diff --git a/src/components/context/PickerContext.tsx b/src/components/context/PickerContext.tsx
index ce38dcd7..fa4f0c72 100644
--- a/src/components/context/PickerContext.tsx
+++ b/src/components/context/PickerContext.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { useState } from 'react';
 import { useDefaultSkinToneConfig } from '../../config/useConfig';
 import { DataEmoji } from '../../dataUtils/DataTypes';
 import { alphaNumericEmojiIndex } from '../../dataUtils/alphaNumericEmojiIndex';
+import { getSkinTone, setSkinTone } from '../../dataUtils/skinTone';
 import { useDebouncedState } from '../../hooks/useDebouncedState';
 import { useDisallowedEmojis } from '../../hooks/useDisallowedEmojis';
 import { FilterDict } from '../../hooks/useFilter';
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ const PickerContext = React.createContext<{
   searchTerm: [string, (term: string) => Promise<string>];
   suggestedUpdateState: [number, (term: number) => void];
   activeCategoryState: ReactState<ActiveCategoryState>;
-  activeSkinTone: ReactState<SkinTones>;
+  activeSkinTone: [SkinTones, (skinTone: SkinTones) => void];
   emojisThatFailedToLoadState: ReactState<Set<string>>;
   isPastInitialLoad: boolean;
   emojiVariationPickerState: ReactState<DataEmoji | null>;
@@ -71,18 +72,18 @@ const PickerContext = React.createContext<{
   disallowMouseRef: React.MutableRefObject<boolean>;
   disallowedEmojisRef: React.MutableRefObject<Record<string, boolean>>;
 }>({
-  activeCategoryState: [null, () => {}],
-  activeSkinTone: [SkinTones.NEUTRAL, () => {}],
+  activeCategoryState: [null, () => { }],
+  activeSkinTone: [getSkinTone(), (skinTone) => setSkinTone(skinTone)],
   disallowClickRef: { current: false },
   disallowMouseRef: { current: false },
   disallowedEmojisRef: { current: {} },
-  emojiVariationPickerState: [null, () => {}],
-  emojisThatFailedToLoadState: [new Set(), () => {}],
+  emojiVariationPickerState: [null, () => { }],
+  emojisThatFailedToLoadState: [new Set(), () => { }],
   filterRef: { current: {} },
   isPastInitialLoad: true,
   searchTerm: ['', () => new Promise<string>(() => undefined)],
-  skinToneFanOpenState: [false, () => {}],
-  suggestedUpdateState: [Date.now(), () => {}]
+  skinToneFanOpenState: [false, () => { }],
+  suggestedUpdateState: [Date.now(), () => { }]
 });
 
 type Props = Readonly<{
diff --git a/src/components/header/Search.tsx b/src/components/header/Search.tsx
index 34fb1919..a43d3361 100644
--- a/src/components/header/Search.tsx
+++ b/src/components/header/Search.tsx
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ export function Search() {
       <Button
         className={clsx('epr-btn-clear-search', 'epr-visible-on-search-only')}
         onClick={clearSearch}
+        aria-label={'Clear search'}
       >
         <div className="epr-icn-clear-search" />
       </Button>
diff --git a/src/components/header/SkinTonePicker.tsx b/src/components/header/SkinTonePicker.tsx
index 17a6d26b..6e433fde 100644
--- a/src/components/header/SkinTonePicker.tsx
+++ b/src/components/header/SkinTonePicker.tsx
@@ -4,10 +4,12 @@ import * as React from 'react';
 import { ClassNames } from '../../DomUtils/classNames';
 import { useSkinTonesDisabledConfig } from '../../config/useConfig';
 import skinToneVariations, {
-  skinTonesNamed
+  skinTonesNamed,
 } from '../../data/skinToneVariations';
+import { setSkinTone } from '../../dataUtils/skinTone';
 import { useCloseAllOpenToggles } from '../../hooks/useCloseAllOpenToggles';
 import { useFocusSearchInput } from '../../hooks/useFocus';
+import { KeyboardEvents } from '../../hooks/useKeyboardNavigation';
 import { SkinTones } from '../../types/exposedTypes';
 import Absolute from '../Layout/Absolute';
 import Relative from '../Layout/Relative';
@@ -15,7 +17,7 @@ import { Button } from '../atoms/Button';
 import { useSkinTonePickerRef } from '../context/ElementRefContext';
 import {
   useActiveSkinToneState,
-  useSkinToneFanOpenState
+  useSkinToneFanOpenState,
 } from '../context/PickerContext';
 import './SkinTonePicker.css';
 
@@ -23,6 +25,7 @@ const ITEM_SIZE = 28;
 
 type Props = {
   direction?: SkinTonePickerDirection;
+  fanOutDirection?: SkinTonePickerFanOutDirection;
 };
 
 export function SkinTonePickerMenu() {
@@ -36,7 +39,8 @@ export function SkinTonePickerMenu() {
 }
 
 export function SkinTonePicker({
-  direction = SkinTonePickerDirection.HORIZONTAL
+  direction = SkinTonePickerDirection.HORIZONTAL,
+  fanOutDirection = SkinTonePickerFanOutDirection.LEFT,
 }: Props) {
   const SkinTonePickerRef = useSkinTonePickerRef();
   const isDisabled = useSkinTonesDisabledConfig();
@@ -55,15 +59,17 @@ export function SkinTonePicker({
 
   const vertical = direction === SkinTonePickerDirection.VERTICAL;
 
+  const buttonStyle = { backgroundColor: "transparent", border: "none" }
+
   return (
     <Relative
       className={clsx('epr-skin-tones', direction, {
-        [ClassNames.open]: isOpen
+        [ClassNames.open]: isOpen,
       })}
       style={
         vertical
-          ? { flexBasis: expandedSize, height: expandedSize }
-          : { flexBasis: expandedSize }
+          ? { flexBasis: expandedSize, height: expandedSize, ...buttonStyle }
+          : { flexBasis: expandedSize, ...buttonStyle }
       }
     >
       <div className="epr-skin-tone-select" ref={SkinTonePickerRef}>
@@ -75,37 +81,82 @@ export function SkinTonePicker({
                 transform: clsx(
                   vertical
                     ? `translateY(-${i * (isOpen ? ITEM_SIZE : 0)}px)`
-                    : `translateX(-${i * (isOpen ? ITEM_SIZE : 0)}px)`,
+                    : getHorizontalTranslation({
+                      ix: i,
+                      fanOutDirection,
+                      isOpen,
+                    }),
                   isOpen && active && 'scale(1.3)'
-                )
+                ),
               }}
               onClick={() => {
                 if (isOpen) {
                   setActiveSkinTone(skinToneVariation);
+                  setSkinTone(skinToneVariation)
                   focusSearchInput();
                 } else {
                   setIsOpen(true);
                 }
                 closeAllOpenToggles();
               }}
+              // When tabbed onto the SkinTonePicker, allow Enter to open and close the fan of tones
+              onKeyDown={(event) => {
+                const { key } = event;
+                if (key === KeyboardEvents.Enter) {
+                  if (isOpen) {
+                    setActiveSkinTone(skinToneVariation);
+                    setSkinTone(skinToneVariation)
+                    focusSearchInput();
+                  } else {
+                    setIsOpen(true);
+                  }
+                  closeAllOpenToggles();
+                }
+              }}
+              tabIndex={isOpen ? 0 : -1}
               key={skinToneVariation}
               className={clsx(`epr-tone-${skinToneVariation}`, 'epr-tone', {
-                [ClassNames.active]: active
+                [ClassNames.active]: active,
               })}
-              tabIndex={isOpen ? 0 : -1}
               aria-pressed={active}
-              aria-label={`Skin tone ${
-                skinTonesNamed[skinToneVariation as SkinTones]
-              }`}
+              aria-label={`Skin tone ${skinTonesNamed[skinToneVariation as SkinTones]
+                }`}
             ></Button>
           );
         })}
       </div>
     </Relative>
   );
+
+  function getHorizontalTranslation({
+    ix,
+    fanOutDirection,
+    isOpen,
+  }: {
+    ix: number;
+    fanOutDirection: SkinTonePickerFanOutDirection;
+    isOpen: boolean;
+  }): string {
+    // By fanning out to the left, the focus remains on the last (right-most) tone in the array,
+    // so tabbing takes a user out of the SkinTonePicker. In order to tab through the tones, a user
+    // must first tab backwards.
+    //
+    // Fanning out to the right keeps the focus on the first (left-most) tone in the array so a user
+    // can tab from left to right.
+    if (fanOutDirection === SkinTonePickerFanOutDirection.LEFT) {
+      return `translateX(-${ix * (isOpen ? ITEM_SIZE : 0)}px)`;
+    }
+    return `translateX(${ix * (isOpen ? ITEM_SIZE : 0) -
+      (isOpen ? (skinToneVariations.length - 1) * ITEM_SIZE : 0)
+      }px)`;
+  }
 }
 
 export enum SkinTonePickerDirection {
   VERTICAL = ClassNames.vertical,
-  HORIZONTAL = ClassNames.horizontal
+  HORIZONTAL = ClassNames.horizontal,
+}
+export enum SkinTonePickerFanOutDirection {
+  LEFT = 'LEFT',
+  RIGHT = 'RIGHT',
 }
diff --git a/src/config/config.ts b/src/config/config.ts
index 066bcf9a..4876fbe6 100644
--- a/src/config/config.ts
+++ b/src/config/config.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { GetEmojiUrl } from '../components/emoji/Emoji';
 import { emojiUrlByUnified } from '../dataUtils/emojiSelectors';
+import { getSkinTone } from '../dataUtils/skinTone';
 import {
   EmojiClickData,
   EmojiStyle,
@@ -30,6 +31,8 @@ export function mergeConfig(
     suggestionMode: config.suggestedEmojisMode
   });
 
+  const activeSkinTone = getSkinTone()
+
   const skinTonePickerLocation = config.searchDisabled
     ? SkinTonePickerLocation.PREVIEW
     : config.skinTonePickerLocation;
@@ -37,6 +40,7 @@ export function mergeConfig(
   return {
     ...config,
     categories,
+    defaultSkinTone: activeSkinTone,
     previewConfig,
     skinTonePickerLocation
   };
diff --git a/src/dataUtils/skinTone.ts b/src/dataUtils/skinTone.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..25a469fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dataUtils/skinTone.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+import { SkinTones } from '../types/exposedTypes';
+
+const SKINTONE_LS_KEY = 'epr_skin_tone';
+
+
+export function getSkinTone(): SkinTones {
+  try {
+    if (!window?.localStorage) {
+      return SkinTones.NEUTRAL;
+    }
+
+    return JSON.parse(window?.localStorage.getItem(SKINTONE_LS_KEY) ?? SkinTones.NEUTRAL)
+  } catch {
+    return SkinTones.NEUTRAL;
+  }
+}
+
+export function setSkinTone(skinTone: SkinTones) {
+  try {
+    window?.localStorage.setItem(SKINTONE_LS_KEY, JSON.stringify(skinTone));
+  } catch {
+    // ignore
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/hooks/useKeyboardNavigation.ts b/src/hooks/useKeyboardNavigation.ts
index e460634a..a1961a49 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useKeyboardNavigation.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useKeyboardNavigation.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import {
   focusNextVisibleEmoji,
   focusPrevVisibleEmoji,
   focusVisibleEmojiOneRowDown,
-  focusVisibleEmojiOneRowUp
+  focusVisibleEmojiOneRowUp,
 } from '../DomUtils/keyboardNavigation';
 import { useScrollTo } from '../DomUtils/scrollTo';
 import { buttonFromTarget } from '../DomUtils/selectors';
@@ -43,14 +43,15 @@ import {
   useIsSkinToneInSearch
 } from './useShouldShowSkinTonePicker';
 
-enum KeyboardEvents {
+export enum KeyboardEvents {
   ArrowDown = 'ArrowDown',
   ArrowUp = 'ArrowUp',
   ArrowLeft = 'ArrowLeft',
   ArrowRight = 'ArrowRight',
   Escape = 'Escape',
   Enter = 'Enter',
-  Space = ' '
+  Space = ' ',
+  Tab = "Tab"
 }
 
 export function useKeyboardNavigation() {
@@ -132,6 +133,7 @@ function useSearchInputKeyboardEvents() {
         const { key } = event;
 
         switch (key) {
+          case KeyboardEvents.Tab:
           case KeyboardEvents.ArrowRight:
             if (!isSkinToneInSearch) {
               return;