What is the current trend for color analysis?

The popularity of color analysis to customize makeup has increased thanks to K-pop singers and TikTok. Prestige Singapore takes a closer look at the significance of the color analysis trend.

A growing trend at beauty events is personal color analysis. I’ve seen clips of sessions on social media, but recently I experienced one first-hand at a beauty brand’s activation. Although the session only lasted 10 minutes – much shorter than the typical 1.5 hours – it offered valuable insights.

Sitting in front of a brightly lit mirror, ideally without makeup, the consultant assesses the participant’s basic skin tone. Multi-colored drapes – from primary colors such as red, yellow and blue to shades of brown, green, gold and silver – are then placed around the neck, with the consultant explaining how each color either brightens or dulls the face. The goal is to identify the colors that best match the person’s skin tone.

Content creators and Prestige Singapore Friend Chloe Ng underwent a personalized color analysis last year to find out which colors flatter her skin. She discovered that she has a cool skin tone with pink or blue undertones. When buying make-up, she now opts for more muted colors with a bit of gray. One of her favorite brands is Chantecaille, which offers cool and warm toned makeup palettes. “Whenever I wear her blush, I get a lot of compliments,” says Ng.

Cool or warm?

“Color analysis is about finding out which colors best suit your complexion and facial features,” says Rieko Selvanathan, color analyst and style consultant. “We conduct a general consultation to check a client’s skin, eye and hair color. This is followed by an illustration and analysis of various color draping to determine their undertone as warm or cool.”

At the end of the session, consultants like Selvanathan highlight and recommend the most flattering colors, including their intensity, hue and saturation. Typically, colors are segmented according to the four seasons: Spring is warm and clear; Summer is cool and subdued; autumn is warm, deep and rich; and winter is cool, clear and rich in contrast. Each season can be further divided into three subtypes, resulting in 12 variations. For example, someone might be categorized as “cool winter” or “bright spring.”

The concept of color analysis is not new; Color theory is still taught in schools as part of the art curriculum. Its popularity rose in the 1980s thanks to Carole Jackson’s bestseller ” Color me beautifulwhich laid the foundation for modern color analysis by using colored curtains to see how certain hues reflect light from the face or cast a shadow.

As people become more aware of its benefits – such as looking more well-groomed and color-coordinated – this seemingly simple exercise has been enjoying a renaissance in recent years. The hashtag #coloranalysis has garnered over 500,000 posts and millions of views on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Due to its widespread popularity, filters were developed to mimic the actual process of finding a person’s complementary colors. While these filters are helpful, professionals like Selvanathan offer personalized tips and can answer questions on the spot.

Thanks to South Korean celebrities like Blackpink’s Jisoo and Jennie and Girls’ Generation’s Yoona, personalized color analysis has become even more popular. This boosted the trend, and in Seoul, South Korea, color analysis studios now have long waiting lists and some people make special trips just to find out which colors suit them.

The eyes say it all

Celebrity makeup artist Jung Saem Mool, who has worked with the likes of Jun Ji-Hyun, Tang Wei and Song Hye-Kyo, believes that using your personal color spectrum will allow you to present yourself in the most attractive way. She advises against blindly following color trends, noting that “understanding your personal color allows you to approach styling more intelligently.”

Jung’s approach to color analysis, which she offers at her new global flagship store Jungsaemmool on Scotts Road, starts with knowing the customer’s original color. She finds it by examining the person’s eye color, as this is often the first thing people notice. This is best observed in natural light at a 45 degree angle. Unlike Selvanathan, Jung divides personal colors into three types: reddish-brown, orange-brown and yellow-brown. These are further classified into warm or cool tones. Seasonality also plays a role, as skin tends to be lighter in winter and darker in summer due to greater UV exposure.

Despite their different approaches, both Selvanathan and Jung aim to help customers understand what colors suit them. “[Suitable] Colors should gracefully highlight a person’s facial features and give a natural and healthy glow to the complexion,” says Selvanathan. Jung adds that a tailored approach to color selection can help you stand out from the crowd, boost your confidence and leave a positive impression on others.

The content creator’s experience and Prestige Singapore Friend Ng is proof. She says, “For me, being confident means feeling confident in the way I look, and knowing my colors allows me to feel confident every day.”

This article was first published in Prestige Singapore