Have fun with make-up colour

While so many of us reach out for professional guidance when it comes to colour, I have experienced that most women are drawn to the colours that naturally suit them. We know when colour feels right or wrong, we just don't always know why. If we understand the principle, we will know why! Then, all we need to do is apply the same principle we use when selecting a T-shirt colour or when we choose our lipstick.

To understand and learn more about these basic principles, try the below exercize at home:

Step 1 – Open your closet
Don’t worry about your clothes that cover your lower half, you just need to use everything you own for your upper half – shirts, blouses, dresses, jackets, cardigans, etc.

Step 2 – Colour code
Now you need to create piles (or heaps if you’re a clothing junky) of the same colour – a white pile, a cream pile, a pink pile, a yellow pile, etc. Use the colour reference chart below to ensure you separate your reds, browns, blues and greens correctly... and keep going until it’s done!

If you wear a work uniform, please exclude this in the exercise.

Step 4 – Record
Get your notebook and record the following: Make a list of the colours from the highest pile to the lowest pile. Note the colour piles you use most and the ones you use least. View the Colour Chart here, print and complete the questionnaire.

Step 5 – Assess your results

If you scored more A’s – you are naturally selecting the cool-toned colours and probably suit these colours best. In make-up, the cool-toned colours include pinks, plums, mauves, purples, blue-greens, blues, berry-reds, silver and pink-browns.
See the neutrals of the chart Cool Make-up Neutrals below.

If you scored more B’s – you are naturally selecting the warm-toned colours and probably suit these colours best. In make-up the warm-toned colours include orange, yellow, peach, apricot, khaki green, orange-red and warm browns.
See the neutrals on the chart Warm Make-up Neutrals below. Gold, copper and bronze fall into this palette too.

What have you noticed about the cool and warm palette? If you have identified some of these points, you have identified the principle you use when selecting your best colours: