Finding your color season involves analyzing your natural coloring across three dimensions: temperature, value, and chroma. Here’s how to determine which of the twelve seasons suits you best.

The Three Color Dimensions

Temperature (Warm vs Cool)

Colors range from warm yellow-based tones to cool blue-based tones

Warm

Neutral

Cool

Value (Light vs Dark)

Value measures how much white or black is added to a color

Light

Medium

Dark

Chroma (Bright vs Muted)

Chroma describes saturation - how pure or grayish a color appears

Muted

Medium

Bright

Determining Your Undertone

The Metal Test

The simplest way to identify your undertone is to compare how gold and silver jewelry looks against your skin in natural lighting.

Gold

Warm Undertones

If gold jewelry makes your skin glow, you likely have warm undertones

Silver

Cool Undertones

If silver jewelry flatters you more, you likely have cool undertones

Hold each metal near your face in natural light to compare

Why This Works

Warm skin has yellow undertones—silver creates an unflattering greenish cast against it (yellow + blue = green). Cool skin has blue undertones—gold produces a similar clash.

The Four Core Seasons

Each season combines temperature and value in distinct ways:

Spring

Warm + Light + Bright

Summer

Cool + Light + Muted

Autumn

Warm + Dark + Muted

Winter

Cool + Dark + Bright

Spring (Warm + Light)

Golden undertones with light features. Springs need fresh, saturated colors that echo their natural warmth and brightness.

Summer (Cool + Light)

Blue or gray undertones with light features. Summers require gentle, desaturated colors that don’t overpower their soft coloring.

Autumn (Warm + Dark)

Golden undertones with darker features. Autumns suit rich, earthy tones that complement their warm depth.

Winter (Cool + Dark)

Blue or gray undertones with dark features. Winters can wear intense, clear colors with high contrast.

The Twelve Subtypes

Each season divides into three subtypes based on which color aspect dominates. Explore all twelve seasons below:

Self-Analysis Methods

Skin Analysis

Examine whether your skin appears more yellowish (warm), bluish (cool), or pinkish (neutral) in natural light—avoid artificial lighting which can skew colors.

Hair Evaluation

Warm hair appears golden, coppery, or strawberry-toned
Cool hair looks ashy, silvery, or lacks golden highlights
Red hair varies—strawberry blonde is warm; darker auburn can be cool

Eye Color Clues

Warm eyes appear turquoise, mossy green, or golden brown
Cool eyes seem gray-tinted, icy blue, or deep black-brown
Notice whether your eyes look more vibrant next to gold or silver

The Grayscale Test

Convert a photo of yourself to grayscale to objectively assess your value and contrast levels without the distraction of color. This reveals whether your overall coloring is light, medium, or dark.

Testing Strategy

Lipstick Test

Try lipsticks or fabric swatches from your potential seasons. The colors that harmonize with your face—enhancing without overwhelming—indicate your likely season.