diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a98a8c8..99eb51c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -100,7 +100,8 @@ Sheets are served from [unpkg](https://unpkg.com), a global CDN that serves file
 import { Emoji } from 'emoji-mart'
 
 <Emoji emoji={{ id: 'santa', skin: 3 }} />
-<Emoji set='emojione' emoji='santa' />
+<Emoji emoji=':santa::skin-tone-3:' />
+<Emoji emoji='santa' set='emojione' />
 ```
 
 | Prop | Required | Default | Description |
diff --git a/src/utils/index.js b/src/utils/index.js
index 2de079a..aa7967d 100644
--- a/src/utils/index.js
+++ b/src/utils/index.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import data from '../../data'
 
+const COLONS_REGEX = /^(?:\:([^\:]+)\:)(?:\:skin-tone-(\d)\:)?$/
 const SKINS = [
   '1F3FA', '1F3FB', '1F3FC',
   '1F3FD', '1F3FE', '1F3FF',
@@ -39,6 +40,16 @@ function getData(emoji, skin, set) {
   var emojiData = {}
 
   if (typeof emoji == 'string') {
+    let matches = emoji.match(COLONS_REGEX)
+
+    if (matches) {
+      emoji = matches[1]
+
+      if (matches[2]) {
+        skin = parseInt(matches[2])
+      }
+    }
+
     if (data.short_names.hasOwnProperty(emoji)) {
       emoji = data.short_names[emoji]
     }