15 Best Colors for Cool Undertones Over 50 (Shades You’ll Want to Live In)

The best colors for cool undertones over 50 are blue-based shades. Build your everyday wardrobe on navy, charcoal, soft white, dove gray, cool taupe and denim blue, then add sapphire, dusty blue, emerald, blue teal, raspberry, dusty rose, blue-red, plum and lavender near your face. These colors brighten rosy skin, make your eyes look clearer and look beautiful with silver, gray and ash hair.

But a list of pretty colors is not a wardrobe. The colors you actually live in are the ones that work for Tuesday errands, Sunday church and dinner out, and that mix with everything else in your closet. So this guide is built the way you get dressed: six neutrals to build on, nine accent colors to wear near your face, and a simple plan to put them together.

You’ll also find six easy undertone tests, a quick way to tell whether you’re a light, bright, soft or deep cool, a full color chart, swaps for the warm colors you don’t want to give up, and the makeup, nail and jewelry shades that finish the look.

One promise before we start: color guidance is a tool, not a rulebook. If a color makes you feel wonderful, the mirror in good daylight gets the final vote.

Cool Undertones Over 50 at a Glance

What Cool Undertones Are (and What Changes After 50)

Your skin tone is how light or deep your skin is. Your undertone is the hue under the surface. Cool undertones have a pink, rosy or bluish cast, warm undertones lean golden, peach or yellow, and neutral sits in between. Cool undertones come in every depth, from porcelain to deep brown skin, so this guide is about undertone, not about how fair you are.

Your undertone stays basically the same for life. What changes after 50 is everything around it, and that’s why colors that suited you at 35 can suddenly feel off:

• Contrast softens. As hair grays and brows and lashes lighten, the difference between your hair, skin and eyes gets smaller. Very dark or very loud colors can start to wear you, instead of the other way around.
• Skin can look paler, more sallow or more flushed. Thinner skin shows more redness and broken capillaries, and some women notice a tired, slightly yellow cast. Yellow-heavy colors near the face make both more obvious.
• Silver hair is cool. For many cool-toned women, going gray makes their best colors look even better, because hair and skin now match.
• Colors near your face do the most work. A top, scarf or collar reflects color onto your skin. Trousers and shoes don’t.

If your skin is flushed or you have rosacea

Blue-greens such as teal, emerald and pine, and soft blues, calm the look of redness. It’s the same idea as a green color-correcting primer. Very bright cherry red and hot pink right at the neckline can echo the flush, so pick a deeper cranberry or a dusty rose there instead.

If your skin looks tired or sallow

Keep mustard, khaki, golden beige and cream away from your face, and reach for clear cool colors such as sapphire, raspberry and optic white. They reflect light and make skin look rested.

How to Tell If You Have Cool Undertones: 6 Easy Tests

Do these in natural daylight near a window, with clean skin, your hair pulled back and a plain white or gray top on. Indoor bulbs are usually warm and will fool you.

1. The white versus cream test (the most reliable one). Hold a crisp optic white towel or T-shirt under your chin, then a cream or ivory one. If optic white makes your skin look clearer and cream makes you look yellow or tired, you’re cool.
2. The silver versus gold test. Hold a silver necklace against your skin, then a gold one. Cool undertones usually look brighter and more even with silver.
3. The pink versus peach test. Try a raspberry scarf or lipstick, then a coral or peach one. If raspberry gives you a healthy glow and peach makes you look washed out, you’re cool.
4. The vein test. Look at the veins on the inside of your wrist in daylight. Blue or purple suggests cool, green suggests warm and a mix suggests neutral. Use this one only as a tiebreaker, because thinner skin after 50 can make veins look bluer than your true undertone.
5. The sun test. Think back to your younger years. Did you burn pink easily and tan slowly? That points to cool. A quick golden tan points to warm.
6. The selfie test. Take two daylight selfies, one in navy and one in camel, without changing anything else. Compare them side by side. The color that makes your under-eyes look lighter and your skin more even is on your side.

If four or more tests point to cool, build your wardrobe from this guide. If your results are split, you’re probably neutral-cool: wear the softer shades here, and you can borrow a few warm neutrals such as soft camel too. Olive skin can be tricky because it has a greenish cast, and many olive-skinned women do best with the deeper, softer cool shades such as pine, plum and navy.

Which Cool Are You? Light, Bright, Soft or Deep

Your undertone tells you which colors to wear. Your contrast tells you how strong those colors should be. Look in the mirror in daylight, or take a black and white selfie. If your hair, skin and eyes look very different from each other, you’re high contrast. If they blend together, you’re low contrast.

Keep your type in mind as you read the 15 colors below. Most colors come in a light, bright and soft version, and I’ll tell you which one to pick.

The 6 Cool Neutrals You’ll Live In

Neutrals are the pieces you wear four or five days a week: trousers, jeans, coats, cardigans and tees. Most closets are built on black, beige and camel, and two of those three fight cool undertones. Swap the base, and every accent color you add looks better.

1. Navy (Your Softer Black)

Navy gives you all the polish of black with none of the harshness. It has blue in it, so it reflects a cool light back onto your face, and for many women it makes eyes look clearer and skin look smoother. Black, on the other hand, can deepen the shadows under the eyes and around the mouth, especially once hair turns silver.

Shades to look for: midnight, ink, French navy, dark navy and marine.
Live in it: navy trousers in place of black ones, a navy cardigan as your everyday third layer, a navy knit dress for church or dinner, and a navy coat that goes with everything.
Pair it with: soft white, gray, raspberry, sapphire, emerald, blush pink and red, with silver jewelry.
Warm twin to keep below the waist: chocolate brown with a reddish or golden cast.
Best for: every cool type. Light cool women look best in a slightly brighter navy, and deep cool women can go all the way to midnight.

2. Charcoal Gray

Charcoal is the dark neutral that works for almost every cool woman, and it’s kinder than black if your coloring has softened. It grounds an outfit, hides wear and makes every pink, blue and purple next to it look richer.

Shades to look for: charcoal, graphite, slate, heather charcoal and pewter.
Live in it: charcoal trousers three days a week, a charcoal blazer over a soft pink blouse, a charcoal wool coat, and charcoal jeans when blue denim feels too casual.
Pair it with: dusty rose, lavender, sapphire, burgundy, soft white and silver.
Warm twin to keep below the waist: khaki gray and olive gray, which lean yellow.
Best for: soft and light cool, and anyone who finds black too heavy.

3. Soft White and Optic White

The right white near your face works like a photographer’s reflector. It bounces light onto your skin and lifts the whole face. Cool undertones need a white with no yellow in it. Ivory, cream, ecru and eggshell are lovely colors, but next to cool skin they often look dingy and make the skin look sallow.

Bright cool women can wear crisp optic white. Light and soft cool women often look best in soft white, a white with a hint of gray or blue such as pearl or snow.

Shades to look for: optic white, snow white, pearl, ice and soft white.
Live in it: a white button-down under a navy cardigan, a white tee under everything, a winter white sweater with gray trousers, and white jeans with navy in the fall.
Pair it with: every color in this guide.
Warm twin to keep below the waist: cream, ivory, ecru and oatmeal. Keep them for trousers and bags.
Quick test: hold the piece next to a sheet of plain printer paper. If it looks yellow beside the paper, it’s a warm white.

4. Dove Gray and Heather Gray

Light gray is the cool woman’s answer to oatmeal and beige knits. It’s soft enough to wear right at the face, easy to mix and beautiful tone on tone with silver hair.

One caution: if you’re very fair with white or silver hair, head-to-toe gray can blend you into the background. Add color at the face, such as a rose lip, a berry scarf or silver earrings, and it looks polished, not washed out.

Shades to look for: dove, heather, silver gray, fog, cloud and ash.
Live in it: a gray cashmere sweater with jeans, a matching gray knit set for travel and errands, and a gray sweatshirt that looks smarter than a beige one.
Pair it with: navy, lavender, dusty rose, raspberry, sapphire and white.
Warm twin to keep below the waist: oatmeal and heathered beige.
Best for: light and soft cool.

5. Cool Taupe (the Beige That Works)

If you love beige because it’s easy, you don’t have to give it up. You just need beige with gray, pink or mauve in it instead of yellow or gold. Stylists call it cool taupe, mushroom or greige, and it’s the shade that makes a trench coat, chinos or a soft sweater work on cool skin.

To check a beige in the store, put it beside something gray. Cool taupe looks related to the gray. Camel and sand look orange next to it.

Shades to look for: mushroom, greige, stone, rose taupe, pebble and cool taupe.
Live in it: a taupe trench coat, a greige sweater with navy jeans, and mushroom trousers with a white shirt.
Pair it with: navy, soft white, burgundy, pale pink, charcoal and plum.
Warm twin to keep below the waist: camel, tan, khaki, sand and honey beige.
Best for: soft and light cool.

6. Denim Blue and Chambray

Denim is the neutral every American woman already lives in, and blue denim is naturally cool. The trick after 50 is the wash: clean mid and dark rinses look polished, while yellow-tinted vintage washes and heavy whiskering look tired. A chambray shirt is the easiest way to wear denim blue right next to your face.

Shades to look for: indigo, dark rinse, mid-wash and chambray, plus light wash for light cool women.
Live in it: dark straight-leg jeans with everything, a chambray shirt under a gray sweater, and a denim jacket over a plum dress.
Pair it with: white, gray, raspberry, red and navy (yes, navy and denim look great together).
Warm twin to keep below the waist: yellow-cast vintage washes and tan or tobacco denim.
Best for: every cool type.

The 9 Accent Colors That Light Up Your Face

These are the colors to wear on top: sweaters, blouses, scarves and dresses. You don’t need all nine. Pick the three that make you look most rested in the mirror and buy one top in each. That alone changes how your whole closet works.

7. Sapphire and Cobalt Blue

If you buy one accent color, make it this one. Blue is home base for cool undertones, and a saturated sapphire makes blue and gray eyes look vivid and silver hair look shiny.

Choose your depth by type. Bright cool women can wear electric cobalt. Soft and light cool women look better in sapphire or royal blue, which are a touch deeper and calmer.

Shades to look for: sapphire, cobalt, royal blue, lapis and ultramarine.
Live in it: a sapphire sweater with charcoal trousers, a cobalt blouse under a navy blazer, and a sapphire scarf with a gray coat.
Pair it with: navy, white, gray, raspberry and emerald.
Warm twin to keep away from your face: aqua and turquoise with a yellow-green cast.
Best for: every cool type.

8. Dusty Blue and Powder Blue

Pastel blues are made for light and soft cool women. Powder blue next to silver hair looks fresh and clean, and dusty blue, a blue with a little gray in it, looks quietly expensive.

Shades to look for: powder blue, dusty blue, ice blue, cornflower and slate blue.
Live in it: a powder blue shirt with white jeans, a dusty blue cardigan with gray trousers, and an ice blue sweater under a charcoal coat.
Pair it with: gray, white, navy, lavender and soft pink.
Warm twin to keep away from your face: aqua and greenish baby blue.
Best for: light and soft cool. Bright cool women may find powder blue too sweet, so choose cornflower instead.

9. Emerald and Pine Green

The green that works for cool undertones leans blue. Emerald, pine and spruce bring out green, gray and hazel eyes, make a rosy complexion look healthy and are a smart pick if you deal with facial redness. Yellow greens such as olive, moss and chartreuse are the ones to keep away from your face.

Shades to look for: emerald, pine, spruce, bottle green and blue-leaning forest green.
Live in it: an emerald blouse with navy trousers for dinner, a pine sweater with jeans, and an emerald dress for the holidays.
Pair it with: navy, white, gray, plum and burgundy.
Warm twin to keep away from your face: olive, army green, moss and chartreuse.
Best for: bright and deep cool for emerald, soft cool for pine and spruce.

10. Blue Teal

Teal can swing warm or cool, so judge it with your eyes, not the label. You want teal that leans blue, such as peacock, petrol and deep teal, not teal that leans yellow-green. Blue teal is calm and lively at the same time, and it’s one of the most flattering colors to wear in photos.

Shades to look for: peacock, petrol blue, deep teal and blue spruce.
Live in it: a teal sweater with charcoal jeans, a teal scarf with a navy coat, and a teal blouse for family photos.
Pair it with: gray, navy, white, plum and fuchsia.
Warm twin to keep away from your face: green teal, yellow-leaning jade and warm seafoam.
Best for: every cool type.

11. Raspberry and Fuchsia

Blue-based pinks are the cool undertone’s secret weapon. They reflect a rosy glow onto your face, so you look like you have good color even without blush. Raspberry is the easier everyday shade, and fuchsia is the bold one for bright cool women.

Shades to look for: raspberry, fuchsia, magenta, berry pink and cerise.
Live in it: a raspberry sweater with gray trousers, a fuchsia blazer over a white tee and jeans, and a raspberry scarf to wake up a navy coat.
Pair it with: navy, gray, white, denim and lavender.
Warm twin to keep away from your face: coral, salmon and peach.
Best for: bright and deep cool for fuchsia, light and soft cool for raspberry.

12. Dusty Rose and Soft Pink

Soft blue-based pinks are the gentlest flattering color for light and soft cool women. Dusty rose, a pink with a little gray in it, looks grown-up and sophisticated rather than sweet. If you have a lot of natural redness, dusty rose is a better pick near the face than bright pink, which can echo the flush.

Shades to look for: dusty rose, ballet pink, rose quartz, mauve pink and orchid pink.
Live in it: a dusty rose sweater with a gray skirt, a soft pink blouse under a charcoal blazer, and a rose cardigan with white jeans.
Pair it with: gray, charcoal, navy, cool taupe and burgundy.
Warm twin to keep away from your face: peach, apricot and salmon blush.
Best for: light and soft cool.

13. Blue-Red and Cranberry

Every woman can wear red. The secret is picking the right red. Cool reds have blue in them: cherry, true red, crimson, cranberry and ruby. Orange reds such as tomato, brick and paprika can make cool skin look flushed or sallow, especially near the face.

A blue-red lipstick is the classic proof. It can make teeth look whiter, while an orange-red can make them look more yellow. The same logic applies to a red sweater or coat.

Shades to look for: cherry, true red, crimson, cranberry and ruby.
Live in it: a red coat over navy and denim, a cranberry sweater with jeans, and a red cardigan over a navy striped top.
Pair it with: navy, white, gray, denim and black.
Warm twin to keep away from your face: tomato red, brick, paprika and rust.
Best for: bright cool for cherry, soft and light cool for cranberry and raspberry red.

14. Plum, Burgundy and Aubergine

These are the cool woman’s fall colors. When everyone else is in rust, camel and mustard, you can live in plum, burgundy, aubergine and wine. They feel rich and cozy, and they’re softer next to the face than black.

Burgundy also solves the brown problem. Swap cognac and tan bags, belts and shoes for burgundy leather, and they’ll go with every color on this list.

Shades to look for: plum, aubergine, wine, mulberry, merlot and blue-based burgundy.
Live in it: a plum turtleneck with charcoal trousers, burgundy loafers and a burgundy bag instead of brown, and an aubergine wrap dress for Thanksgiving.
Pair it with: gray, navy, pink, emerald and silver.
Warm twin to keep away from your face: rust, terracotta, brick and brown-leaning purple.
Best for: every cool type. Deep cool women look stunning in aubergine.

15. Lavender and Periwinkle

Lavender looks especially pretty with silver and white hair, and periwinkle, a blue-violet, is the easiest purple for most cool women to wear. If you have dark under-eye circles, test pure lavender in daylight first. On some women it can emphasize them, and periwinkle is the safer choice.

Shades to look for: lavender, lilac, wisteria, periwinkle, iris and violet.
Live in it: a lavender sweater with gray trousers, a periwinkle shirt with white jeans, and a lilac scarf with a navy coat.
Pair it with: gray, white, navy, dusty rose and plum.
Warm twin to keep away from your face: brown-leaning mauve and dusty rosewood.
Best for: light and soft cool, with violet for bright cool.

Cool Undertone Color Chart: Cool vs. Warm Versions

Almost every color family has a cool version and a warm version. Use this chart when you shop: choose from the middle column, and save the right column for pieces you wear away from your face.

Can Cool Undertones Wear Warm Colors? Yes, With These 5 Tricks

Nobody should have to give up a camel coat she loves. Use one of these tricks and keep wearing it.

1. Wear it below the waist. Camel trousers, an olive skirt or cognac boots don’t reflect color onto your face, so undertone barely matters there.
2. Put a cool color between it and your face. A white tee under a camel coat, or a navy and raspberry scarf over a mustard sweater, does the trick.
3. Pick the cool cousin. Most warm colors have a cool version that gives you the same feeling. See the swap table below.
4. Choose prints with a cool background. A print with a little rust or gold on a navy or white base reads cool overall.
5. Let your makeup bridge the gap. A rose or berry lip and a touch of cool pink blush help a warm top sit better on cool skin.

A 12-Piece Cool-Toned Capsule Wardrobe to Live In

You don’t need a new closet. Build this slowly, replacing the warm basics you already own as they wear out. Every piece mixes with every other piece, so 12 items give you weeks of outfits.

1. A navy fine-knit cardigan
2. A crisp white button-down shirt
3. Two tees: soft white and heather gray
4. Charcoal straight or wide-leg trousers
5. Dark-wash straight-leg jeans
6. A cool taupe trench coat
7. A navy or charcoal wool coat
8. A sapphire sweater
9. A raspberry or dusty rose sweater, depending on your type
10. An emerald or plum blouse
11. A patterned scarf in berry, navy and gray
12. Burgundy or gray leather loafers, plus your silver jewelry

Outfit formulas for real life

Prints, Fabrics and Finishes for Cool Undertones

Prints that work

• Navy and white Breton stripes, the easiest print a cool woman can own
• Florals in blue, pink and purple on a white, navy or gray background
• Gray and white houndstooth or check
• White polka dots on navy
• Snow leopard in gray and white instead of golden leopard

Not sure about a print? Squint at it in the mirror. The color it blurs into is the color your face sees.

Fabrics and finishes

Silk, satin, fine knits and anything with a soft sheen bounce light back onto your skin, which is kind to mature faces. Thick matte fabrics such as boiled wool and fleece absorb light and make the same color look darker and flatter. The same shade can also look different in cotton and in silk, so buy from stores with easy returns and judge at home in daylight.

For evening, silver, pewter and gunmetal sequins or metallic fabrics are your metallics. Brassy gold lamé right at the neckline is the one to skip.

Best Colors for Cool Undertones by Hair Color

Silver, gray or white hair

Silver hair is cool, so your whole palette works. The one trap is wearing colors too close to your hair, such as all-gray or pale silver right at the neck, which can wash you out. Add contrast with navy, sapphire, raspberry, emerald or plum.

Salt and pepper hair

You have natural contrast, so the bright cool palette is yours: cobalt, emerald, cherry red, optic white and even black and white worn together.

Ash blonde or ash brown hair

Your coloring is softer, so reach for the muted cool shades: dusty blue, dusty rose, slate, cool taupe and soft plum. Stark black and neon brights can overpower you.

Dark dyed hair

Dark brown or black hair can carry deep jewel tones beautifully. If your dye has started to look harsh as your skin has lightened, ask your colorist for a softer, cooler brown, or start blending in your gray.

Golden, honey or copper hair

If your hair is warm and your skin is cool, meet in the middle with neutral-cool colors such as true red, soft teal, dusty rose and navy, and skip the iciest pastels. If you’d like your hair to match your skin, the best hair colors for cool undertones are ash blonde, pearl or platinum blonde, cool brown and silver blending. Brassy gold and copper usually fight cool skin.

Makeup, Nail Colors and Jewelry for Cool Undertones Over 50

Lipstick colors for cool undertones

Rose, mauve pink, berry, plum and blue-red. For your everyday nude, pick a pinkish nude rather than a peach or beige one. After 50, a satin or creamy finish is usually more flattering than a flat matte, which can settle into lip lines.

Blush colors for cool undertones

Soft rose, cool pink and berry. Cream blush tends to look more natural on mature skin than powder. Skip peach and orange blush.

Eyeshadow colors for cool undertones

Taupe, cool brown, soft gray, plum and mauve, with a navy or charcoal liner instead of black if black looks harsh. Heavy orange-bronze shimmer tends to fight cool skin.

Foundation

Look for shades labeled cool, pink, rosy or neutral, often marked with a C or P. Test along your jawline in daylight. If you have redness, a green-tinted primer underneath helps even it out.

Nail colors for cool undertones

Sheer pink, mauve, berry, burgundy, blue-red, navy, lavender and soft gray all flatter cool hands. Coral and orange are the ones to skip. For ideas, see my elegant nail designs for women over 50, these burgundy nail designs and my light blue nail ideas.

Jewelry and glasses

Silver, white gold, platinum, pewter and pearls blend most naturally with cool skin, and rose gold often works too because it has pink in it. Yellow gold isn’t banned. If you love it, mix it with silver or wear it a little away from your face. For eyeglasses, choose gray, slate blue, burgundy, black, clear or silver frames, or a cool gray-brown tortoise instead of a warm amber one.

How to Shop for Cool Colors in Stores and Online

• Read the color name. Cool words: ice, berry, ink, slate, frost, orchid, plum, sapphire, pine and mulberry. Warm words: honey, rust, camel, mustard, tobacco, terracotta, apricot and olive.
• Take it to the window. Store lighting is often warm. Hold the piece under your chin in daylight before you buy.
• Use the paper trick for whites and beiges. If it looks yellow next to plain printer paper, it’s warm.
• Online, check customer photos. Studio lighting can shift colors, so look at several product images and reviews with real photos, and keep the return window in mind.
• Do the 3-second mirror test. If you see the clothes first, the color is too strong. If your face looks tired, the undertone is wrong. If you see yourself, rested and bright, it’s a keeper.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best colors for cool undertones over 50?

Blue-based colors. Build on navy, charcoal, soft white, dove gray, cool taupe and denim, and add sapphire, dusty blue, emerald, blue teal, raspberry, dusty rose, blue-red, plum and lavender near your face.

What colors should cool undertones avoid?

Yellow, orange and golden shades near your face: mustard, orange, rust, camel, olive, peach, coral and cream. You don’t have to give them up completely. Wear them below the waist or with a cool color between them and your face.

Can cool undertones wear black?

Yes. Bright cool women with dark hair or high contrast look great in black. If black starts to feel harsh as your hair lightens, swap to navy or charcoal, or soften black with a white collar, a cool scarf or silver jewelry near your face.

Is navy or black better for women over 50?

Neither is better for everyone. Navy is softer and suits most cool women, especially light and soft types with silver hair. Black works best for high-contrast coloring. Test both in daylight and keep the one that makes your under-eyes look brighter.

Can cool undertones wear white?

Yes, white is one of your best colors. Choose optic white, or soft white with a gray or blue base, and keep cream, ivory and ecru for trousers or bags.

Can cool undertones wear beige or brown?

Yes, if you choose the cool versions. Pick beige with gray, pink or mauve in it, such as mushroom, greige or cool taupe. For brown, choose espresso, cool chocolate or gray-brown, and use burgundy leather in place of cognac and tan.

Can cool undertones wear yellow or orange?

Yellow and orange are the hardest colors for cool skin. If you love yellow, try icy lemon or pale butter with no orange in it, in a small dose. Instead of orange, try raspberry or blue-red, or wear orange in a skirt, bag or shoes.

Can cool undertones wear gold jewelry?

Yes. Silver, white gold and platinum usually blend most naturally, but undertone guidance is a tool, not a rule. If you love yellow gold, mix it with silver, choose rose gold or wear it a little away from your face.

Do undertones change with age?

Your undertone stays mostly the same. What changes is your hair, your contrast and the surface of your skin: hair grays, skin can look paler or more flushed and contrast softens. That’s why you may need softer versions of the same cool colors after 50.

What are the best colors for cool undertones with pale skin?

Pale skin with cool undertones usually suits the light cool palette: powder blue, lavender, ballet pink, dove gray, soft white and a softened navy. Add raspberry or sapphire in small doses for color, and go easy on black near the face.

Final Thoughts

The best colors for cool undertones over 50 are the ones you can live in every day: navy and charcoal instead of black, soft white instead of cream, cool taupe instead of camel, and a handful of blue-based accents that make you look rested. Start small. Swap one neutral, add one accent top, and see how often people ask if you’ve done something different.

Put your new palette to work with my fall outfits for women over 50 and these fall outfits that flatter a tummy over 50. If your hair is changing too, these haircuts for women over 50 with thinning hair are worth a look. Save this guide to your Pinterest board so it’s handy on your next shopping trip.