Key Takeaways
- Color analysis helps identify the clothing and makeup shades that best complement your skin, hair, and eye color.
- Understanding your contrast level and skin undertone can help you choose colors that enhance your complexion.
- Wearing colors that flatter your natural tones may boost confidence, improve mood, and enhance personal appearance.
Color analysis has been a staple for stylists and makeup artists for decades. Rooted in color theory, it can help you make more informed decisions about your wardrobe to enhance your overall appearance and develop more conscious shopping habits.
What Is Color Analysis?
Introduced by fashion designer and color theorist Suzanne Caygill in the 1940s, color analysis involves assessing an individual’s coloration to identify their most flattering color palette.
According to Caygill, people could be classified into four color seasons based on their characteristics, such as skin tone and eye and hair color. These are further broken down into numerous subcategories within each primary season (summer, winter, autumn, and spring) to accommodate an individual’s unique traits.
Years later, color consultant Carole Jackson proposed a simpler color analysis scheme in her book “Color Me Beautiful,” which spurred the concept’s explosive popularity in the 1980s.
Color analysis is to style what scent profile is to fragrance—it can help add depth and personality to your overall aesthetic.
Color analysis identifies the colors that complement and harmonize your natural palette, which includes skin, hair, and eye color, says fashion designer and stylist, Catherine Bibeau. Choosing the right colors can enhance your overall appearance by making your natural features pop.
This can help you streamline your wardrobe and shop more consciously, says Yenia Hernández Fonseca, stylist and fashion contributor at Margo Paige.
How Does Color Analysis Work?
Color analysis has its roots in traditional color theory, which can be traced back to the 18th century when Isaac Newton discovered the color spectrum and subsequently developed the first color wheel.
Color theory is the understanding of how colors interact with each other and how they can be combined to create different effects, says professional makeup artist, Brandy Allen.
“Color analysis and color theory are deeply intertwined. The difference is that color theory explores the relationship between colors and how they can be combined while color analysis applies these principles in practical scenarios,” explains Bree Steele, interior designer and trade manager at RJ Living.
Typically, your best colors are determined by evaluating the three dimensions of color—hue (warm or cool), value (light or dark), and chroma (muted or bright), says Fonseca.
How To Determine Your Undertone
Assessing skin undertone is the first step in color analysis. According to Fonseca, skin undertones can be categorized into:
- Warm (yellow or peach hues)
- Cool (blue or pink hues)
- Neutral (a mix of both warm and cool undertones)
Understanding your skin undertone can help you choose the best color palettes that play up your complexion. “Without the knowledge of your undertone, you may look washed out or too warm,” says Steve Kassajikian, head of global artistry at Urban Decay.
Color analysis and color theory are deeply intertwined. The difference is that color theory explores the relationship between colors and how they can be combined while color analysis applies these principles in practical scenarios.
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BREE STEELE, INTERIOR DESIGNER AND TRADE MANAGER AT RJ LIVING
Cool undertones look best in blush or ruby-hued tones, while warm undertones look great in earthy tones like amber or copper. Neutral tones like brown or gray and bold colors like blue or teal look best on neutral undertones, Kassajikian adds.
Tip
An easy way to figure out your undertone is to check how your skin reacts to sun exposure. If you tend to burn easily, you are most likely a cooler undertone. If you burn then tan, you likely have a neutral undertone. And if you just tan easily, you are most likely a warmer undertone, suggests Kassajikian.
Assessing Your Contrast Levels
Contrast can be a powerful tool to achieve balance. “Value contrast levels look at the difference between your lightest and darkest features, especially between your eyes, hair color, and skin tone,” Fonseca explains.
High contrast occurs when there’s a big difference between the lightest and darkest values, says Fonseca. For example, fair skin, deep blue eyes, and dark hair. Low contrast, on the other hand, shows little to no difference in your color values, adds Fonseca.
To know your contrast level, Fonseca suggests taking a selfie under natural light and changing the settings to grayscale. The monotone picture will help you determine the level of contrast between your hair, eyes, and skin, she explains.
Tip
Wearing outfits that mirror your personal contrast levels ensures you look vibrant rather than dull or overpowered.
How To Identify Your Color Season
Seasonal color analysis is the most widely recognized among all color analysis techniques. According to this method, people can be typed into four seasons—summer, spring, autumn, and winter—based on their coloration.
“These categories reflect cool and warm undertones, and high and low contrast, to identify which color zones may be washing you out and which colors create a more radiant look,” says Bibeau.
- Spring seasons typically have warm undertones and low contrast, perfect for highlighting lighter hair and eyes. “They may still work for those with dark features, but there isn’t a lot of contrast,” Bibeau points out.
- Summer seasons are best for those with cool undertones and lighter hair and eye colors. “Although they exhibit some contrast between their skin tone and hair and eyes, it is much more moderate compared to the winter seasons,” she says.
- Autumn seasons typically suit those with warm undertones and dark hair and eyes, creating a soft blend among these features.
- Winter seasons have cool undertones, dark hair, vibrant eyes, and high contrast between their skin, eyes, and hair, adds Bibeau.
To determine your color season, Fonseca suggests testing different color swatches next to your face under natural light.
Look for colors that remove redness from your skin, brighten your eyes, or create the perfect hair color contrast, recommends Bibeau.
The Benefits of Dressing in Your Color Season
Dressing in your color scheme can significantly spruce up your look. Research shows that “improving physical attractiveness” leads to better interpersonal interactions and a corresponding boost in self-esteem.
Some research has found that how you dress not only reflects but also affects your mood. Thus, wearing colors that make you look and feel good may positively impact your mood. Another study found that dressing your best (something color analysis can help you with) can improve productivity.
Different Approaches to Color Analysis
There are various methods of color analysis, including:
- Seasonal color analysis: This involves categorizing an individual into one of 12 subgroups across the four main seasons. In a professional consultation, a color analyst will drape fabric swatches over your shoulders to see how different colors interact with your features. You can also analyze yourself at home using color swatches in front of a mirror in natural light.
- Tonal color analysis: This method classifies individuals into one of the six tonal color groups—warm, cool, light, clear, soft, and deep—based on their dominant, secondary, and tertiary color characteristics.
- Thematic color analysis: This technique looks at a theme or particular inspiration and picks colors based on that, says Steele.
Online color analysis tools like apps and websites that offer virtual try-ons may not be as accurate as professional color analysis. Still, they can be a good option if you only want to dip your toes in the trend.
Tips for Conducting Color Analysis at Home
Here are a few key things to keep in mind:
Do
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Use natural light for accurate assessment
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Wear white or a light shade
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Try different color combinations
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Consider your eye and hair color
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Experiment with different textures and materials
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Trust your instincts
How To Apply Color Analysis in Fashion and Makeup
When you try an outfit, see how it affects your coloring. Does it make your complexion look vibrant or washed out? Does it make your eyes look bright or flat?
Choose outfits with undertones similar to your skin for a flattering ensemble.
If a color creates shadows or reflections on your face, it likely doesn’t complement your complexion.
People with high contrasts, like light skin and dark hair, can pull off strong contrasts, such as black and white. Those with little color contrast should avoid intense hues, strong contrasts, and neutral tones that closely match their contrast levels.
When it comes to makeup, having a strong understanding of how colors interact with one another can enhance your features and bring the whole look together, says Kassajikian.
Allen suggests paying attention to your outfit, hair color, and eye color and then choosing makeup shades that either complement those elements or flow next to those colors on the color wheel.
For accessorizing, those with warm undertones can’t go wrong with yellow gold or rose gold. Silver, platinum, and white gold complement cool undertones. Meanwhile, those with neutral undertones can experiment with both silver and gold accessories.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Can your color season change?
“Your color season can change throughout the year,” says Bibeau. For example, if you get a tan or change your hair color, you could potentially place yourself in a different category.
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Can color analysis help with interior design?
Color analysis in interior design takes into account psychological, cultural, and visual effects of colors to create spaces that are similar to the mood and function you want, says Steele.
For example, blues and greens infuse a sense of calm, making them perfect for bedrooms.
Meanwhile, earthy hues and dark-toned throws are great for a cozy autumn-themed space.
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Is color analysis scientifically proven?
Though the science behind color theory has evolved over time, thanks to pioneers like Michel Eugène Chevreul and Albert Henry Munsell, the scientific exploration of color analysis is still relatively new.
Moreover, a lack of standard training and approach often means variations in interpretations and results.
“There’s a lot we still don’t know,” says Dr. Ray W. Christner, PsyD, NCSP, ABPP. “We’re also uncovering the limitations and gaps in our knowledge.”
It’s also worth noting that “color associations are personal, and we are organically drawn to certain hues,” says Dr. Michele Leno, PhD, LP. These colors may not always align with our prescribed palettes.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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