What is seasonal color analysis?
Seasonal color analysis sorts your natural coloring into one of four seasons, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, and then into 12 more precise seasons. Each season has a palette of shades that harmonize with your skin, hair and eyes. Wear them near your face and you look brighter and more rested. Wear the opposite and you can look tired or washed out, even with perfect makeup.
The idea goes back to the color theory of the Bauhaus era and became mainstream in the 1980s. It has had a huge comeback on social media, where people share their draping results and debate whether they are a Soft Autumn or a True Summer.
How the quiz works: three dimensions of color
Every season is defined by three qualities. The quiz scores each one from your answers, then finds the season that fits best.
| Dimension | The question | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | Is your coloring warm or cool? | Golden and peachy points to Spring and Autumn, pink and blue points to Summer and Winter |
| Value | Is it light or deep? | Light coloring points to Spring and Summer, deep coloring to Autumn and Winter |
| Chroma | Is it bright and clear, or soft and muted? | High contrast, clear features suit bright seasons, blended features suit soft ones |
Your strongest dimension decides your sub season. If your answers lean hardest toward light, you land in Light Spring or Light Summer. If contrast and clarity dominate, you are a Bright season. If temperature leads, you are a True season.
The 12 seasons at a glance
| Season | Sub seasons | Signature colors |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | Light, True, Bright | Peach, coral, golden yellow, turquoise |
| Summer | Light, True, Soft | Powder blue, lavender, rose, soft teal |
| Autumn | Soft, True, Deep | Rust, olive, mustard, chocolate |
| Winter | Deep, True, Bright | Black, crisp white, cobalt, true red |
Can a selfie find my season?
A photo helps with two questions that are hard to judge in a mirror: how light or deep your skin is, and how much contrast there is between your skin and hair. The tool finds your face, samples your cheeks and forehead, then samples just above your hairline and compares the two. You will see small circles on the photo showing exactly where it looked. Everything happens in your browser, so the photo is never uploaded.
Undertone and eye clarity are much harder for a camera, because phone cameras and indoor lights shift colors. That is why the remaining questions stay in your hands.
Using your season for hair color
Hair frames your face all day, so it is one of the easiest ways to use your season. Springs glow in honey and strawberry blonde, Summers suit ash and cool beige tones, Autumns come alive in copper, auburn and rich chocolate, and Winters look striking in jet black, burgundy or icy platinum. Pair your result with our skin undertone quiz and the face shape finder to plan the whole look, and browse the complete guide to hair color for inspiration.