Let’s start with the basics. This color analysis theory is based on the four seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter. To determine your “season,” you have to consider your eye color, skin tone, and natural hair color. If you have a cold undertone, bluish or purple veins, and a naturally cool-toned hair color (without golden undertones), you fall into the “winter” or “summer” categories. If you have a warm undertone, greenish veins, and a golden hair undertone, you fall into the “spring” or “autumn” categories.
Now that you have a jumping-off point, let’s talk color. If you’ve determined you’re an autumn or summer, lean towards soft colors. If you’re a winter or spring, reach for something bright. If you’re a spring or summer, go for a light hue, and if autumn or winter, lean towards something dark.
TRUE COLORS
Color Analysis, The FP Way
By: Jules Boyd
Ready to find your perfect hue?
Remember when Richard Gilmore told Rory, “I…am an autumn.” after taking a color analysis quiz in one of her issues of Cosmopolitan? (If you know, you know.) Well, I do — and I’m sure some of you have seen a few of the viral “color analysis” videos on social media, too. If you haven’t, here’s the short of it: it’s a way of using color theory based on your skin tones to find your most complementary shade.
THE BASICS
SPRING
-Hair colors: Golden blonde, strawberry blonde, red, light to medium golden brown
-Skin tones: Warm and bright, with noticeable redness
-Typical eye colors: Warm blues, aquas, warm greys, warm greens, golden browns
-Colors to try: Peach, warm-toned pinks, apricot, salmon, orange, cream, and red; apple, aquamarine, and golden turquoise
-Colors to avoid: dull, flat colors; bright white, cool-toned pinks, silverish greys, and deep, cool blacks
-Skin tones: Warm and bright, with noticeable redness
-Typical eye colors: Warm blues, aquas, warm greys, warm greens, golden browns
-Colors to try: Peach, warm-toned pinks, apricot, salmon, orange, cream, and red; apple, aquamarine, and golden turquoise
-Colors to avoid: dull, flat colors; bright white, cool-toned pinks, silverish greys, and deep, cool blacks
SUMMER
-Hair colors: Icy blonde, dark ash, taupe blonde, light to medium neutral blonde
-Skin tones: Light porcelain to olive
-Typical eye colors: Light blue, light green, or light grey
-Colors to try: Pastels, light blue, greyish white, silver, pearl, lilac, greige; cool-toned pinks, pinks with purple undertones, powdery pink
-Colors to avoid: Warm-toned oranges, ochre, warm-toned reds, warm-toned greens; avoid true black and white
-Skin tones: Light porcelain to olive
-Typical eye colors: Light blue, light green, or light grey
-Colors to try: Pastels, light blue, greyish white, silver, pearl, lilac, greige; cool-toned pinks, pinks with purple undertones, powdery pink
-Colors to avoid: Warm-toned oranges, ochre, warm-toned reds, warm-toned greens; avoid true black and white
AUTUMN
-Hair colors: Warm-toned golden blonde to golden brown or auburn
-Skin tones: Warm-toned, often with freckles
-Typical eye colors: Warm hazel, warm browns
-Colors to try: Golden blue, azure, emerald, mustard, copper, bronze, champagne; dark purples, poppy, warm-toned orange
-Colors to avoid: snowy white, true black, cool-toned pastels, ultra-vivid colors
-Skin tones: Warm-toned, often with freckles
-Typical eye colors: Warm hazel, warm browns
-Colors to try: Golden blue, azure, emerald, mustard, copper, bronze, champagne; dark purples, poppy, warm-toned orange
-Colors to avoid: snowy white, true black, cool-toned pastels, ultra-vivid colors
WINTER
-Hair colors: Ash or cool-toned brown, blue-black hair
-Skin tones: Light to medium-deep cool tones
-Typical eye colors: Dark blues, greys, greens, or browns, and black
-Colors to try: Snow white, blue-black, cool-toned blues, navy, purple, silver; coffee, hot pink, fuchsia, raspberry, oxblood
-Colors to avoid: Warm orange, pale yellow, reddish brown, earthy or muted tones
-Skin tones: Light to medium-deep cool tones
-Typical eye colors: Dark blues, greys, greens, or browns, and black
-Colors to try: Snow white, blue-black, cool-toned blues, navy, purple, silver; coffee, hot pink, fuchsia, raspberry, oxblood
-Colors to avoid: Warm orange, pale yellow, reddish brown, earthy or muted tones
Still having trouble figuring out what season you are? Try taking a few articles of clothing — warm, cool, light, dark, soft, and bright colors — and hold them next to your face. See if your appearance changes at all or if any complement your skin more than others. It’s amazing what a little color theory can do.
Now, take what you’ve learned and start searching by color on FP’s site…let us know how it goes!
Xoxo, FP
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