Are you having trouble finding the right colours to wear?
If so, understanding what colours compliment your skin tone is one of best (and simplest) places to start.
In this blog post, I'm going to focus on helping you understand which category your skin tone falls into, making it much easier to find shades that not only look great on you, but will make you feel great too.
The benefits of wearing colours that suit you
Colour is the number one thing that consistently surprises and delights my clients when it comes to their personal style, but also what can cause the most confusion.
There are literally millions of colours that have now been created, and that sheer amount of diversity and choice that we now see represented in clothing has led to total overwhelm.
That tends to lead many women to stick with so-called 'safe' colours, such as blacks, greys and navy, and while these neutrals can certainly form part of your wardrobe and do look wonderful on some people, they can also lack the personality and energy of other colours.
Dressed in your best colours, you will radiate from the inside out in a way that isn't possible with neutrals.
Colours have such an enormous power over how we look and feel, and as well as affecting the aesthetics of your image, they also impact your mood and how you feel.
When you understand what colours you look best in, you have a power palette that you can mix and play with.
You can use colour to help you stand out in a crowd, create a lasting and memorable impression and above all, have an overall vitality and vibrance in the way you look.
If you'd like a professional to find your best colours as well as tell you exactly which colours to invest your money in, your best makeup colours plus lots more, book in for a signature colour palette session (virtual or in person sessions available).
Which colours compliment you the best?
The easiest way to help you determine what colours to go for is based on the concept of warm and cool.
Warm colours have a golden yellow or orange tone. In nature, these colours are vivid and energetic.
Cool colours have a blue or silver tone. In nature, these colours are soothing and calming.
The key to choosing flattering colours is to understand if your natural colouring is either warm or cool, and then 'match' your clothing colours.
It is important to note that the colours that most affect how you look are those that you wear next to your face, through tops, scarves, or jewellery.
You are warm if your skin has a warm, golden look to it. You may or may not be tanned, but there will be a yellow/golden tone to your appearance. You look better in gold instead of silver.
You are cool if your skin has rose/pink or blue tones which may be fair or dark. If you tan, you will have a more ash-based colour than golden. You look better in silver instead of gold.
If you still aren't sure if you are warm or cool, ask yourself if you look better wearing orange or pink? If the answer if orange, you're warm. If the answer is pink, you're cool.
Which shades work well for warm and cool skin tones?
Once you've determined your skin tone, you can start to build a wardrobe that flatters your complexion. With the right colours, you can also simply and easily create a cohesive look that's both stylish and flattering.
If you have a warm skin tone:
Go to colours: Rust, peach, gold, orange, turquoise, moss green, yellow, warm red (tends towards orange)
Neutrals: Dark brown, navy, olive, camel, cream, ivory
Hard to wear colours: Cool, icy colours such as pale blue and jewel tones such as ruby red
Jewellery: Gold, copper or bronze, warm stones and enamels
Celebs to be inspired by: Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lopez, Eva Mendes, Emma Watson
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If you have a cool skin tone:
Go to colours: Plum, lavender, rose pink, fuchsia, royal or bright blue, emerald, burgundy, blue reds
Neutrals: Black, grey, navy, white, soft white
Hard to wear colours: Oranges and yellows, warm or golden colours
Jewellery: Silver, platinum, cool stones and enamels
Celebs to be inspired by: Kate Middleton, Helen Mirren, Angelina Jolie, Emily Blunt
How to know if a colour is right for you?
When assessing a colour, stand in front of a mirror and close your eyes for a few seconds then open them.
A colour is right for you if:
You look healthy and your eyes sparkle
The colour will look in harmony with your natural colouring
You will see your face first, not the colour
Red flags that a colour isn't right for you
You will appear washed out and pale and dark circles will be highlighted
The colour will 'sit' on you
You will see the colour first, not you
Remember: the best colours harmonise with you - that means they have the same characteristics as your natural colouring, which is determined by your eyes, skin and hair colour.
Now that you understand the basics of how to find your perfect colours, it’s time to put this knowledge into practice. Book a signature colour palette session and let's take the guesswork out of finding the shades that will make you look and feel amazing.