The four steps
| Step | The pair | What stays the same |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | warm or cool | lightness and color strength |
| 2 | light or deep | hue and color strength |
| 3 | clear or soft | hue and lightness |
| 4 | which pair changed your face the most |
In each step look at the skin, not the drape: the better side makes the skin look even and awake and the eyes clear; the worse side brings out shadows, redness or a grey cast. If both look the same, pick either; the step after it still counts.
The twelve seasons
| The quality that mattered most | Warm and clear | Warm and soft | Cool and clear | Cool and soft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightness (light) | Light Spring | Light Spring | Light Summer | Light Summer |
| Lightness (deep) | Deep Autumn | Deep Autumn | Deep Winter | Deep Winter |
| Temperature | Warm Spring | Warm Autumn | Cool Winter | Cool Summer |
| Clearness | Bright Spring | Soft Autumn | Bright Winter | Soft Summer |
After the result you can try on any of the twelve: the mirror shows your face in four of that season’s colors.
Using the palette
- Save the lock screen and open it next to a rack: hold a garment by the swatches.
- Cut out a wallet card for shopping without a phone.
- Wear the palette near the face (tops, scarves, glasses); trousers and shoes can stay neutral.
To build a wardrobe from the palette there is the capsule wardrobe checklist, and more for clothes is on the Fashion page.
Questions
How does the draping mirror work?
Like a draping session with fabric, side by side. Each step shows your face twice with one drape on each side. The two drapes are computed so that only one quality differs: for warm or cool both have the same lightness and color strength, for light or deep the same hue and strength, for clear or soft the same hue and lightness. So the side that looks better tells you about that one quality and nothing else. The color codes of both drapes are shown under the mirror.
How do four answers become one of 12 seasons?
Warm or cool and clear or soft give the family: warm and clear is Spring, warm and soft is Autumn, cool and clear is Winter, cool and soft is Summer. The quality that changed your face the most names the season inside it: lightness gives Light Spring, Light Summer, Deep Autumn or Deep Winter; temperature gives Warm Spring, Warm Autumn, Cool Summer or Cool Winter; clearness gives Bright Spring, Bright Winter, Soft Summer or Soft Autumn.
Is color analysis a science?
No. It is a styling tradition: a way to compare colors next to your face and keep the ones you like. The mirror makes the comparison fair, but your eyes decide. Light matters most: daylight from a window, no filter and little makeup give the truest result, and a screen shows colors a little differently from fabric.
Is my camera picture recorded or uploaded?
No. The camera image is drawn into the page in your browser and never leaves your device; nothing is recorded or sent. "Take the photo" keeps one still frame in the page so you can compare calmly; closing the tab removes it.
Where do the palette colors come from?
They are computed from the season's qualities: twelve hues, warm ones for Spring and Autumn and cool ones for Summer and Winter, set to the season's range of lightness and color strength, plus three neutrals. Each swatch has its color code, so a shop assistant or a paint chart can match it.