I always hear the terms cool and warm for makeup colors.
What is the difference?

Colors have warmth feels. Think winter colors being whites, blues, purples, etc. Summer shades of browns, reds, oranges, yellows are warm colors. Here is a really good website that discusses colors.

So a winter wears cool and a summer wears warm?
But there are cool AND warm browns.

How do you know which one you are?



*Thank you Sherasi for the site. I'm not very good at applying makeup so I could use the tips.
Thanks. More tips=less Q-tips LOL

there are actually four face tones: winter, spring, summer and fall. Winter takes cool colors, clear, bright jeweltones: sapphire blue, ruby red, emerald green, a cool brown with some grey in it. Spring and summer I can't remember (I learned this in 1957) but fall takes oranges and browns and warm reds. Sherasi I don't understand "Colors have warmth feels." I assume you meant colors have varying degrees of warmth, or something like that. My daughter tells me you can go to the cosmetics counter at the Bon and learn all about this, for free. Of course they hope you'll buy their products, but they'll still tell you what you want to know, and give you a makeover.

Catty (who could use it)

Back in the 80's finding your season was a big thing. It was based on skin color, hair color, and eye color. Here is the basic formula:
Does you hair have golden or red tones?
Do you have medium to dark eyes?
Is your hair dark or medium dark?
If you answer yes to all then you are Autumn. Autumns are known for their drama and intensity. You look best in shades you'll find in the autumn landscape, warm greens, gold and rust. Your best neutral shades are warm golden brown, camel or olive green.

Does your hair have golden or red tones?
Do you have clear, light to medium eyes?
Is your hair medium to light?
If you answer yes to all then you are Spring. Springs are radiant and sensitive. You look best in shades of teal, salmon and periwinkle. Your best neutrals are golden brown or camel, and you shine in neutrals.

Is your hair solid silver or dark
without golden highlights?
Do you have dark eyes?
If you answer yes to all you are a Winter. Winters are profound, intense and precise. You look best in strong, vivid shades with blue undertones such as red, royal blue and teal green. Your best neutrals are black and navy.

If none of the above meet your criteria, you are a Summer. Summers are delicate and translucent. You look best in all of the coolest shades of pink, mauve and slate blue. Your best neutrals are charcoal or a greyed navy.

Winter and Springs are "cool", Autumns and Summers are "warm". Warm skin tones have yellow or golden undertones while coil skin tones have blue or pink undertones. Olive skin tones tend to look yellow on the surface and is easily mistaken for warm skin tones. In reality Olive skin tones are cool. They have a blue undertone.

So, I hope with all this information you can understand the 4 seasons and difference between warm and cool. You know where to hollar if you have more questions!

Later!

Thanks Georgia, for saying what I could not.

Catty

I think you're cool, clare.

Read this only because I know nothing about makeup. Despite me, it was way interesting. Thanks.

ps "Season" for those dark reddish black lips?

-no color sense

Dark reddish black lips ala Channel Vamp? Typically Winter although some Summers try to get away with it....

You just have to experiment and play make up like a kid. I have tried colors with those inexpensive varieties of blush and eyeshadows. I found some colors just aren't for me at all. Peach shades look just yuck on me. Rose looks the best. Mix and play with different eye colors too. You can find a lot of variety in eye shades that you can't really do with skin tone. It's fun playing in colors!