A lot of things have been on my mind lately, like what colour lip liner makes my lips look better, what colour paint would look best on the walls of my new apartment, and what heel goes best with my favourite dress. I stayed up late one night and fell into a TikTok rabbit hole. I couldn’t stop watching the seasonal colour palette videos. You know the ones: a consultant puts a series of coloured scarves, or “flags,” over a person’s shoulders and studies which colours make their skin look better and which ones make it look worse. This method has been around since 1942, when colour theorist Suzanne Caygill came up with it. Carole Jackson’s 1980 bestseller Colour Me Beautiful made it easier for people to use by making it more accessible to a wider audience.
It’s easy to see why people like it: some colours make us look great, while others make us look washed out. Over time, the system has become more accurate. It has grown from four seasons to 16 more specific subcategories, which lets people understand colour and how palettes can subtly cross seasonal lines in a more personal way. It’s a framework that tells you what to wear most of the time, so why not what makeup to wear too?
That’s how many of the best makeup artists in the business do it. They say that the right colour analysis will help you choose the right makeup colours. “Undertone is one of the most important things I look at when choosing blush or lipstick, especially when I want to make something that looks natural and effortless on the skin,” pro makeup artist Tyron Machhausen tells Vogue. “It’s not so much about limiting yourself as it is about finding out what makes your skin look and feel its best.”
The Coral Blush Tint and Chanel Water-Fresh Blush
The Fall Lip
I was lucky enough to get an appointment with Megan Bentley, who is professionally known as The Colour Countess, at Vogue HQ. I went into my colour analysis with a clear idea of what I thought: I am a deep winter, based on my strong belief that certain colours look best on me. My proof was only circumstantial: very dark hair, a certain visual intensity, and, to be honest, my gut feeling doing most of the work. When Bentley officially told me I was a deep winter, though, the confirmation felt strangely triumphant. This category, which is defined by depth and contrast, is at the crossroads of autumn and winter, where coolness and warmth are balanced. Yes, it’s hard to understand, but there’s good news for those who don’t know. Bentley says that if you haven’t had a professional analysis done, you can get a good idea of your palette by looking at your broader seasonal family and using that as a starting point.
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“The goal of colour analysis is to find your iconic colours: the shades that make people say ‘that looks so good on you’ when you wear them. That’s because everything is working together,” Bentley tells Vogue. This harmony is found through a precise three-step process that starts with undertone. If you look better in cool colours, it means you have more eumelanin. But if warm colours look best on you, that means you have more pheomelanin, which is a part of your DNA that doesn’t change. After that, the analyst figures out your ‘home season’ by carefully comparing the draped colours to see if you fall into the cool spectrum (summer or winter) or the warmer spectrum (autumn or spring). Then, Bentley looks at the values of colours to see if a client looks better in lighter or darker shades. Lastly, she looks at how bright or soft the colours are to see if they make the client stand out.
With this advice in mind, Bentley suggests flattering colours for each season of the year when using colour cosmetics like lipstick and blush. Keep in mind that this is just a general idea to get you started. If you really want to know what your true season is and what colours look best on you, you’ll need to see The Colour Countess herself. Also, and fellow pro makeup artist Tasha Reiko Brown talk about how they use undertone and contrast to create beauty looks for their celebrity clients.
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- Makeup for Winter Colour Palettes
- Spring Makeup Palettes
- Summer Makeup Palettes
- Makeup for Fall Palettes
- All the Information You Need
Winter Makeup Palettes
In general, winter palettes do best with bright colours. Bentley says that the goal is to make your features more intense and contrasting, not less so. This means choosing cool-toned, high-impact colours that don’t have any warmth. For example, blue-based reds, icy pinks, and bold lips that feel crisp instead of muted.
Of course, being bold doesn’t mean wearing everything at once. The turning point for me was when a Saie makeup artist put on the brand’s Dew Blush in Cherie. At first, the bright red seemed scary—more like something you’d see in a magazine than in real life—but it quickly became my most praised colour. Armani Beauty also has a beautiful cool pink blush that gives the face clarity without being too strong. Petal Bouche, on the other hand, has the deep, blue-based reds that are typical of winter (and it’s a cool French girl pick).
Spring Makeup Palettes
Spring is a warm undertone colour that is clear, fresh, and light. Bentley compares it to “being in a beautiful spring garden full of fresh flowers,” which is a good way to describe the palette’s natural warmth and brightness. She says, “Here, we want to play with shades of poppy, warm pinks, and corals.” The effect is bright and lively, but not heavy. Think of warm, rich colours that bring out the skin’s natural glow instead of covering it up.
Chanel’s Water-Fresh Blush is great for people who want to try something new without going overboard. It gives a sheer wash of colour that goes well with a simple, no-makeup look. Merit’s Flush Balm also has a sheer but bright effect, and the shade Lusitano is a coral that looks especially good on everyone. Ilia’s Overglaze Hydrating Lip Gloss in Enamel is the last touch. It gives lips a polished warm pink colour that captures the fresh, bright spirit of the season.
Summer Palettes for Makeup
You might be surprised to learn that summer palettes are cool-toned. Even though it’s hot outside, being in the sun for a long time can soften and diffuse colour instead of making it stronger. Bentley says, “If you’re a summer, we want something soft and cool.” That means soft mauves, dusty roses, and cool pinks.
In this case, low-intensity colours should enhance rather than compete. The Baby Cheeks Blush in shade Garçonne from Westman Atelier is the perfect understated mauve. The Ethereal Glow powder blush from Hourglass gives you a soft, cool pink with a shiny finish. Chanel’s Rouge Coco Flash in Easy gives lips a sheer pink-nude polish, and m.ph’s Lip Ciggy in First Base gives lips a similar colour with a more modern, softly blurred look.
Palettes for Fall Makeup
It should come as no surprise that autumn palettes are warm and rich, just like the leaves that change colour in the autumn. Think of oranges with spices, burgundies that look polished, and deep, earthy reds that add depth. Bentley says that the orange tones of autumn are much spicier, which adds warmth and depth to the face in a way that cooler colours can’t.
Rhode’s Pocket Blush in Sun Soaked gives you a bright, spiced orange that instantly brightens your skin. Glossier’s Cloud Paint in Storm gives you a warm rose colour with a natural, skin-like finish. Sisley Paris’s tinted lip balm in Chestnut gives you a brown colour that looks good in the autumn. Kulfi Beauty’s lip staining oil in Caramel gives your lips a warm nude shine that is both easy to wear and appropriate for the season.
