What It Means To Know Your Colours

“The best colour in the whole world is the one that looks good on you.” — Coco Chanel

Do you opt for neutrals because you cannot decide on the colour palette that will match your skin tone? Whether you're a strawberry blonde with a peaches and cream complexion, an olive-skinned brunette, or a fiery beauty with red hair and freckles, I have some tips here which will help you navigate the rails. 

A radiant glow can be achieved by wearing the right colours, while a sallow, tired complexion can be achieved by wearing the wrong colours. Even though I don't want to write myself out of a job as a Colour Analysis expert and Stylist, understanding a few basic facts can help you determine what suits you on a basic level.

How do I work out my skin tone?

An undertone is the colour beneath the surface of your skin that is cool, warm, or neutral. Whether your skin is light or dark has no bearing on it. It is possible for very fair to dark-skinned ladies to have cool, warm, or neutral undertones. 

The white paper test

Make sure your face is squeaky clean and free of makeup and creams. Wait at least 15 minutes after washing your face before examining your skin in natural light if your skin is red.

Hold a piece of pure white paper up to your face. In contrast, how does your skin look? When your skin tone leans towards greenish, light brown, golden or yellow undertones, it is considered warm. Are you pink, rosy, or blue? If so, your undertone is considered 'cool'. If your skin appears grey or ashen, you have a neutral skin tone.

Skin tone can be difficult to determine if you have acne, rosacea, or a tan. If this is the case, ask a friend to do the paper test behind your ears. There is less chance of skin damage there due to the delicate nature of the skin.

The vein test

How would you describe the colour of the veins in your hands and wrists? Veins with a blue or purple hue indicate that the skin is cool, while veins with a greenish hue indicate that the skin is warm. If you can't decide between the two, then you are a neutral person.

The sun test 

The next easy way of determining the undertone of your skin is to watch how it responds to the sun. People with olive-skinned skin are generally more likely to be tanned easily and to have warm skin tones. People with a cool undertone usually have skin that burns in the sun. Neutrals may fall into either group.

What colours should I wear if I have a warm undertone?

Your golden undertones will be enhanced by warm colours like orange, golden yellow, honey gold, amber, and reds. However, you can also use red-purples in magenta and orchid shades, along with deeper turquoises, green mosses, olives, ferns, and pestos. Your skin will glow with neutrals such as taupe, hot chocolate, cream whites, and latte. Stay away from icy shades and jewelled tones such as ruby, amethyst, and sapphire.  

Celeb lookalikes: Jessica Alba, Jennifer Lopez, Claire Danes, Kim Kardashian and Beyoncé

What colours look right on me if I have a cool undertone?

On the cool end of the colour chart, you'll get the most gorgeous results with vivid blue, royal blue, sapphire, emerald, amethyst, deep purples, lavenders, and lilac snow. Don't overlook bright shades such as shocking pink (not hot pink, which is warm), cerise, ruby, and bright rose. It is wise to avoid oranges and yellows when choosing neutral colours. Your neutral colours should be grey, navy, and pristine white.

Celeb lookalikes: Cate Blanchett, Viola Davis, Nicole Kidman, Mindy Kaling, and Lucy Liu

What colours suit me if I have a neutral undertone?

The colours jade green, dusty pink, lagoon blue, and cornsilk yellow will make you stand out. A neutral colour palette such as off-whites, coffee, greys and black will also work well for you. Nonetheless, don't overdo it with bright and vibrant colours - they will overwhelm you.

Celeb lookalikes: Angelina Jolie, Rachel McAdams, Julianne Moore, Julia Roberts, and Kerry Washington

Here's the exciting part: it's not over yet. In order to create visual balance and highlight one's best features, we discussed matching the undertones of the skin with colors that have the same undertones. In Colour Me Beautiful's colour analysis training, I used the Munsell color system. Colours are described by three properties: hue (undertone), chroma (intensity), and value (lightness). The Munsell colour system allows us to have an objective and scientific approach to colour analysis, which can be more accurate than a more subjective approach. Utilizing these three properties as a guide, we can determine which colours bring out the best in a client and which colours should be avoided.

Now, with the theory out of the way, let's look at the benefits of getting it right. 

Boost your confidence

The colours you choose to wear can make all the difference in how you feel about yourself. This is because they can draw attention to certain features, such as your eyes or your hair. Wearing colours that bring out the best in you can give you a renewed sense of self-assurance and boost your mood.  As the Russian painter Wassily Kandinsky once wrote: “Colour is a power which directly influences the soul.”

Memories are associated with colour

Colour becomes memorable partly because of the complex relationship we have with it. "I used to have that blue car...", "I had those gold sandals you picked up in Ibiza...". There are also phrases that evoke an image and then a sensory experience. "A little black dress" is a 'thing' we can all remember.  We would all interpret this image differently, but it would mean something to us all. Colours trigger memories, emotions, and associations because they trigger memories, emotions, and associations. We remember things by the way they make us feel. Colour can also be used to evoke a certain mood or atmosphere, which can be powerful in the way it resonates with us.

Do others respond to colour differently to us? 

Colour is usually the top motivation for purchasing clothing. The colour we choose is more significant to us than how others will react to it or if it will suit our skin tone, hair colour, or body shape. If we look at ourselves through the eyes of a trusted friend or a professional image consultant, we can understand how others perceive us. It is not always the case that the colours we like us back. The ideal scenario is for them to love us as much as we love them by understanding which colours suit us. As Jodi Livon, a fashion blogger, once wrote: “The world is more than black and white. Seeing everything in colour helps me raise my spirit and find my happy. Life is meant to be lived in colour!” 

The importance of understanding your colours

Having a wardrobe with colours that suit you will make you more confident, since pieces will often blend or tone well together. By choosing the right colours for your wardrobe, you can create an ensemble that is both stylish and flattering - giving you an effortless boost of confidence while looking like your authentic self. Art Rios, a motivational speaker, wrote: “By being yourself, you fulfil your destiny. It’s your unique gifts, thoughts, and ideas that the world needs. No one else can give them to the world because they’re yours. Be yourself and bask in the power derived from self-realization.