Behind the scenes of a colour analysis with Stylist Amalia Simpson

Imagine being able to walk into any clothing store and be able to scan the room and instantly walk over a pick up a dress, a jacket, a top and know that when you put it on that its going to look fabulous  on you!

Sounds too good to be true? No I don't have a magic spell to turn you into a supermodel... Although the effect is similar. Working with a professional stylist who specialises in colour analysis and dressing for your shape has given me the opportunity to witness stunning transformations. 

Here I take you on a journey to follow stylist Amalia Simpson as she transforms Trudi from an already attractive lady into an absolute knockout!!!! 

Amalia explains "The fastest and easiest way to look younger, healthier and more beautiful is to wear colours that flatter your complexion. Wearing the right colours is a basic, and under-utilised tool which pays endless rewards in making you look fantastic".

Shopping for clothes is an entirely new experience once you've experienced having your colour analysis completed. Simply because it saves you wasting prescious time trying on outfits that simply will not suit you. When combining colour analysis with dressing for your shape you instantly have a formula that will all but guarantee what you pick off the rack will look fabulous on you. Combine these techniques to help you select better makeup choices and  you'll be transformed in to the best possible version of you. 

So how does it work? We'll revisit some information we provide in a past article.

The method that Amalia uses to help clients determine the best possible colours for their completion is to categorise them into Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

Autumn (see all natural makeup stockist below) 

Autumn - If you suit Autumn tones your colouring is  soft and rich, warm and blended. The Autumn shades can be dull on many people, but on you they look classic, rich and luxurious. If your colour characteristics are warm deep and soft then these are the colours for you. Your hair is likely to be auburn through to a rich warm deep chestnut, sometimes even deeper.  Your eyes may be warm probably a  golden amber, soft and glowing green or if your hair is very dark they may be deeper brown, but always with a golden warmth. Your skin tone may be warm with a golden undertone that creates a distinct contrast with your eyebrows and hair tone. Autumn’s suit yellow, golden warm undertones, shades from nature like deep golds and oranges, rich reds and greens, blue mountains and deep teals. Pure white may not suit your golden tones so try creamy ivory. When it comes to neutrals try camel, coffee brown, rusty shades and deep chocolate. You’ll also look great in navy or olive green with your neutrals. Avoid too bright or too pale as this does not have the depth you need.

Winter

Winter - A ‘Winter’ has a stunning seasonal colour palette. The colours are clear and bold. Your colour characteristics may be deep, cool and bright. Your hair may be deep brown to black with well defined eyebrows providing strong contrast with your skin. Your skin is cool and fair porcelain with blue undertones giving a pink tinge. Your eyes are bright and usually the first thing that’s noticed about you. They may be bright clear blue, light turquoise blue, green, even violet usually with a cool darker rim around the iris. 

 

This colour palette has blue undertones and clear hues. Whilst the colours are cool, they are the deep cool tones with sharp and icy shades. Winters look great in black and white which is so fashionable. You’ll also look great in clear strong pure colour like royal blue, emerald green, rich red, hot pink, hot turquoise. Also match these with icy shades of the winter landscape like snow white, icy pink, blue, turquoise and aqua. 

 

Neutrals that will suit you are black, charcoal and cool silver greys. However you should avoid warm golden tones, yellows and oranges, tan and mustard, light pastel colours and warm shades like salmon or coral or soft and dusky pastels or earthy tones. Anything with yellow undertones particularly gingery browns and oranges will not suit your skin.

Spring

Spring - If you have Spring tones, you have a beautiful bright fresh colour palette. You may have 3 distinct colour characteristics warm, light and bright. Each of the beautiful shades in the Spring colour palette has the same color characteristics as your own, to complement your natural colouring harmoniously. Your hair may be light or darker with a definite golden warm tone and elements of red or auburn, from golden or strawberry blonde through to a rich auburn or light chestnut. You will usually have been a golden haired child and even with grey hair, you can still have a ‘golden glow’. Your eyes may be bright and the clarity of your eye colour is one of the most obvious characteristics of a Spring. 

Clear blue or turquoise, sometimes green and often flecked with yellow and there may be a darker rim around the iris. Your skin tone may be fair through to a golden beige often with a sprinkling of freckles but always with golden/yellow warm undertones. When choosing colours try warm, light and clear (bright). Light and bright ivory is better than pure white for you, clear shades of peach and apricot and light blue, bright aqua and clear bright red. These will enhance your bright eyes. The best Neutrals for you are light warm beige, light camel, golden tan, medium gold brown is your deepest neutral. Try to avoid cool colours with a blue undertone like icy pinks, blues, fuchsia and magenta, along with deep colours that don’t harmonise with your golden tone as they will make you grey. Also avoid dusky or muted shades.

Summer

Summer - ‘Summer’s’ colours are soft and dreamy with a hazy quality.  You will have light, cool and soft colouring. Your hair may be ash blonde through to fair, or light brown. As a child you may have been white blonde, fair or light brown. It is likely that it has darkened but overall ashy. There maybe a very slight red tinge to your hair but it is best to play this down otherwise it can make your skin look sallow. Sometimes hair darkens so choose ash blonde highlights.  Your eyes may be light blue, blue grey, green grey, slate blue with a darker rim around the iris indicating cool tones. 

 

Your skin tone is fair to porcelain, ivory through to a medium beige, with a blue undertone which gives a pink tinge.  You will not suit  beige foundation, instead use a slight pink. ‘Summers’ may be light, cool or soft and your blue undertone means most blue shades from pastel through to navy blue is for you. Also try pinks, soft berry, fuchsia, green and light red. Pure white is too harsh so try a soft white near to your face.  The best neutrals for you are rose beige, cocoa, rose brown, light blue grey to grey navy, keep the shades soft and dusty. You’ll also look great in country garden mauves, blues, violets, pinks. You should avoid warm golden tones, yellows, oranges, tan and mustard, bright sharp greens and warm salmon or coral pinks. Black is too heavy for you instead try navy blue.

So now that you know differences between each colour type let's have a look at Amalia in action. Amalia goes through a process of analysis detirmining the undertone of Trudi's skin and establishes the correct foundation colour. Using a huge range of colour swatches categorised into the seasonal groups Amalia shows Trudi the vast difference they make against her skin. 

Below Amalia has styled Trudi in both makeup and clothing colours that are NOT suited to her. Trudi's skintone analysis has established Trudi is a Summer, however here she is dressed in Spring and Autumn tones. Whilst she still looks attractive she looks rather washed out.

Next Amalia has Trudi's makeup applied by Makeup artist Amea May. Amea uses the correct foundation colour and makeup for Trudi's skintone.

After the correct makeup is applied by Amea May,  Trudi is then styled by Amalia using the correct colour choices.

The transformation complete it's easy to see Trudi looks fresh, vibrant and healthy with the techniques Amalia has applied.

If you would like to book an exclusive one on one consultation with Stylist Amalia Simpson, visit her website at  

www.melbournefashionstylist.com.au

Stockists

Autumn makeup picture:

Opposite Page Top Left to Right: 100 Percent Pure Creamy Nail Polish, 100 Percent Pure Fruit Pigment Lip and Cheek Tint (Peach Glow), Pacifica Natural Mineral Eye Shadows, Zuii Organic Eye Shadows (Vibe) Honeybee Gardens Luscious Lip Gloss (Viper), 100 Percent Pure Creamy Nail Polish (Truffle), Pacifica Natural Minerals Natural Lipstick (Devocean), 100 Percent Pure Fruit Pigment Satin Eye Shadow, 100 Percent Pure Fruit Pigment Blush, Ere Perez Cheek and Lip Balm (Holy) , 100 Percent Pure Fruit Pigmented Blush (Berry), Honeybee Gardens Eye Shadow (Cairo).

Spring  makeup picture: 

Opposite Page Top Left to Right: 100 Percent Pure Fruit Pigment Blush (Pretty Naked), Pacifica Natural Minerals Eye Shadows, Pacifica Natural Lipstick (Devocean), Zuii Organic Eye shadow (Vibe), 100 Percent Pure Creamy Nail Polish (Casaba Melon), 100 Percent Pure Fruit Pigmented Lipstick (Fruit Punch, Peach Bellini), 100 Percent Pure 100 Percent Pure Fruit Pigmented Blush (Berry), 100 Percent Pure Creamy Nail Polish (Tart), Ere Perez Cheek and Lip Balm (Holy),   Zuii Organic Lip Liner, Honeybee Gardens Eye Shadow (Daredevil, Canterbury), Zuii Organic Lipstick (Daisy).

Winter Makep picture:

Opposite Page Top Left to Right: Dr. Hauschka Volume Mascara (Black),  100 Percent Pure Fruit Pigmented Lip Stick (Caberet, Peach Bellini, Fruit Punch) Honeybee Gardens (Queen Bee), RGB Nail Polish (scarlet), Zuii Organic Lip Gloss (Dream), 100 Percent Pure Lip Tint ( Cherry), 100 Percent Pure Creamy Long Last Liner (Blackest, Gleaming Pewter), Zuii Organic Eyeliner Pencil (Black), Zuii Organic Eyebrow Definer, 100 Percent Pure Fruit Pigmented  Creamy Eye Liner Liquid (Dark Chocolate), Dirty Hippie Eyeliner and Mascara Cake, 100 Percent Pure Fruit Pigmented Lip and Cheek Tint (Cranberry), Dr. Hauschka Lipstick (12).

Summer makeup picture:

 Zuii Organic Eye Shadow (Summer), Zuii Organic Eyebrow Definer (Taupe), RGB Nail Polish (Minty), Ere Perez Cheek and Lip Balm (Holy), Dirty Hippie Alkanet Root Lip and Cheek Tint, Zuii Organic Lip Gloss (Dream), 100 Percent Pure Lip Tint (Cherry), Dr. Hauschka Lipstick (12), Honeybee Gardens Eye Shadow (Daredevil and Cranberry), 100 Percent Pure Lip and Cheek Tint (Cherry).