Photography: Carla Watkins

I would describe myself as a colour analyst and colour enthusiast. I’m also fascinated by different clothing personalities. I love helping people look and (more importantly) feel good about themselves. I believe colour analysis goes a long way to achieving this, based on my own experience back in 2010. I have been rather obsessed with colour analysis ever since.

I had never heard of colour analysis until my local analyst did a talk at a group I was at. I was immediately hooked and desperate to know whether I was a ‘Spring’, ‘Summer’, ‘Autumn’ or a ‘Winter’. I went along to be analysed with three of my friends and I’m so glad I did. Watching their transformations was utterly compelling. One of my closest friends had spent her life in black (it’s not true that everyone looks good in black) and she turned out to be a Spring (bright, light, warm, splashy colours, think tropical holiday). I could hardly contain my excitement as I saw her face come to life in coral, turquoise and yellow drapes. Her turquoise eyes shone from her face and her skin glowed. The circles under her eyes disappeared and she appeared to be at least 10 years younger. It seemed too good to be true.

I love that colour analysis isn’t about spending money on the latest must-have product that will make you look beautiful or about changing your body to meet the media’s ideal. In part it’s about learning to appreciate what you have and making the most of that by being clever with colour. Once you’ve been draped (had your ‘colours analysed’) that’s all you need for the rest of your life. I love that colour analysis isn’t about exploiting insecurities so we can be sold to, which I believe the beauty industry and the media have a tendency to do. It’s simply knowing a little about colour theory and the colours in your own body so that you can use this knowledge to your advantage. It’s about being an informed, savvy shopper. I suspect the reason for it not being as well known about as it should be is because, as a population, we’d be harder to sell to if we were more discerning about colour. If I sound jaded I don’t mean to – I love the amazing selection we have when it comes to cosmetics, clothes and skin care. As an individual it’s about making an informed choice. It’s about buying the lipstick we know will look good on us, rather than buying it because it’s a trendy colour to have (and, subsequently, it sits in our make-up bag, barely used).

I hope you find my blog useful, and if you haven’t already had your colours analysed I would be the first person to encourage you to do so 🙂