A person's complexion is the natural color, texture, and appearance of the skin on their face. Someone might have a fair complexion (light skin), a dark complexion, an olive complexion (with greenish or yellowish undertones), or any shade in between. Beyond color, complexion also describes whether skin looks smooth, rough, clear, or blemished.

People often talk about having a “healthy complexion” when someone's skin looks fresh and glowing, perhaps from eating well, getting enough sleep, or spending time outdoors. Sunburn, illness, or embarrassment can temporarily change your complexion: you might turn red from running in gym class or pale from feeling nervous before a presentation.

You might read in a story that a character has “a ruddy complexion” (reddish, as if windburned) or “a sallow complexion” (slightly yellowish and unhealthy-looking).

In a different sense, complexion can mean the general character or overall look of something, like when someone says a new player joining the team “changes the complexion of the game.”