is the vein test: look at the inside of your wrist in natural light. If your veins appear more blue or purple, your undertone is cold. If they lean towards green, your undertone is warm. If you can't decide, you probably have a neutral complexion and can wear anything!
Can I wear black glasses with a very pale complexion? +
Black creates a very strong contrast that can sometimes harden features or give a severe look to a diaphanous complexion. If you have very fair skin and light hair, opt instead for deep but softer colors, like charcoal gray, navy blue, or a tortoiseshell pattern to soften the gaze.
Last updated: — Editorial: Team Visionet.
