Cool and Brilliants can be further broken down into three varieties: Cool Winter (flowing into Cool & Delicate), Clear Winter (flowing into Warm & Fresh), and Deep Winter (sharing deep, dark depths with Warm & Rich).
*(icy describes a pure color tinted with white, it is not muddied with gray or other undertones like a powdery pastel)
NOT
Cool & Brilliant (aka Winter)
TRY
Cool & Delicate (aka Summer)
Warm & Fresh (aka Spring)
Warm & Rich (aka Autumn)
How to Pick your Best and Worst Colors (Get Started)
VIRTUAL COLOR CONSULTATION $35
Discover which colors flatter you most and which you might want to avoid. Completely virtual based on pictures and digital survey.
Fantastic post with clear examples of people and what colors are great. I definitely need to apply this! 🙂
Thanks Emily! I’m happy with how it all turned out.
Hi, I found this today, and after looking through all the different coloring charts, I couldn’t find one that fits. I’m closest to the deep winter (DARK brown eyes, cool light beige skin) but my hair has natural red and gold highlights in it…. Wondered if it makes a huge difference in what colors look best, or if it’s mostly about skin tone?
Anonymous,
Skin tone is definitely the most important component when determining what colors to wear. I would place emphasis on this first.
Good luck. If you need help, I offer color consultations, see the link at the bottom of the post above to order.
This whole seasonal analysis is quite difficult! And fascinating at the same time!
The thing is when women dye their hair… does it change their season?
Because Alexis Bledel has naturally medium brown hair with golden tones, wouldn’t that make her a Clear Spring?
Here are some pictures of her:
http://www.hdwpapers.com/walls/alexis_bledel_in_red_dress_wallpaper-normal.jpg
http://lamujerdelfotograma.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/tuck1.jpg
This whole seasonal analysis is quite difficult! And fascinating at the same time!
The thing is when women dye their hair… does it change their season?
Because Alexis Bledel has naturally medium brown hair with golden tones, wouldn’t that make her a Clear Spring?
Here are some pictures of her:
http://www.hdwpapers.com/walls/alexis_bledel_in_red_dress_wallpaper-normal.jpg
http://lamujerdelfotograma.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/tuck1.jpg
My Anonymous Alexis Bledel fan,
I think it’s definitely possible that Alexis might be a clear spring, the only way to tell for sure would be a color draping. The reason I typed her as a Clear Winter was the drama of her features, particularly her eyes. They are so brilliant and intense which is typical of winters. Unfortunately different lighting will bring out different tones in the skin, so it’s only a best guess for now 🙂
Thanks for reading!
Hi Rachel,
I came out as a bright winter and I’m in trouble to find a right lipstick shade. even if I was told that there aren’t “nudes” lipsticks for my season, I was looking for an every day or at least less noticeable shade of lipstick but I found that bright pink shade or liliac based shades don’t suit me very much and they seem lavish for me. I’ve very dark brown eyes and very dark cool hair and my skintone is light/medium cool olive. I’ve also tried soft red shades as strawberry lipglosses or fire red glosses infact my mouth undertone is something near to red but many of these shades are too orange and warm for me. cool Magenta instead seems too cold and severe for me. What shades can I try?
thank you
My Anonymous Lipstick Seeker,
Wearing bright, strong colors on your lips can be a little frightening at first. But trust me, those bold shades look great on a deep winter and it does not look as intense to anyone else.
However, I understand that there are days around the house when you don’t want to exhibit so much charisma around your mouth.
For those times, I would recommend a soft icy pink or a sheer blue-burgundy. Also, pay attention to the formula of the lipsticks you sample. If you haven’t already, explore a lustre finish. It has a sheer finish with high shine, it allows you to apply subtle hints of strong colors.
Hope that helps 🙂
Hi,
I’m thinking about my colors for couple of weeks. Your webpage is GREAT and I love it (not only for color help).
But still, I have problem 🙁
Maybe I describe myself 😛
Hair: mouse brown (with typical grey shade) but in summer I used to have subtle red highlights but after couple of hair experiments 🙂 now I have golden highlights
Eyes: mutted green with hazel spots and blue ring around iris
Skin tone: I have huge problem with choosing foundation. It changes for 1 tone through seasons. In summer, when I’m tanned and compare to my mums skin tone, she has golden brown and I – dirty. Yes, it’s great word which describes my skin tone in summer. It looks like I had work all day in dusty road.
In winter it’s more pale but without pink tones, more yellow.
So I started with clear spring. Hair color is ok, even eyes but I look terrible in black. Next is cool summer,but I my eyes have warm shade. Maybe deep autumn? Orange and orange tones are the worst choice. Totally not mine. Last chance – deep winter. Again, black. When I’m tanned I look quite good in bright colors but now – not.
Please help me 🙂
I used to look good in black but now tend to find it too overpowering (47 recently) 🙁
I now find I like to wear animal prints with solids.
When I was young my hair was a very light brown or dark blonde, now it is almost black naturally.
My skin is olive, although I don’t get in the sun much. If I do, my face goes red and by the next day I am tanned. I look like the deep autumns but look terrible in those colours, I like to wear black and whereas I used to wear gold I now tend toward silver and black jewellery. My eyes look like the deep winter.
I wear natural beige makeup, lipsticks pink reds and chestnuts, chocolate lippy is too harsh. If I attempt neutral lipsticks to soften ageing, I look washed out as my eyes are quite dark hazel. They once were very deep brown.
Can you help?
Thanks,
Attempt wardrobe edits regularly as I find that ageing means a change of style, yet the black stays, just not around the face anymore. Sweetheart necklines, empire waists, round necks are ok, but a solid black trench-coat just went on the out pile today as it was just too heavy black. That leaves quite a big question mark. Red, always stays but not a harsh red, leopard skin stays, beige in coats but not clothing, rosy pink. Could I be a summer? I think I would have been classified as a summer when I was younger. Golden brown hair, olive skin and deep brown eyes were my portion in those long ago days.
Thanks.
I have had issues with this system for ages; not because I don’t think it’s accurate, but because I never fit into any category, and I’m afraid I am an outlier. I have dark ash brown hair and dark brown eyes. My skin is very, very pale and beige. I tan quickly and darkly in the sun. I cannot wear cool toned makeup or I look garish. I can wear a very select neutral palette. Peach tones in foundations make me look ill and pink tones make me look worse. I find yellow to beige foundations flattering. I look great in black and white clothing, as well as periwinkle blue, navy, and dark grey. I look terrible in purple. lavender, green, orange, brown, red, blue and yellow. I have a fear that I am “nothing” when it comes to coloring.
Age Related Anonymous,
Aging is an interesting component to coloring. As we mature we loose pigmentation in our hair, eyes, cheeks, and lips. It definitely influences the colors which flatter us best. While it may narrow the range of options, it shouldn’t leave exclusively in neutrals. I recommend exploring some of the options in cool winter to see what works. Hopefully it introduces a few new ideas.
Best,
R
Patrycja Bsk,
Thanks so much for reading. It’s difficult for me to determine your color category without pictures and a full analysis.
If you e-mail me at reachel@cardiganempire.com, I can send you a $12 paypal invoice. I’d love to help you out and take a closer look.
Truly,
R
Thank you for this website. I have spent much time throughout the years trying to determine my season–but your three tools made it so easy. I now know I am warm and fresh–a clear spring. The eye chart was the tool that was so revealing for me. Again, thank you for making so simple to understand something that others made so convoluted.
I am having a little difficulty pinpointing my exact season. Here are my characteristics:
Skin: neutral skin tone, usually get makeup in a light beige. Any makeup with too much pink or yellow makes me look bad. Usually the eye makeup and colors I wear can make me look more cool or more warm. Also the lighting can change whether I’m cool or warm. I can wear both gold and silver easily.
Eyes: sunburst pattern, from center they are medium brown, then topaz, then charcoal grey. From far away the topaz kinda gets lost so they look medium to light brown, but the gold flecks sparkle in sunlight.
Hair: dark neutral brown, almost-black.
I thought at first I might be deep winter but most of those colors are too strong for me. So I teeter between Clear Winter and Clear Spring because I can wear colors from both, but still confused because I am neither warm nor cool. I can wear black but without the right makeup it can be too strong for me. Neutral grey, navy and taupe are my best neutrals. Flame red looks better than burgundy, but bright pink is better than salmon. Help!
Hi, I don’t understand why Alek Wek is winter tone?
thanks
Hi I was wondering if someone could tell me which winter I am? Here‘s a picture of me. My hair has absolutely no dye in it. I am wearing foundation. Any help will be appreciated, thank you! 🙂
Alicia,
My first guess would be Clear Winter, because you have such striking green eyes, but you could also be Clear Spring depending on your skin and natural hair color. If you’re interested in a virtual color analysis, follow the link at the bottom of the post. Hope that helps.
Hello Reachel,
what a nice website! I don’t seem to fit the color categories, so I thought I would look for the colors that I feel best in – but I cannot find them in the color cards.
No petrol, no bright red? How strange!
Here are the colours that make me look good:
this dark blue/green/petrol shade: https://www.etsy.com/de/listing/120395952/kleid-petrol-swing?ref=market
bright red jacket: http://www.zimbio.com/photos/Taylor+Swift/Taylor+Swift+wearing+bright+red+jacket+cropped/nS-nLXpLBL7
my scottish scarf http://www.kiltsandcashmere.com/media/cats/cashmere-scarf.jpg
as well as navy and especially the royal blue from your brilliant winter card..
… does this give you any idea?
Can you make something of this? If so, I would be interested in the online colour analysis.
Hannah
Hi Hannah,
I’d have to see pictures of you and ask a few questions in order to come to a conclusion but the colors you mentioned are actually common favorites for Warm Springs and although they aren’t listed for Deep Autumns, they tend to flatter this group as well. It really depends on the contrast in your hair, skin, and eyes and whether your skin is neutral or purely warm. Anyways, I’d be happy to help you with a complete analysis, links are included at the bottom of the post.
PS: Apparently I look better in cold white than in warm white but my skin has a warm tone (two different consultants tried themselves at this, I agreed that the white scarf looked better and that my skin looked warm next to someone else’s warm skin…)
Hi , I really love your colors charts <3 <3 <3 but I have got a problem!
I think That every color doesn't work on me! I seem seek, with every color.
Red, greyish my skin, Green, greenish it, blue brownish it, brown switch off and schokin' color yellow too, light blue pale it, fucsia, brownish, white pale me, cream white switch off, ivory white greyish, Lilac too, violet brownish. So what can I do?!
I've got blue/Violet veins within rthe wrist, but inside foream, are green. The color of my eyes, are mixed : cinder brown near the pupil, kaki green/brown and above this there are (not always) thin stripes grayish teal . I've got pale skin anda little cherry lips. My skin isn't Pink! But isn't totally beige. So when I have to buy some Foundation, I never find my perfect color , Ivory beige it's too much pale, fair beige it's too much dark, and both are too much brownish. If I try, pink foundation, are too much pink, if i mix it together will became too much orange. So, what Can i Do? What kind of chart I belong?! Please help me, some night I don't sleep, for searching right colors. With Love, Jasmine.
Hi Jasmie,
You sound like you have a unique combination of features in your complexion, but I’m sure we can figure it out. I’d definitely like to see some pictures of your face and a close up of your eyes as well as ask you a few more questions. If you order a color analysis at the bottom of this post, we can get you started. Thanks for reading!
Hi! Let me tell you how excited I am to find this! I have been searching all over looking to find what colors I look best in. I am having trouble deciphering what category i belong in. I can’t tell if I belong in clear winter or cool winter.
I have dark brown hair.
My eyes teeter between blue and grey. Some days they look like a navy blue, some days they look like a light grey.
My skin is pale, I turn pink when I am in the Sun then red. I know I am a cool tone, veins are a blue color.
Am I in one category or is there a middle? Thank you in advance!
With just this information, I would lean toward Cool Winter. However, I’m happy to look at it more depth if you want to purchase a virtual color analysis at the bottom of the post.
Hi. It looks like “icy pink” is a very different shade for the different Winters. I think I’m deep winter. – salt and pepper hair, olive skin, dark hazel eyes. What pink goes with deep winter? Thanks.
Deep Winters can wear bright pinks (like fuchsia) as well as icy pink which is basically a pure cherry red with lots of white mixed into. It’s not gray or dusty at all. Hope that helps 🙂
I think there needs to be another look at darker skin tones for this analysis. The undertones given are either pink and blue or warm peach and yellow. What if you are not this? I do have yellow undertones but they are not warm. I would say a cold yellow as paradoxical as it may sound. Think brass rather than bronze. Brass is colder than bronze. I look better in silver than gold but silver doesn’t look all that great on me these days unless it’s a darkened vintage silver. These days I go more for the vintage brassy type metals but will still choose silver over gold which has always been too yellow for me.
The blues, blacks and icy whites and fuchsias look good on me but not the neon or chiffon or grape. For that side, I look better in dusky pink and possibly dusty purple (some purples can make me look really sallow) but none of the other muddy colours.
Have you looked at Clear Spring? Sometimes that category is a good fit for darker skin tones. Also, since each individual is unique, I usually recommend finding the category that you identify with the most and then adapting for your individual needs. I believe it’s more important to help people find exactly what works for them rather than fit them into a ill fitting category for the purpose of standardization. Think of the categories as a starting point for chromatic discovery 🙂
Hi!
I’ve been poring over your website for the best part of the last two weeks. I’ve read all the posts on the topic and you may color me confused! I always used to think of myself as a winter (100% cool), but have found myself doubting this as my hair tends to glisten golden/red in certain light and my skin shows blue veins beside green veins. Would you say I am a clear cut type ? See the photo: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6o918aog1lqqcwa/2015-11-16%2011.52.32.jpg?dl=0 (this is me standing in front of a large window on a completely overcast day).
I can’t tell for sure without a full analysis and interview, but I would consider Clear Spring. It’s bordering winter but it accounts for some of the warm tones in your hair and your stunning bright blue eyes. If you’re interested, there’s a link to purchase a color analysis at the bottom of this post.
Hi. I was wondering if you could explain the difference between cool summer, cool winter and clear winter, especially as it pertains to people with dark brown hair and blue eyes that are not ‘sky blue’.
Found in the descriptions of these three categories:
clear winter: dark, ashy brown hair and ‘bright’ blue eyes
cool winter: deep ash hair and blue or charcoal grey eyes
cool summer: deep ash brown hair and blue or grey eyes
I see that the light skin colors are subtly different, though I’m not sure I could confidently distinguish along the spectrum of milky white – very pale beige – pale beige – light beige – lt neutral beige
I’m not really following the difference between the color profiles of Liv Tyler and Lauren Graham vs Megan Fox and Courteney Cox, for instance.
Thanks!
Hi Jen,
The difference between cool summer and cool winter is the amount of contrast between the hair, skin, and eyes. Cool Winters tend to have more pigmentation in their hair and eyes (darker hair, stronger eye color). The difference between the “cools” and clear winter is the bit of warmth clear winters have in their features. They may have somewhat of a peachy undertone, could tan well in the sun, may get some red highlights in their hair, etc. It’s subtle, but there are definitely differences. Live Tyler and Lauren Graham have very rosy skin tones, you’ll see tints of red/pink in their skin and their veins will look very blue. Megan Fox and Courtney Cox however have some warmth in their skin, so their veins may appear green and their skin will look a bit more yellow and peachy, at least in places. The latter are blended (having both warm and cool qualities). Hope that helps. Thanks!
Hi I hope you can help me.
So unsure what season I am
I have hazel brown eyes and black eye brows.
My skin is very fair with pink/green undertones. I have pale freckles and blush/burn easily.
My natural hair colour is brown with red tints, my nan says I’m chestnut brown.
I wear a lot of black, look terrible in orange/yellow/baby blue.
I thought possibly deep winter, I like to wear purple/cerise pink/silver by my face.
But my chestnut hair and freckles makes me very confused indeed!
Many thanks to you for your advice. Want to add some colour to my very black wardrobe lol ?
Hi Lisa, looks like this is a duplicate comment but it has some additional information, so I wanted to respond. If you can’t wear Orange or Yellow I wouldn’t consider Deep Autumn. Since you like purple, hot pink, and silver you have at least some cool tones in your features. I would probably make Clear Spring my top pick with Deep Winter as my runner up suggestion.
Hello!
Congrats on your blog, it’s amazing!
I have a question – I have a neutral undertone and very but a yellow TONE (I am not asian, I’m latin, but it is a asian-like yellow, not the normal latin tan). I look amazing in every color of the bright spring chart, EXCEPT yellows and oranges. I doesn’t look sick in those colors, they enhance my eyes, but also enhance my yellow tone. Is it possible to be bright spring and doesn’t look god on yellow and orange?
(except oranges and yellows, I look better in bright spring colors then bright winter ones).
Thank you,
Hi Carol, yes it’s possible to be a Clear/Bright Spring and not like yellow and orange. In fact, I know many Clear Springs who dislike Yellow and Orange. You don’t have to like every single color int he category, but you should like at least 85% of them. The categories are meant to give you some direction in your chromatic exploration so you don’t have to discover everything from scratch, but don’t feel like you have to wear those colors exclusively. Thanks for your comment!
Please help! I still can’t figure out my undertone. I am very pale (either milky white, ivory, or beige) with freckles, aubrun hair, brown eyes, and my veins start blue by my hands, but go green as they go down my arm. I just can’t figure it out. Thank you
Based on your description, I would probably lean towards Deep Autumn, but you could also be Clear Spring with a blended complexion. I’d be happy to help you via a virtual color analysis. There’s a link to purchase at the bottom of the post. Thanks for reading!
Hello! First of all thank you so much for your incredibly helpful and clarifying blog article + awesome blog in general! I had always thought that I was a ‘deep autumn’ but now I feel like I’m slightly edging more towards ‘deep winter’. I am of Chinese descent, with pure black hair and pure black eyes, but my skin color is pretty tan and I’d say neutral, with both warmish yellow and pinkish cool undertones. Optic white and grey really makes my complexion come alive and pop, while warmer beige whites make me look a bit sick – would you say that these factors would clearly put me in the category of deep winter?
For me the problem is more that I am aware that typical deep winter colors like cherry, charcoal, black and navy look good on me and my intense ‘asian’ black eyes + hair make me think I’m a winter, but because my skin color falls pretty much in between, especially in summer seems yellowy and warm I tend to think I fall between both categories in some aspects. For example warmer deep autumn colors like terracotta and olive also look good.
Also wondering why in the worst colors section of deep winter are warm browns, camels and peaches, because for some reason I do feel very drawn to those colors. Maybe I just have bad taste/sense of what fits me? Haha!
Thank you!
Hi Xiang, you sound like you have a beautiful collection of features. You could most certainly be Deep Winter with an olive complexion. And you could have the ability to borrow some colors from Deep Autumn. That’s not unheard of. However, you could also be in the Clear Spring category. These colors are still very vibrant, but have a bit more warmth. Even though your eyes or specifics may not fit this category exactly if the colors work, go with that over the template. I’d love to help you if it makes sense. There is a link to purchase at the bottom of this post.
Hi, I have brown-black eyes, brown-black hair and medium skin tone. I also have neutral (olive) undertone. I suspect I am either a deep winter or a deep autumn. How do I know for sure which one I am? Is there a possibility I can be both?If I fall under both then how do I differentiate between what colours to wear?
Hi Tasmia,
Based on just your description I would lean towards Deep Winter. Most Deep Autumns would describe themselves as warm rather than neutral. However, I’d love to help you if you’re still feeling confused. Feel free to purchase an analysis at the bottom of this post above the comments. Thanks for reading.
Hello! I’m having some trouble figuring out my season, but I think I’m at least a winter. My eyes are very blue, my hair is dark brown, almost black and my skin is very pale but I still tan quite easily though I burn first. My skin is more red or pink than yellow. My veins are very purple and blue. I also have a lot of freckles. I find I look sickly in light yellow, and brown and orange doesn’t fit me at all. I wear mostly black but I would like to wear other colors as well. Do you have any idea what my type might be?
Claudia, I would look at Cool Winter and see if that feels like a possible match. If you aren’t sure I would love to help you. There’s a link to purchase a color analysis at the bottom of this post above the comments.
I can’t pick one season! The issue with me that I’ve finally figured out is that I have warm skin and cool eyes (dark grayish blue-green). Peach and brown looks good for clothes, but I wear gray and taupe eyeshadow; copper near my eyes makes me look sick. I personally think I look good in black and white (could be wrong). I also think pinks and berry colors work on me. My worst colors, to my eyes, are all neon colors. Do these descriptions seem to correspond to any type? What would you lean toward?
Thanks so much! 🙂
You sound like you are a soft season, probably Soft Autumn, but maybe Soft Summer. I’d love to help you figure it out with a virtual color analysis. Link to purchase at the bottom of the post or e-mail me at reachel at cardiganempire dot com 🙂