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September 03, 2024
Beauty & Health Editor
Beauty & Health Editor
Hannah Frye is the Beauty & Health Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including beauty, women’s health, mental health, sustainability, social media trends, and more. She previously worked for Almost 30, a top-rated health and wellness podcast. In her current role, Hannah reports on the latest beauty trends and innovations, women’s health research, brain health news, and plenty more.
Image by Diane Villadsen / Stocksy
September 03, 2024
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From astrology charts to personality tests, most people would agree that it’s oddly satisfying to find out which “boxes” you fit into in this world. So it’s no wonder the “personal color test” seems to flow in and out of popularity every few years; it has especially picked up in recent months, thanks to the user-friendly personal color filter on TikTok.
To use the filter, you simply align your face with the oval in the center of the filter, then proceed to watch different seasons and colors flash on the screen. Then you’re supposed to know which clothing and makeup colors will best complement your features—but it’s not so easy to tell at first glance. How can you tell which color family is the best fit? Here’s the 101.
How to use a personal color test
When I first tried the filter, I was immediately drawn to the colors that directly contrasted my skin tone or eye color. I figured it would be an intuitive process, but I quickly realized I wasn’t quite sure what I was looking at were the right signs at all.
I found out that many people, like myself, look for colors they personally fancy or ones with highly contrasting tones, but that’s not actually the best way to do the test. According to stylist consultant Sarah Priest, you should look for the colors that appear most like your coloring, not the ones that contrast, as she notes in a TikTok tutorial.
To ensure you use this filter to its full potential, Priest recommends following this method:
- Don’t wear any makeup.
- Pull your hair back.
- Stand in front of a window with natural daylight (not golden hour).
- Don’t wear any fake tan, tinted serums, etc.
- Align your face all the way into the oval opening, leaving no space around the edges.
Once you find the color palette that suits you, you can do more research on the “color season” you’re assigned. For example, winter palettes consist of cool undertones and muted features, while autumn colors are warmer-toned with rich, deep hues.
Why does this matter? Well, once you find your color season, you’ll be able to hunt down eye shadow colors, lipstick shades, and even clothing that will best complement your own undertones.
This doesn’t mean you should only follow your color palette, but it is certainly a helpful tool if you struggle to pick items that flatter your skin, hair, lips, etc. So why not give it a shot?
The takeaway
When using a personal color test, it’s best to look for the colors that resemble your own coloring rather than those that highly contrast it. Be sure to complete these tests with no makeup on and during broad daylight. Now, if this all seems like too much of a lift, you can start by simply learning about your undertones—here’s how.