Have you ever put on a new blouse and watched as the color lit up your face? Maybe you have tried on a bracelet in different shades of Gold or Sterling silver and seen one in particular look the best? Color analysis can help you find the perfect shades and colors to compliment your complexion. Finding your ideal shades is much easier than you may think.

Color analysis takes into consideration a few factors. Your eye color, your hair color, and your skin-tone. Skin-tone doesn’t have anything to do with the shade of your skin. Any person of any race can be a neutral, warm, or cool skin-tone. However light or dark you are in those categories helps you determine what season you fit best in.

Seasons are useful in color analysis because we associate certain colors with certain seasons. Within each season there are also subtypes which help you determine whether you look best in rich vivid colors or more soft muted colors. Finding your season can help you determine the best color palette for your wardrobe.

The easiest way to determine your underlying tone is to see what color the veins of your wrist are. If you veins appear green you are likely a warm tone while if they appear blue or purple you are likely a cool tone. If your veins vary or lay somewhere between the two then you are likely a neutral skin tone. Laying gold and silver jewelry against your skin can also help. Which looks better? Does one wash you out? This can help you determine your skin’s undertone as well. Silver normally compliments cool tones while Gold normally compliments warm tones.

To determine your season things get a little more complicated, but not to worry. You can work with your closet as is. Pick out a few of your favorite pieces that you feel make you glow! These can be any color. Lay them down and take a look at your options. Do they lean towards vivid and rich or muted and soft? Are they more light and bright or deeper and darker? Does a bright color make your hair look lustrous and your skin glow or does it wash you out?

Next, use your own wardrobe or simply items in your house to create a rainbow of options. You can select colors you know look good on you or if you’re not sure try and get as many colors as possible. You can also buy a color swatch of different fabrics at your local craft store but it isn’t necessary.

Next, sit in front of a mirror in a well lit room. Make sure your background and surroundings are as neutral as possible (this way they don’t reflect the wrong colors). Now hold the objects, clothes, or swatches up to your face. Take a good look at how your eyes, hair, and skin react to each color. For some colors you may see no difference which means they are fine to wear. For some colors you may notice your skin, hair, and eyes light up. Take note of these colors as they are your go-to! For other colors you may feel plain or washed out. Make a note to wear less of those.

Once you get a good idea of which colors look good on you this will make finding your season easy. Any season can look good in any color as it is all about finding the right shade. Color analysis can help you select the right shades. A Winter season will likely look better in a blue with cool undertones and in a more vivid shade. On the other hand if you are an Autumn season you should look better in a warmer more muted blue. Color analysis is an amazing tool to help you sort through your wardrobe and only keep what truly makes you glow!