Before we dive in, full disclosure – I was lucky enough to receive a complimentary analysis from The Color Key for this review, but as always, all my opinions are entirely my own. They were also gracious enough to provide me with a 25% discount code (that you’ll see when you click my link) for you all to book your own virtual colors analysis, which I will earn a small commission from.
Have you ever wanted to know what colors suit you best? I personally struggle with shopping for clothes because I find myself buying items online or skipping trying them on at the store, and ultimately feeling like “this is not my color”! Just as with interiors, optimizing color palettes for clothes and accessories can be a little bit complex. I work with color palettes all the time, but after having my color analysis done by The Color Key, I’ve realized designing for a person is much different than designing in a space. In a space, when less optimal colors are utilized, the room can look off, but with a person, it can affect things like whether you look tired or rested, or even visually enhance or calm down facial redness.
Not only do basic hair, skin and eye colors determine your best color palette, but your overtones, undertones and contrast can influence it too! For me, I always felt determining my own optimal colors was challenging because it is subjective. Honestly, I’ve tried everything under the sun (apps, filters, AI etc.) to help, but I always ended up getting a different result (which confused me more). I know there are color analysis professionals you can see in person, where they drape you in different fabrics and evaluate. However, these in person services (as a niche market) are hard to find in smaller regions and can also be very pricey.
One day, I was scrolling around on Instagram and stumbled upon The Color Key! I was thrilled to see that virtual color analysis was an option and after binging their content, it was clear that all their analyses were on point! I decided to reach out and propose a collaboration to share the whole process with you guys and bring you a start to finish review. I also find it so fitting as someone who provides virtual interior decorating services, that this is the method I would ultimately use find out my seasonal color palette.
Turns out, their process is super quick and simple. In a few steps, you’ll have your survey filled out and your results will be underway. Not to mention, the results, which I’ll discuss in detail later, are incredibly detailed! Check out the difference down below between my pre and post color analysis hair, makeup & clothes!
Step 1: Submit Photos
This first step is really the core of the process. When you receive your survey from The Color Key, you’ll see super detailed instructions about how to take proper photos of yourself draped in the different colors. They even include super specific tips on how to take your color draping photos, which I found very helpful! Below you can check out my draping photos. I made this graphic where I photoshopped my photos onto their actual color palette to show you how even if some of the colors aren’t absolutely exact, even if you get fairly close to the colors (at least 8), your analysis will be spot on! Additionally, after the draping photos, find a couple favorite photos of yourself where you really felt you best and upload them to the form as well! This helps them understand your vibe as a whole even more!
Do your best to find these 15 colors in fabrics around your home (or as close to each color as possible). They need you to submit a minimum of 8 selfies! It’s okay to use towels, sheets, etc. (one of mine is a pillow).
Pull your hair back and be sure not to wear makeup or glasses. The key is natural lighting in front of a window without any indoor lights on and avoiding direct sunbeams. Snap your photos are eye level in the highest resolution you can! I edited my photos onto the color palette so you all can see how some of my fabrics weren’t exact, but close.
Step 2: Answer a few questions
Next, a few quick questions help guide the professionals further on your features for the most precise result. For example, there’s a question which prompts you to check all the boxes the apply to your natural hair color, followed by 14 options and an “other” box so you can get super specific! You’ll also see some questions where you type your answer. For example, “What colors don’t flatter you? (Be as specific as you can.)”. All in all, step 2 only has 9 questions so its honestly pretty quick to fill out!
Step 3: Submit the Form
Step 3 is quite easy, just one click of a button to submit and you will receive your own personal Color Key within seven days! I was pleasantly surprised how quickly I received my results after completing my digital form.
Results
The most exciting part of the process, of course, was finally finding out once and for all what season I am! Drumroll please . . . I’m a warm autumn! Receiving my personalized color key, I was shocked to see it was 23 pages long with linked documents within the document that include even more detail. The additional documents linked within my color key are an expanded palette for my season (36 pages of my most optimal colors to guide me for shopping) and a makeup palette chart (broken down into all the makeup categories). Immediately I could tell there are many tweaks I could make in my current wardrobe and makeup.
First, my color key addresses that I’m a warm autumn (also known as a true autumn). Then the document goes on to describe exactly what that means for me and my color palette. I quickly learned that soft, earthy colors that aren’t too bright or too muted are right for me!
One of their observations that opened my eyes to why warm colors make sense for me, was their comparison of me in light grey vs my chocolate brown. After reading their explanation which dove deeper into the importance of the comparison between cool grey and warm brown, I can definitely see how the brown evens my complexion, brightens my eyes and even provides a difference in overall shadowing and contouring of my face. This comparison also make’s their jewelry suggestion (gold, rose gold and copper – we’ll talk more about this later) make more sense to me! Which thank goodness, I’m aready a gold jewelry girlie, I have always just gravitated towards it but didn’t realize why.
Another side by side comparison that really helped me understand why warmer, earthy tones suit me so much better than bold colors with high intensity. I can see how the warm and earthy photo on the left works with my features, whereas the cool and bold on the right overpower me. I will say, I have tried on some brighter, more saturated colors in the past and felt and immediate heck no feeling. They explained the warmth of my palette in a way I’d never head before – “No, they aren’t those pure Crayola crayon colors. They’re a bit “grayed (browned!) out.” These are the colors that make your features absolutely shine!” So now, it’s easier to picture warmth as slightly browned out instead of thinking in terms of more yellow (genuinely thinking of actual autumn in nature brings these colors to mind).
I love that The Color Key also provided me with 5 specific key colors, show below, that I should definitely be adding to my wardrobe if nothing else. I found this incredibly helpful, because after deep diving my warm autumn expanded palette (with over 150 colors), I wasn’t sure which specific colors to prioritize within my wardrobe, so this completely cleared up that question! I love that I can also easily search the HEX code of each of these colors, like I do with interior decorating, to make online shopping color selection more accurate!
Another super helpful tool they left me with is a key of “Simple Color Swaps” down below! This is clutch for shopping as well and will help me navigate my palette if I get off track!
Accessorizing with my Seasonal Palette
You know the collective experience of going to the nail salon and being completely overwhelmed by all the colors, thinking which do I like on their own, and which colors would actually look good on me. Honestly, I feel the same when at the makeup store, looking at endless blush and shadow palettes, completely overwhelmed. Now, I’m so thankful I can take my entire expanded palette and makeup warm autumn makeup palette document (which is a bonus document linked within my color key document) with me in those moments. My color key details advice and color recommendations for foundation, blush, bronzer, neutral eyeshadows, fun shadows, lipsticks, eyeliner, mascara & brow products. There’s even an option to purchase a makeup starter kit capsule which includes 20+ links for makeup within my season.
Beyond all the makeup guidance, they go into depth about my best hair, jewelry and glasses (and sunglasses) options!
Takeaway
This color analysis experience has been so eye opening. I’ve truly learned that selecting colors in my wardrobe, accessories and makeup isn’t necessarily about what’s pretty, it’s about what’s in harmony with me! This totally clicks for me, because as an interior stylist, I’ve seen firsthand how good design isn’t just about what looks beautiful, it’s about what belongs in the space.
Check out their Color Analysis package options down below and don’t forget to use my discount code: BRITTANY25OFF for 25% off!
