How does colour analysis work?
how does colour analysis work?
Newsflash- colour analysis is only truly successful and of use to you when done by a qualified consultant. There are so called ‘shortcuts’ and tools available on the internet, such as colour analysis app’s and quizzes. To give you a comparison of the efficacy of these, it would be like googling “DIY dental”. Yes, the colour analysis app or quiz will give you a result, much like tying your tooth to a door knob and slamming it shut. Both achieve a result, but there is a much better way of getting there!
You may think colour analysis is expensive. I do have various services covering different price points. The express colour is £50, the Dominant is £140 and the Full Colour is £175. Perhaps try thinking about it as an investment in YOU. If you add up the money spent on:
-clothing that doesn’t work for you
-items bought in a rush/panic/boredom
-items that still have the tags on!
You may have enough money to devote to the pursuit of sustainable style. Knowing the colours that work in your wardrobe would save money in the longer term.
My niche is second hand. I love shopping for garments in charity shops. How does colour analysis work here? Being able to ignore swathes of clothing based on colour has truly been revolutionary for me. You may not be a second-hand shopper, you may enjoy high end purchases that are new. Are you sure that these items are timeless on you, or are they just the trending colour of the season?
what happens during a colour analysis?
First off, I don’t scrape all your hair back. Your hair is part of the analysis. Secondly, I don’t poke your head through any coloured cardboard cut outs! Phew!
The welcome.
When you arrive in the studio, the first thing I like to do is discuss your reason for being there. Every client I have seen thus far has had a different reason for coming to see me. The reasons range from:
“I’ve just finished university and start a new job in September”
“I’m menopausal and have lost my way when it comes to my appearance and style”
“I’ve seen it on TikTok/Instagram/YouTube and I am intrigued!”
Your reason for colour analysis doesn’t have to be deep. But if it is, that’s cool too. Whatever your reason, an injection of the right colours will go some way to help. I promise!
The intro.
I explain how colour analysis works. It isn’t just waving colourful drapes around your face in a flamboyant fervour, emphatically saying “fabulous dahhhling”. Based on a science, this is when I introduce Albert Munsell, who invented the colour theory system in 1905. For me, colour analysis is both a science and an art. It has foundations in a universally recognised system. But it also requires an artist’s eye to apply this system to your colouring and features. One size most certainly does not fit all. Again, another good reason to see a colour consultant in person.
I work with Munsell’s colour system whenever I describe a person’s dominant colour characteristic. Colours are harmonious when there is an order or balance. It has been proven that the human eye responds positively to harmony and balance. It is more pleasing to the eye when:
– colours are arranged in a logical order or
– are related to each other in some orderly way
The aim of colour analysis is to show you how to create balance and harmony between your colouring and the colours you wear. This includes both clothes and make up. This balance and harmony is achieved by wearing colours that have the same or similar characteristics as your own colouring. The undertone, depth and clarity must all match or be in a similar range.
When determining your dominant colour characteristic, having “your colours done”, I will look at your physical characteristics. I look at your hair, skin tone and eye colour and how the colouring works together.
A picture is worth a thousand words. At this point I bring out 6 cards showing you well known/famous people in each of the 6 dominant types:
Deep, Light, Warm, Cool, Clear, Soft.
I will usually ask you where you think you sit amongst the 6 dominant types. Don’t worry, it’s not a pass or fail question, as the next part of the analysis will answer for you.
The Test.
Do not be alarmed! I am testing you, but I’m not testing you! From the moment I first set eyes on you, I have a pretty good inkling of your dominant colouring. However; the drapes do not lie and I am always keen to take you through the test to
a) confirm my initial eyeball analysis of you
b) more importantly, SHOW YOU how colour analysis works and why you are one dominant over another
If you are having an express colour or dominant colour analysis, the test is pretty quick. I compare you between 2 possible dominant types. If you are booked in for the full colour analysis, then the process is lengthier. We delve into your secondary and tertiary characteristics.
I will sit you in a comfortable chair in front of a mirror and place a white gown around you. The gown is simply to protect your clothing from the make-up* aspect of the consultation. (*Not all colour analysis services include make up) It also provides a useful blank canvas for me to drape on.
I will pull different drapes of a similar hue for you (You Hue!) and then place this underneath your chin. You may think “green is just green”, but trust me when I say it isn’t. I can show you why. I always put the drape that I think doesn’t suit first, and then I layer the right colour on top. This way we get the dramatic “TA DAAAA” effect when you see what an impact the right colour has on your appearance.
The right drape will make your eyes more prominent (sparkle) and even-out your complexion. Quite simply, it will lift the look of your face. In contrast, the wrong colour drape will give you a grey or yellowy undertone and make your lips disappear. Your features will appear to be dragged down. You need to see it to believe it. This is why an in-person analysis with a trained consultant is a lifetime investment. Once I have determined if you’re a Deep, Light, Warm, Cool, Clear or Soft, I will prepare your swatch wallet. You can now have a peruse whilst I set up for the next stage of the appointment.
Make-Up (full colour analysis only)
I have now determined what your dominant colour palette is. I will then spend the next 15 – 20 minutes applying a quick, simple and natural make up. This make up look is one that you can do yourself in 5 minutes, even when in a rush.
I use a cornucopia of beautiful products by Colour Me Beautiful. The products used are the ones that complement your dominant colour palette. No more panic guessing at the make-up counters or being sold fool’s gold by the beauty industry who slavishly follow colour trends. Most cosmetic manufacturers follow fashion trends rather than looking at what tones, shades and colours will suit different people.
In 1988 Colour Me beautiful launched its own range of cosmetics. These SPECIFICALLY looked at the best colours for each colouring type. And they have been refining their products ever since. The range of cosmetics are all made in the UK with a couple of exceptions that are produced in Europe. Vegan, cruelty free, the make-up is exceptional, yet is often overlooked for flashier brands. The make-up is done and you look radiant. All the products I use are available for purchase. Don’t sweat it, I’m not running a Sephora here, none of the products are over £30. If you would like to purchase, just let me know! You are now mentally and physically prepared to stare at yourself for a further 45 minutes!
Draping.
You know your dominant colouring. You’re clutching your swatch wallet full of colours ready to start shopping and dressing for the new you. You now have the make-up on that makes you look like you’ve just come back from a long break in Santorini. Your friends will exclaim how well you look without really knowing why. Now I will commence draping 10, 30 or 42 colours (depending on which service you have booked) beneath your face. We will discuss what, if any, of these colours you already own. Which colours you could choose for the investment pieces in your wardrobe (coats, cashmere etc).
There will be colours you love and there will be colours that you love less. We will talk about how the colour may change depending on the fabric of the garment. We talk about your lifestyle and employment. If you are a children’s TV presenter, perhaps wearing black all the time is doing you a disservice?!
There is every possibility that the colour you absolutely adore IS NOT IN YOUR PALETTE. Do not worry. Here at You Hue, I never tell you not to wear a certain colour. Unless you are my sister. It’s just finding the right hue of that colour to make it work for you. Or working around the colour and pairing it with something that IS complementary to you. To finish, I do a little exercise using gold and silver drapes. This is to see which one makes you stand out, and which one is subtler. This test is for jewellery, but also crosses over to lame shorts / cowboy boots, delete as applicable!
Any Questions?
I answer questions during every stage of the colour analysis, but now is the chance for you to ask any questions. At this point I am writing helpful little reminders in the back of your swatch wallet. This is because I know that this has basically been a religious experience for you and that you may well forgot everything I have told you as soon as you step foot out of the door! You have my contact details for any follow up questions.
Et voila! The colour analysis is complete! You have now experienced the event that differentiates between BC (Before having your Colours done!) and AC (After you’ve had your colours done!). You will now look at clothing and make up through a different lens.
I hope that has taken some of the mystery out of a colour analysis appointment and provided you with a little more understanding as to why a colour analysis is such an investment. I hope to see you in my studio soon! In the meantime, feel free to get in touch if you have any questions.
