Five perfect colours to enhance your tan this summer

Not all tanned skin is equal: some lucky ones get a very dark tan almost immediately by standing in the sun for a minute, while some of us just get sunburned instead. But even if different people get tanned easily, their skin colour will still be very different from one another. This is due to the phototype, which depends on the mix of melanin (the natural substance responsible for activating the tan to protect us from the sun) and carotene. Incidentally, this mix also determines if our skin tone will tend to be warm or not.

If you want to make the most out of it and need to know what colour does a tan go with, check out the list we’ve prepared for you. For each type, we give you our suggestion for what is the best colour to show off a tan.

Best colours for phototype 1 skins

The first phototype skin is really, really light, super sensitive and gets sunburned very quickly and easily. People that belong to this phototype can’t get a tan, and usually have light hair (blonde, reddish) and light blue or green eyes. It’s better for them to avoid sun exposure altogether and choose a 50+ SPF cream to apply regularly and several times during the day.

To help with the protection of your skin, consider a hat! For this phototype, it’s important not to wear colours that are too bright, as they create too much contrast with the skin. Instead, you may choose all the cool pastel tones and light, soft colours: powder pink, tiffany blue, lilac, or baby blue, among others. All these tints will help the non-tanned skin look brighter.

Ideal colours for phototype 2 skins

The second phototype skin is a light skin, but slightly less sensitive and it may be capable to tan, albeit poorly. It may get sunburned, but after that it will get a very soft, light and uniform brown tone. However, take into account that it will after several days of altering sun exposure; for your safety, stay under the beach umbrella, as the sunrays reflected by the sand will be enough. People with this kind of skin shouldn’t expose long hours to the sun and should always have a sun protection cream.

Since this skin is somewhere in between cool and warm tones, it can be enhanced by colours like turquoise, greens and tangerine: a mix of nuances from the Spring and Summer palette that can brighten the skin without dominate it.

Colours that suit prototype 3 skins

This phototype is characterised by a warm, soft brown skin, brown hair and eyes, typical of the Mediterranean area. People with this skin type get tanned quite easily, and they are less likely to get sunburned. When they come home from holidays, they still have a healthy, uniform light coffee tint envied by everybody, which also tends to last longer depending on how well they take care of their skin.

The colours to match this tan are gold and bronze, but also warm yellows and beige: tints that are warm while brightening the skin in the right way.

Perfect colours for phototype 4 skins

The 4th phototype is characterised by a “coffee” tint, very warm and not very sensitive. This type of skin hardly ever gets sunburned and gets tanned very easily even after a short exposure to the sun. People with this type of skin usually have dark hair and dark eyes. In any case, be careful and don’t forget your sun protection.

In this case, the colours you can opt for consist of high contrast tints to balance well the dark tone of the skin. For example, bright tints like coral, bright red, peach and bright turquoise are perfect to enhance the brightness of this skin tone.

Colours for phototype 5 skins this summer

The last phototype we analyse is the one characterised by a very dark skin, with a high pigmentation: this dark intense brown skin doesn’t get burned at all, even after hours and hours under the sun. People with a phototype 5 skin have dark hair and very dark eyes, and get an even darker skin after the sun exposure. As always, it’s important to remember that all skin types need care and protection under the sun and after exposure.

In this case you should opt for all the brightest tints you can find (you should enhance and balance the high contrast of your skin!): fluorescent tints, bright nuances, acid greens, intense blues will be your best friends. Plus, the classic white is the perfect colour to brighten this type of skin, as this prototype is the only one that can handle white standing out.

These are our tips to pick colours according to your skin’s phototype. Feel free to explore your favourite colours in different shades to match your skin tone throughout the year. Will you go for a monochrome look, or mix and match to get a daring look? The important part is to have fun with it and, whatever you decide, know that your skin is beautiful.