Determining your “season,” or the color palate that is the most complimentary for your skin, is time well spent. You can have mastered the latest trends and how to wear them, but if you wear the wrong colors, you will still not look your best. I covered this topic briefly in my Closet Cleanout Challenge Step Three. I received a lot of questions that let me know there is a lot of confusion on this topic, so I decided to do a deep dive. Thus, I have chosen to do a four part blog and video series this month for my Wednesday Night Wardrobing Live Videos that will go into detail about this topic. I encourage you to join me live tonight at 6 p.m. MST. My vision for this series is that we can all help each other work through this process. Here is the schedule:

Wednesday, March 1: Are You Warm Or Cool?

Wednesday, March 8th: What Season Are You?

Wednesday, March 15: What Are Your Best Makeup Colors?

Wednesday, March 22: How Do I Make Wardrobe and Jewelry Choices Based On My Season?

I need to give credit to JoAnne Richmond and Color Me Beautiful, which I am using as a resource for this series. I will also be using other websites as well and will reference them as we go.

STEP ONE: DETERMINE IF YOU ARE WARM OR COOL

Warm or cool refers to the undertones in your skin and whether they are more blue based or yellow based. You can see this distinction demonstrated in the two color palates above. Cool tones should remind you of someplace cold and snowy, while warm tones resemble a desert. To determine your palate, focus first on your hair, eyes and skin.

HAIR:

COOL: Platinum blonde, jet black, ash brown and ash blonde. If you have gone grey, you will have silver or pearl grey hair. A cool hair tone will have no red or gold highlights.

WARM: Golden blonde, red tones like strawberry blonde and copper, and dark red-brown. A warm hair is characterized by golden and red highlights.

EYES:

COOL: Very dark or almost black eyes, dark brown, blue and grey, turquoise, and green without golden flecks.

WARM: Golden brown, red brown, olive green, blue green or clear green. Warm eye tones are characterized by golden flecks.

SKIN:

COOL: Porcelain (often associated with an Irish heritage), Olive (often associated with Asian, Latin and Mediterranean heritage), beige (common among Caucasians), rosy toned skin.

WARM: Ivory (often associated with Danish, Sweedish, Norwegian, Finnish and Icelandic peoples). Peach skin (often associated with Northern Europe). Golden beige or caramel colors that are characterized by gold undertones as well as coppery and maple colors (this skin can come from many heritages including African, Asian, Mediterranean, Latino and Native Americans.

http://www.hungrywardrobe.com/discover-your-colours

If you are still struggling, there are a couple of other tests you can perform. Find a piece of clothing from the warm palate and one from the cool palate. Remove all of your makeup, and stand in front of a mirror. Drape each color around your face. When you have the correct warm or cool tone for your skin:

1. The whites of your eyes look white and bright.
2. Your skin should also look bright and not dull.
3. Your teeth will appear whiter
4. The lines around your eyes as well as dark circles will appear less apparent.

Join me next Wednesday to determine whether you are cool and deep; cool and light; warm and deep; or warm and light.