In some embodiments of the present disclosure, one or more machine learning models are trained to accurately estimate skin color in one or more images regardless of the lighting conditions. In some embodiments, the models can then be used to estimate a skin color in a new image, and that estimated skin color can be used for a variety of purposes. For example, the skin color may be used to generate a recommendation for a foundation shade that accurately matches the skin color, or a recommendation for another cosmetic product that is complimentary with the estimated skin color. Thus, the need for an in-person test of the product is eliminated.