How to Use Color Analysis to Elevate Your Makeup Routine

Do you find that your makeup isn’t doing enough for you? The magic of color analysis is here to help. While everybody is free to use whatever makeup makes them the happiest, color analysis is a great tool to make your features shine. 

What is Color Analysis? 

Color analysis is commonly used in the beauty industry to determine what colors best suit people by analyzing their features and skin tone. 

Typically, people are sorted into four color seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. After discovering your color season, you can easily find what colors to search for to incorporate into your makeup routine. The following section will explain what determines each color season and what makeup products complement people in this category the best. 

Spring 

People who fall into the spring color season have warm and bright features. Warm-toned skin can be determined if you have yellow undertones in your skin, and typically your veins will appear green. Examples of warm and bright features include light blue, green or brown eyes, and hair with warm and bright tones such as golden blonde and light auburn. Colors that complement this group include coral, soft pink, apricot, true green and golden yellow.

Foundation & Concealer - Shades which have warm undertones, such as peach or golden shades.

Contour & Bronzer - Warm shades.

Blush - Warm pink shades such as peach and coral. 

Lipstick – The same shades as blush. 

Highlighter - Light golden shades such as champagne. 

Eyeliner & Mascara - Brown eyeliner and mascara enhance the warm undertones. 

Eyeshadow - Soft warm neutral shades, or soft colors such as peach or light greens and blues. 

Summer 

The summer color season can be identified through people who have cool and muted features. This applies to people who usually have cool-toned skin, which can be found in people with a pink undertone and blue-appearing veins. Cool-toned people are also more likely to burn than tan. People in the summer category usually have ashy blonde or brown hair, and hazel, grey-blue or soft green eyes. Colors that best complement this group include lavender, soft blues, soft greens, and rose.

Foundation & Concealer – Shades with cool, neutral or pink undertones.

Contour & Bronzer – Cool, taupe shades. 

Blush – Soft pinks such as mauve or rose. 

Lipstick – Cool-toned pinks and reds.

Highlighter – Cool-toned shades such as soft pinks.

Eyeliner & Mascara – Cool brown shades.

Eyeshadow – Taupe, cool beige and gray shades; for a pop of color try soft greens.

Autumn 

The autumn color season categorizes people who have warm and rich features. While people in this category usually have warm-toned skin, they also often have olive skin and are more likely to tan than burn. Autumn individuals also usually have hair with copper or auburn tones, meanwhile, their eyes are typically rich and warm, such as hazel, olive green, brown or amber. Colors that best complement this group include olive green, warm brown, deep orange and brick red.

Foundation & Concealer – The same as spring: shades with warm undertones, such as peach or golden shades.  

Contour & Bronzer – Warm and golden shades.

Blush – Warm deep shades such as terracotta, brick red, or orange. Lighter shades such as peach also work well. 

Lipstick – Similar to blush, shades such as terracotta and brick red work well. Coral and warm-tone browns are also complementary. 

Highlighter – Golden and bronze shades.

Eyeliner & Mascara – Warm brown shades or black. 

Eyeshadow – Neutrals such as chocolate brown and warm beige. Alternatively, colors such as orange, copper, warm greens and gold are effective. 

Winter

Finally, the winter color season categorizes people who have cool and bright features, their features are also typically highly contrasting. People who have a winter color palette have cool-toned skin, such as porcelain or ebony. Their hair is normally deep brown or black, while their eyes are vivid colors such as ice blue, cool green or dark brown. Colors that complement this group include emerald green, cranberry, royal blue and stark black and white. 
Foundation & Concealer – The same as summer: shades with cool, neutral or pink undertones.

Contour & Bronzer – Cool shades with taupe undertone. 

Blush – Cool-toned pinks such as bubble gum. Deeper shades such as raspberry also work well.

Lipstick – Cool-toned pinks, reds and deep berry shades.
Highlighter – Cool shades such as icy white. 

Eyeliner & Mascara – Black to create high contrast.

Eyeshadow – Gray, cool browns, charcoal and taupe shades. To add color try emerald green.