It’s no secret the internet loves a beauty trend. Between the continual creation of fruit-centric looks (throwback to strawberry girl aesthetic and blueberry milk nails), mob wife-esque microtrends, and new approaches to makeup like identifying if you’re high or low visual weight, there’s always something new to try. Personally, I’m more of an “I’ll try this viral product” type of girl than a let’s reinvent the wheel and reconstruct my entire approach to makeup because of one TikTok kind of girl—but if there’s one thing that could get me to reconsider my entire methodology when applying makeup, it’s color analysis.
If you’ve spoken to me in the past six months, you’ve probably heard me rant about color seasons. From obsessing over whether I should drop $300 for someone to tell me I look bad in half the colors in my closet to finally using TikTok filters to determine my color season and attempting to dress solely in my colors, I’ve been hardcore hyperfixating. After my latest experiment with my wardrobe, I thought I was finally free of the shackles of color analysis; as they say, I came, I saw, I conquered. So, imagine my surprise when the internet told me there was an entire aspect I completely overlooked: makeup.
If you haven’t seen any color analysis content (congratulations, it’s safe to assume you have a much lower screen time than I do), it’s the concept of finding the color season (spring, summer, fall, winter) that looks best on you according to your skin’s undertone, the lightness or darkness of your features like eye and hair color, and how muted or bright your complexion is. These seasons correlate with a color palette that is the most flattering on you. After thoroughly examining TikTok filters, I determined I’m a light spring.
As I incorporate my color season into my makeup routine, I’m subsequently taking the final step in transforming into complete color harmony. Will I ascend to a higher plane? Will I reach peak self-love and never feel insecure again? Will I stumble into a rom-com-level meet-cute with a man who really appreciates a woman who knows her colors? (Spoiler alert: No, kind of? No, I wish.)
How I Incorporated My Color Season Into My Makeup Routine
Before we dive into the experiment, here’s some background on my relationship with makeup. I was in middle and early high school during the days James Charles and Jaclyn Hill ruled the internet. Dramaageddon was my Roman Empire. I bought every product they recommended, and you better believe I rocked the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit and winged liner to school daily. All that to say, I loved makeup, but I was far more concerned with trends than with what really flattered me. Now, as an adult, perhaps in an attempt to over-correct from wearing poorly blended contour in the fluorescent-lit halls of a middle school, I definitely have a less-is-more approach to makeup—but that’s not to say my interest has waned since the beauty YouTube days of yore. So, of course, when I saw people taking color analysis from the wardrobe to the vanity, I had to channel my inner middle school MUA and try it myself.
After some research, I found that light springs look best in natural-looking makeup, with lighter, warm-toned colors that don’t overpower their features. For makeup, this translates to peachy or yellow-based pink blushes and lipstick, subtle bronzer over a cool contour, light orangey-brown and pastel eyeshadows, and pops of color like teal or moss-colored eyeliners. Makeup that’s too cool-toned can make light springs look drained of color, and makeup that is too dark can look unnaturally heavy. Thankfully, because I tend to lean toward a no-makeup makeup look, I own plenty of products that fit under these parameters. Still, after some close inspection, some of my favorite products had a blue, cool-toned base, and I had to part ways with them for the sake of this experiment. After learning what makeup looked best on me, I made those rules my beauty bible for the week.
What I Learned From Making the Switch
It was easier to follow my color season for makeup than it was for fashion
Unlike when I tried dressing according to my color season, which led to struggling to find outfits in my closet that were within my palette, I found it easy to find plenty of light spring makeup options in my existing collection. With color analysis in your wardrobe, experts might tell you to eliminate a huge staple—like the color black, for instance—which isn’t super realistic. With makeup, it’s more like saying, “Hey, instead of using that grey-brown eyeshadow in your palette, use the orangey-brown one next to it.” Having options that fell under my color season in my existing collection made me much more inclined to actually stick to it.
It made it look like I was wearing the makeup—not the other way around
We’ve all been there: We’re glamming for a night out or a big event, and the second you step out of your bathroom into natural lighting, you realize you’re makeup looks way heavier than intended. I always find this happens to me with black eyeliner, and to no surprise, black eyeliner is sort of the antithesis of light spring makeup. When I opted for makeup in my color season, I found that even when I was wearing way more makeup than I was with a cool-toned look, it looked far more natural. This made it feel like I had more room for error because your eye isn’t going straight to a lined eye or overpowering lip. It also made it feel like I was wearing the makeup, not the other way around. Instead of distracting from my face, it enhanced it.
It felt easier to branch out
The internet can be so overwhelming and dense with trends that you don’t even know where to begin if you want to branch out with your makeup. It feels easier to try something new when you’re not just groping around in the darkness that is your social media feeds until you grasp onto something that feels like it might suit you. With color seasons, you’re given a set of parameters of colors that are flattering on you, and you can get as creative as you want within them. This made stepping outside of my comfort zone feel way more comfortable. I would never reach for a teal eyeliner on a random weekday if I weren’t working on this story, but now, that might be my signature Tuesday look—who knows?
Your current makeup routine might not be the most flattering for you
I can’t remember the last time I took a look at my makeup routine and made major changes. Sure, I’d swap out a product here and there, but it was usually just one thing at a time, and honestly, more often than not, it was just switching one light pink lip gloss for another light pink lip gloss. This was a great reminder that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” isn’t always true; even if you’re makeup routine is working for you, it can be fun to change it up and upgrade your techniques to take it to the next level. Mixing things up and rocking a look I didn’t ordinarily think to try gave me a huge confidence boost.
