The art of color analysis
In a world where first impressions hinge upon a glance, colors play a huge role in shaping perceptions, conveying emotions, and defining personal style. For someone like me whose go-to wardrobe color is black, coming across trending color analysis videos on Instagram and TikTok gave me a nudge to put a little more effort and literally “add color” to my life. I headed over to an expert to help me unlock the power of colors.
“Color analysis is a way of finding the best colors for an individual,” certified image consultant Ginny Villegas introduced. “You can choose the best clothes, makeup, and accessories based on your color undertone, and season.”
The Flair Image Consultancy founder further explained that color analysis has become big lately because of social media but it dates back to the 20th century. She added, “It started in the Western world. It was very popular in the US, especially in the 80s.” Ginny recalled having heard about color analysis during her college years.
“There was this famous book by Carole Jackson, ‘Color Me Beautiful,’” Ginny said, sounding so passionate about the concept. “She just gave the basic seasons – winter, spring, summer, and fall. But now, it has been further developed.”
“Color analysis is used to determine whether a person looks good with cool or warm colors based on their color undertone,” Ginny went on to explain, emphasizing the purpose of the activity.
She laid out a bunch of fabric swatches on the table with a range of hues, tones, and shades. “We have different seasons,” she shared.”Winter and summer are for cool undertones. For winter, it’s usually cool and dark with deep features, and if it’s summer, it’s usually for light and soft features. For warm undertones, we have autumn, which is warm and deep. And for spring, we have warm, bright, and light.”
Ginny demonstrated a thorough understanding and mastery of the craft. To gain credibility, she underwent training to be a certified color consultant at the International Image Institute in Toronto, Canada, facilitated by Karen Brunger. Both Villegas and Brunger are certified image professionals who are part of the Association of Image Consultants International.
“It was through her [Brunger] that we learned how to analyze the skin color and the features of each client,” Ginny said.
Asked about her usual clients, the proud business owner presented how diverse her clientele is. “I have clients from different age groups,” Ginny shared. “Some are students who book in groups with their friends. Some are professionals. We have executives who avail of the service to help them choose their clothes, hair dye, and makeup based on the season.” Ginny provides her clients with e-color guides so they can choose their best colors.
As Ginny further explained, “Color analysis is not just based on the skin color. We also look at the features.” According to her, the best way to do the color analysis is to have the client cover their hair with a bandana and body with a cape. The person becomes like a blank canvas, and the focus is solely on the face.
I was fortunate to have experienced a color analysis session firsthand. With a bare face, I wore a white bandana, and Ginny had different colored fabrics draped around my neck and shoulders, covering a large portion of my upper body. Each fabric swatch was draped and assessed by herone at a time.
I saw the value of seeking the expertise of someone with trained eyes, as I could not always distinguish the differences until Ginny pointed them out and gave feedback on my overall appearance. She paid careful attention to whether a color makes my skin look radiant or dull and whether it accentuates or detracts from my natural features.
“It is better to do a face-to-face color analysis because if you do it virtually, it might not be as accurate,” Ginny explained. She said that while a virtual session can be done, the resolution of the screen, filters, or the type of lighting can affect the analysis. “We do it with daylight. It is best done outdoors, under the sun, or to simulate it with a good LED light that mimics daylight,” she concluded.
In less than an hour, I gained a better understanding of the colors that suit me best and which ones I should avoid. Each session can be a powerful investment to discover the most impactful shades for a person and create lasting impressions.
To book a session with Flair Image Consultancy, check out the brand’s Facebook page, Instagram account (@flair.image), and website imagebyflair.com.
