How does SkinBalance ensure skin tone accuracy?

SkinBalance uses a proprietary color science engine to analyze the pixels in a selected facial area and compares them against a calibrated database of scientifically accurate skin tones. It then provides a precise delta, guiding you to the perfect correction in your editing software.

Is this a Lightroom plugin or a standalone app?

SkinBalance is a standalone web application that works alongside your existing editing software like Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, or Capture One. It functions as a digital color checker, providing an objective reference to guide your manual color adjustments, eliminating the need for physical charts during a shoot.

Can SkinBalance replace my physical color checker chart?

Yes, for many photographers, SkinBalance is a modern alternative to carrying a physical color checker like a Datacolor Spyder or Calibrite ColorChecker Passport. It provides instant, in-editor skin tone calibration without the need for an extra step in your photoshoot.

Why Your Skin Tones Look Orange (And a 3-Step Fix in Lightroom)

There's no feeling quite like opening a promising portrait in Lightroom, only to be greeted by an unnaturally orange, muddy, or "Cheeto-dusted" complexion. It’s one of the most common and frustrating color problems photographers face. The good news is that it’s almost always correctable, and understanding the cause is the first step to fixing it for good.

The Common Culprits of Orange Skin

Before jumping into the fix, let's diagnose the problem. Orange skin tones are typically caused by one of these four issues:

Incorrect White Balance: This is the number one cause. If your camera's white balance is set too warm for the scene (e.g., you used the "Shade" preset indoors), it will add an orange/yellow cast to the entire image, which is most noticeable in skin tones.
Mixed Lighting: Shooting indoors often involves a mix of light sources. The cool, blueish light from a window might be hitting one side of your subject, while a warm, orange tungsten lamp hits the other. Your camera gets confused and often defaults to a warmer, more orange rendering.
Over-Processing: A heavy hand on the "Vibrance" or "Saturation" sliders can quickly push subtle, natural skin tones into the realm of artificial orange. This is especially true if you're using a preset that isn't designed for your specific lighting conditions.
Uncalibrated Monitor: If your monitor isn't calibrated, you might be "correcting" for a color cast that doesn't actually exist in the photo, leading you to add or remove warmth incorrectly.

The 3-Step Fix in Lightroom Classic

Here is a reliable method to neutralize orange skin and bring back a natural look using Lightroom’s powerful color tools.

Step 1: Neutralize with White Balance

First, we need a neutral starting point. Ignore the skin for a moment and focus on the overall color cast.

Use the Eyedropper Tool (W): Find something in your image that is supposed to be a neutral gray, white, or black. Click on it with the eyedropper. This will often get you 80% of the way there by removing the global color cast.
Manual Adjustment: If the eyedropper doesn't work, adjust the Temp (Temperature) and Tint sliders manually. For orange skin, you'll typically be moving the Temp slider to the left (cooler) and potentially the Tint slider to the right (more magenta) to counteract any underlying green cast.

Step 2: Target the Problem with the HSL/Color Panel

This is where the magic happens. The HSL (Hue, Saturation, Luminance) panel lets you adjust specific colors without affecting the rest of the image.

Select Saturation: Go to the HSL/Color panel and click on "Saturation."
Use the Target Tool: Click the small target icon, then click and drag down on the most offensive orange part of the skin. Lightroom will automatically identify the primary colors (usually Orange and Red) and reduce their saturation. A small adjustment of -5 to -15 is often all you need.
Adjust Hue (Optional): If the skin still looks too orange or reddish, go to the "Hue" tab. Use the target tool again and drag slightly on the skin. A tiny nudge of the Orange slider towards yellow, or the Red slider towards orange, can make a huge difference.

Step 3: Refine with the Calibration Panel

For ultimate control, the Calibration panel is your final stop. This panel adjusts the underlying color primaries of the entire photo.

Red Primary: The "Red Primary" slider has a significant effect on skin tones. Reducing its Saturation slightly can often remove the last bit of artificial color. Shifting the Hue of the Red Primary slider to the left (towards orange) or right (towards magenta) can subtly refine the overall look.

The Proactive Solution for Perfect Color

While these corrective steps are powerful, a proactive approach is always better. The core challenge is knowing what "correct" even looks like. For a truly objective and consistent workflow, using a digital calibration tool is the modern solution. By analyzing your photo with a tool like SkinBalance, you get precise, scientific data to guide your initial white balance adjustments.

This removes the guesswork and ensures you're starting from a place of perfect neutrality. To learn more about building a complete workflow for color accuracy, check out our Ultimate Guide to Digital Skin Tone Color Correction.