How do I build a natural color grade workflow in Lightroom for portraits?

[Abigail.R]

I've been shooting portraits for a few years and feel confident with my camera settings and lighting, but my post-processing always falls flat. I watch tutorials on color grading in photography, but when I try to apply those techniques to my own RAW files, the skin tones look unnatural or the overall mood feels inconsistent. I'm using Lightroom and feel overwhelmed by the curves and color mixer panels. For portrait photographers, what is a manageable starting workflow for developing a cohesive, natural-looking color grade, and how do you learn to 'see' color adjustments before you make them?