Color analysis: What is your season?
Color analysis is also called personal color analysis or seasonal color analysis and is a method that aims to determine which shades and shades enhance each person based on their natural characteristics. It was born in the eighties thanks to the American image consultant Carole Jackson.
Jackson, who talked about it in detail in her book Color Me Beautiful, observed and demonstrated how certain shades are able to enhance our natural beauty and created a system that is based on the identification of four different seasons, each of which corresponds to a specific range of shades that best suit the individual characteristics of each person.
Color analysis is not a superficial process. In case you didn't know, those who deal with color analysis must take into account four pillars, four fundamental factors that guide towards the correct identification of the season to which they belong. The factors in question are:
The undertone: it is probably the most important factor, because once you understand if it is hot or cold you are almost halfway there. Also called temperature, the undertone is a color that is located under the epidermis and is different from that of the complexion;
The value: it determines how light or how dark our skin is, taking it into consideration as a whole. To measure it, a scale ranging from off-white to gray is taken as a reference point: if it approaches white it will be high, if it approaches darker gray it will be low;
Intensity: refers to the purity and vividness of all the natural colors of our skin, eyes, and hair;
The contrast: it is the result of the combination of skin, eyes and hair. The more similar they are, the less contrast there will be.
Test to Identify Skin Undertone for Color Harmony
Answer to the following questions to discover undertone:
How does your skin react to sun exposure?
a) I get burned easily and rarely tan.
b) I tan easily and rarely get sunburned.
What is the color of jewelry that seems to enhance your complexion the most?
a) Silver or platinum.
b) Yellow gold or bronze.
What does your skin look like under sunlight or artificial lights?
a) It appears more pinkish or reddish.
b) It appears more golden or olive.
With your face without make-up and under good natural light, if you bring an orange fabric and then a fuchsia one close to your face, what do you see?
a) with orange the skin turns yellow and imperfections are more evident, with fuchsia it is lighter and brighter
b) with the color orange the skin appears brighter, with fuchsia it pales
If you answered mostly with "a": You may have a cool undertone.
If you answered mostly with "b": You may have a warm undertone.
As we have already said at the beginning, the undertone allows us to understand which season we belong to, because:
IF you are cool undertones, it could be summer or winter.
IF your undertone is warm, it could be autumn or winter.
To be sure of your season, however, you need to take another step: another test that takes into account the value, intensity and contrast of the skin.
Unlike the previous test, the one to find out your color season is a bit simpler: it is based on the observation of our face and what our preferences are when we have to choose what to wear. Ready?
Cold undertone, the test: are you summer or winter?
What is the predominant color of your eyes?
a) Blue, grey or light green.
b) Brown, hazelnut or amber.
What is your natural hair color?
a) Ash blonde or light brown.
b) Black or dark brown
Do you prefer to wear lighter or darker colors?
a) Light colors such as light blue, pale pink or light gray.
b) Dark colors such as navy blue, burgundy or dark purple.
How is the contrast between your skin and your hair?
a) Short, because I am very light blonde/brunette and I have fair skin
b) Tall, because I am medium/intense brown and have medium to fair skin
If you answered primarily with "a": You may belong to the "Summer" season with a cool undertone.
If you answered primarily with "b": You may belong to the "Winter" season with a cool undertone.
Warm undertones, the test: are you spring or autumn?
What is the predominant color of your eyes?
a) Blue, grey or light green.
b) Brown, hazelnut or amber.
What is your natural hair color?
a) Light blonde or golden brown.
b) Dark brown, coppery or black.
Do you prefer to wear lighter or darker colors?
a) Light and pastel colors such as light yellow, peach or teal.
b) Earthy and warm colors such as brown, orange or olive green.
How is the contrast between your skin and your hair?
a) Short, I'm all "light" because I'm blonde, redhead or very light brown with very light skin.
b) Medium, because I am medium/intense brown and medium to fair skin
If you answered primarily with "a": You may belong to the "Spring" season with a warm undertone.
If you answered primarily with "b": You may belong to the "Autumn" season with a warm undertone.
Another way to discover your color harmony is to see how your skin reacts by combining different colors. Here are the steps to follow:
Position yourself in a place in the house where there is natural light and make sure there are good weather conditions.
Remove make-up well, tie up your hair and try to cover it, using a towel that is neutral in color.
Also wear clothing that is neutral and stand in front of a mirror with good, strictly natural lighting.
To identify the seasons, use fabrics, patches or garments of specific colors. Every time you change color, observe yourself very carefully, noticing if your face lights up more with one shade rather than another.
Look at the veins in your wrist and how your skin reacts to the sun to pinpoint your undertone
Consider whether you look your best with gold or silver jewelry, to understand if your undertone is warm or cool
What are the subgroups of color analysis?
Spring: Assoluta o pura, Light, Warm, Bright;
Summer: Assoluta o pura, Light, Cool, Soft;
Autumn: Absolute or pure, Deep, Warm, Soft;
Winter: Absolute or pure, Deep, Cool, Bright.
After taking the test, remember that each season has its own Absolute declination, which generally sees well-balanced undertone, value, intensity and contrast, but also has further declinations.
These declinations are linked to the fact that one of the values among those mentioned becomes dominant: it could be contrast, as well as intensity. The most striking characteristic will determine the subgroup.