| Are you in need of a colour consultant? Have you | | | | Good colours: black, red, aubergine, dark brown, royal |
| ever had one of those moments where someone has | | | | blue, pine green, deep purple. |
| thought you were older than you really are? At a 40th | | | | Colours to avoid: light blue, baby pink, icy violet, light |
| birthday party recently a woman asked my friend, "So | | | | grey. |
| when did you have your 40th?" At 36 my friend | | | | Warms |
| wasn't exactly thrilled at the question! Another friend of | | | | The warms are the red-heads. They have a golden or |
| mine was on an evening out with someone 6 years | | | | fair freckly skin-tone. The warms need to choose |
| her junior when a man she vaguely recognised came | | | | colours with warm (yellowy) undertones. Cool, bluey |
| over and shrieked, "Don't tell me, this must be your | | | | undertones will wash them out and add on the years! |
| daughter!" | | | | Good colours: camel, mustard, lime, orange, rust, |
| Tactless strangers are one thing but sometimes we | | | | chocolate, olive and coral. |
| do need to take a fresh look at ourselves and see if | | | | Colours to avoid: cool pinks will clash dreadfully with |
| we can do something to turn back the clock a few | | | | the warms colouring and need to be avoided at all |
| years. Sometimes the colours we are wearing don't | | | | costs! Icy blues, violets and greys should also be |
| work with our natural colouring and if this is the case | | | | avoided. |
| they can put in shadows across our faces and under | | | | Cools |
| our chins making us look older than we really are. The | | | | The cools have silver, white or ash-blonde hair and pink |
| wrong shades of make-up can also work against us. | | | | skin-tones. Warm colours can make them look older |
| Sometimes the colours we wear aren't too bad for | | | | and unhealthy and they should stick to colours with a |
| our own colouring but we have put them together in a | | | | cool (bluey) undertone to look younger and more |
| dated way which can also be aging. A more current | | | | vibrant. |
| combination would make us look more youthful. For | | | | Good colours: grey, navy, shocking pink, purples, cool |
| example, turquoise worn with navy often gives an | | | | reds, blues. |
| old-fashioned air stewardess kind of feel but turquoise | | | | Colours to avoid: yellows, browns, orange, lime and |
| worn with chocolate brown gives a much more | | | | camel. |
| contemporary feel. Navy can be worn with light grey | | | | Clears |
| this season for a current look. | | | | Clears have bright colouring - deep hair, lighter skin and |
| If you struggle to know which colours suit you best, | | | | clear or bright eyes. They will look older and more drab |
| why not book a session with a colour consultant. A | | | | in soft, muted tones. They need to choose bright, |
| colour consultant will be able to show you which | | | | jewel-like colours to enhance their colouring and keep |
| colours flatter your own colouring, making you look | | | | their look young. |
| younger, and how to wear your colours. Colour | | | | Good colours: ruby red, sapphire blue, emerald blue, |
| consultations make great Christmas presents for | | | | bright teal, combinations of black and white. |
| women but if you can't wait until then, here are a few | | | | Colours to avoid: camel, soft browns, muted jade, |
| tips to get you started. | | | | mustard, rust. |
| Lights | | | | Softs |
| The lights are the natural blondes. These women look | | | | The softs have dark blonde to medium brown hair |
| great in pastels and light, bright colours. Most deep | | | | colouring and little contrast between hair, skin and eyes. |
| colours over-power them and put in aging shadows | | | | Their worst combination is black and white as this is a |
| especially if worn together so any dark colours should | | | | harsh contrast and doesn't complement their own soft |
| be teamed with lighter ones. | | | | colouring. Deep bold shades will also over-power them |
| Good colours: sky blue, dove grey, light red, periwinkle, | | | | and make them look older. Soft-muted shades work |
| light pinks, mint green, turquoise. | | | | best along with some medium depth brights. |
| Colours to avoid: burgundy, bottle green, fuchsia, deep | | | | Good colours: Soft teals and purples, charcoal, |
| mustard, black. | | | | air-force blue, beige, jade and turquoise. |
| Deeps | | | | Colours to avoid: royal blue, black, bright orange, canary |
| The deeps have very dark hair and dark brown eyes. | | | | yellow, emerald green. |
| Pastel shades can make them look older, drained and | | | | A colour consultant can also advise you on your best |
| tired. Deep, bold shades will be much more flattering, | | | | shades of make-up, on hairstyles and clothing styles to |
| balancing their look and keeping them young. Any light | | | | make sure there is nothing spoiling the new, younger |
| shades should be worn with deeper ones. | | | | you! |