Many people speak in turn of... Getting Shades Lighter... but what is a "shade"?
For example, how many shades lighter is Alicia Keys than Beyonce? Or How many shades lighter is Tyra Banks than Naomi Campbell?

I really don't think they actually rate shades of skin. I think it is more 'until you get to your personal preference.

Shade: is a measure of black in a color
Tint: is a measure of white in a color
Hue: is the pure color

The measure depends on the scale it was created for and the number of increments on the scale. The number of increments will decide the measurement or how much each part white or black equals in the color. For instance for a skin tone you have

Hue + Tint+ Shade= Tone

A shade lighter would be for instance

5 parts Hue + 5 parts black= Shade
5 parts Hue + 4 parts black= 1 shade lighter on respective scale.

So how would she determine how many shades lighter they are from each other.
Like how many shades, hues and tints difference does Alicia Keys have than Beyonce?

Okay I found pictures and based on pictures this is just an estimate

TRUblend Whipped Foundation :: CoverGirl


There are 14 colors all have three number codes. The first code is 4. 4 is likely the tint (parts of white in the color) The second number is the shade. It starts at 7 parts black and goes to 0. The third is either 0 or 5 0 is probably a red hue and 5 is probably a yellow orange color.

Looking at pictures and based on the scale. I would say they are not the same skin tone. Alicia keys would be a 475 (based on picture) and Beyonce would be a 460 so 1 shade lighter and a different hue

It comes down to a reference chart that you can break down