uhh, so this is NOT a ''how to shade minecraft skins'' thing, it's just a few things that i learnt while making skins that i found helful.

THIS IS NOT DIRECTED TO ANYONE IN PARTICULAR. FOR THOSE WHO USE THE TECHNIQUES THAT I SAID NOT TO USE, IT'S ALL RIGHT. EVERYONE HAS THEIR TECHNIQUE, AND THAT'S GREAT ! i started making skins with vibrant colors, used noise, and pure black on skins. i'm just saying that this is just a thing that can help you if you're really desperate.

here are the basic rules to making a cute (girl) skin (according to me)

- use desaturated colors unless it's yellow (because then it will look brown) or if the skin is supposed to be neon/bright/rainbow.
-try to not use noise ! if you really don't know how to shade, then use a very simple shading, but don't use noise ! when you use noise, the colors will apear in black, white and totally different shades of the same hue, it will make the skin appear rough and the colors won't blend together easily.
-try to use slim model for girl skins. it honestly looks more decent.
-try to not use pure black for hair, the outfit or the eyelashes of the skin. i'm not saying you have to use pastel. just not pure black. it can be very dark blue, very dark grey, very dark red... i think you get the point.
-try to use hue shifting. it will make your skins look better, i swear. if you don't know what hue shifting is and how to hue shift, ElvenJedi made a tutorial on that.
-if you want to make an aethetic skin, use natural hair colors for the skin's hair. AKA brown, blonde, black (not pink or green etc...)

uhh, so i'm done now, hope this has helped you somehow, and i might have forgotten stuff, so you can tell me in the comments.