Five factors that define your palette.
Each one is measured independently. Together, they give you precision no seasonal label can match.
Undertone
Warm, Cool, or Neutral
The constant color temperature beneath your skin. Set by melanin, hemoglobin, and carotene distribution. It never changes regardless of tan or pallor.
How it is measured
- Vein color test — blue/green veins indicate cool, purple indicates neutral, olive/yellow indicates warm
- Jewelry preference test — whether silver or gold looks more natural against your skin
- White vs. off-white near the face — which reads cleaner against your complexion
- Sun response — whether you tend to burn before tanning, or tan without burning
Wardrobe controls
- Warm: earthy tones, golden yellows, olive greens, terracotta
- Cool: navy, charcoal, icy pastels, jewel tones
- Neutral: can draw from both warm and cool palettes with moderation
Depth
Light, Medium, or Deep
How light or dark your overall natural coloring appears when viewed in grayscale. Determines the weight and saturation of colors that suit you.
How it is measured
- Grayscale photo analysis of skin, hair, and eye color combined as a single value impression
- Light depth (scale 1–3): fair to light medium coloring
- Medium depth (scale 4–6): medium to olive-medium coloring
- Deep depth (scale 7–10): deep brown to very deep coloring
Wardrobe controls
- Light depth: avoid very dark saturated colors that overwhelm and overpower features
- Medium depth: widest range of wearable values — the most flexible depth level
- Deep depth: avoid very pale pastels that wash out features and create no definition
Contrast
Low, Medium, or High
The value difference between your skin, hair, and eyes. High contrast demands bold pairings. Low contrast thrives on tonal, blended outfits.
How it is measured
- Side-by-side grayscale comparison of skin, hair, and eye values
- High contrast: stark difference between features — often dark hair with light skin or vice versa
- Medium contrast: moderate variation — features differ but do not sharply diverge
- Low contrast: features blend into similar values — skin, hair, and eyes are close in tone
Wardrobe controls
- High contrast: bold color blocking, sharp contrasts in outfit — can handle black-white pairings
- Medium contrast: balanced mixing with some contrast between pieces
- Low contrast: tonal dressing — avoid harsh clashing colors that overwhelm the face
Clarity
Bright or Muted
How much gray is mixed into your natural pigmentation. Bright types need vivid, saturated colors. Muted types need dusty, desaturated tones.
How it is measured
- Eye clarity: clear, bright iris with visible flecks vs. soft, smoky or muted iris
- Skin quality: luminous, clear quality vs. soft, naturally matte or smoky appearance
- Hair character: glossy and vivid hue vs. soft, dusty, or naturally low-sheen
Wardrobe controls
- Bright clarity: vivid, clear, saturated tones — avoid dusty, muddy, or grayed colors
- Muted clarity: dusty, toned-down, grayed colors — avoid ultra-vivid neons or stark pure colors
Context
Goals & Lifestyle
What you want your colors to communicate. Professional authority, casual warmth, creative energy, or quiet elegance — context shapes how your palette is applied.
How it is measured
- Primary environment (office, creative studio, casual, formal occasions)
- Desired perception (authoritative, approachable, creative, calm, powerful)
- Wardrobe gap analysis — what is missing, what is being replaced
Wardrobe controls
- Professional: structured neutrals, anchor tones — navy, charcoal, bone in your palette's range
- Creative: accent and statement colors with bold pairings from your vivid range
- Casual: relaxed tones from your palette's softer, lower-saturation range
- Formal: deep jewel tones or clean high-contrast combinations from your palette
Ready to discover your factors?
Your undertone, depth, contrast, clarity, and context — measured independently, combined into a precision color profile that is specific to you.
Start Your Analysis