Depending on how they are used, colors can send messages. Maria Alice Ximenes, personal coloring consultant, explains that colors reveal our image, humor, emotions, and communication with others.
“If I want to look delicate and effective, pink has this potential. Otherwise, someone with black clothes shows power, and in contrast, people with colorful clothes transmit informality and openness” explains Maria AliceZ “Some even take others “less colorful” more seriously, because of the association of colors with fun, and neutral colors to professionalism. But it depends on the area you work in.”
The procedure used to evaluate the colors that best harmonize and fit in someone’s skin, hair and eyes is called Color Analysis. Suzanne Caygil was the precursor of the method by noticing that the colors of hair, skin, and eyes were related to the seasons. Some people have an appearance that resembles the landscapes in each season. Then, she started to make these correspondences. Later, Carole Jackson expanded the method to the Seasonal Analysis that Personal Color Consultants use today. Each season has three subdivisions to better specify each beauty, totaling 12.
1. Pure Summer
The colors of this palette have cool undertones and the main characteristic is the temperature. The blues are the great highlight.
2. Soft Summer
The colors have low intensity and are opaque. The main colors: mint green, light blue, soft petrol blue, soft pearl gray.
3. Light Summer
The main characteristic of this palette is the depth. It´s colors are light and cool, with medium to low contrast. But among the other summer palettes, this is the one which has the most intense colors.
4. Pure Autumn
This color palette is composed of warm and earthy tones such as brown, orange, red, and ochre yellow. Colors are more sophisticated, and the temperature is the main characteristic.
5. Soft Autumn
This color palette has the opaque intensity as its main characteristic. It is recommended for people with low contrast, and the best choices are matte metals, mostly gold.
6. Deep Autumn
This autumn palette has the most vivid colors, because of its proximity to the dark winter. The depth is the main characteristic. Although it is a hot season, black is really used.
7. Pure Winter
The temperature is the main characteristic of this palette. The colors are cool and vivid.
8. Deep Winter
Its main characteristic is the profundity and the best colors to use in this palette are the opaques and not the intenses.
9. Clear Winter/ Intense winter
Among the winter palettes this is the brightest. But it also has a cool tone.
10. Pure Spring
The colors of this palette are cheerful and informal, and one of the best colors to be used is gold.
11. Clear Spring / Intense Spring
This is the darkest Spring due to its proximity with the Intense Winter. It is the only one that has black and white in its palette.
12. Light Spring
The palette is composed of intense and light colors. The depth is the main characteristic.
But how does it work?
Maria Alice explains that she evaluates a person’s beauty completely without makeup, and if they have dyed hair she covers it with a strip, and always uses a cape to neutralize and not interfere with the color of the clothing they are wearing. The environment has to have natural light or lighting with bulbs.
“We try on all colored fabrics and demonstrate to the person how colors enhance their beauty and intensify their strengths. After the test, we discover their best colors and deliver their color palette”, states Maria Alice Ximenes.
After the session it is given to the client their palette, detailing the colors that best fit them, including colors of makeup and even combinations of clothing that can be used.
The impact of color analysis
The beauty industry and society increasingly sell the idea of perfection. People start to compare themselves with standards seen in magazines, fashion shows, or even social media filters. This generates a comparison with something unreal. Color analysis can help individuals recognize and appreciate their unique beauty by providing them the tools to enhance their natural features. By embracing and highlighting their own beauty, people can celebrate their individuality and feel more confident in their own skin.”Beauty lies on being different”, says Maria Alice.
Having a color palette is not limiting, it’s liberating. It allows us to be more daring.
Maria Alice Ximenes
Also, Color Analysis can lead to a conscious consumption. Maria Alice explains: “When we learn how to identify the colors that flatter us, we start to make better purchasing decisions and avoid getting stuck with clothes that end up sitting unused in our closets.”
“We can create more interesting outfits with fewer pieces, without needing to buy a large number of clothes, as we learn to appreciate the colorful accents of accessories such as necklaces, scarves, and earrings. We start to see more possibilities with the clothes we already have. Nothing feels restrictive, and we realize that some items in our wardrobe can be enhanced rather than replaced, simply by adding to them,” she concludes.
The article above was edited by Fernanda Miki Tsukase.
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