Color Analysis Systems 101

For anyone interested in learning about personal color analysis, a quick Google search is anything but. Conflicting information abounds, from differing methods to fictitious seasons to dissimilar palettes. The one (and often only) common denominator practiced by all is the 3 dimensions of color technique — temperature (warm, balanced or cool), value (light to dark) and chroma (bright/clear or soft/muted). To help cut through the noise, below are the what’s, why’s and how’s of each system:

4-Season System
Popularized in the 1980s, the 4-season color palette system is the most basic, streamlined method. It considers temperature, value and chroma for diagnosis and was the first to establish Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn as the original “home” seasons. It keeps diagnosis general yet clear, and is a quick, useful approach that offers basic directional guidance for the most favorable wardrobe and makeup seasonal palettes.

12-Season System
Most commonly used in Korea, the 12-season color palette system expands the 4-season system from one season per category to 3 — the foundational “home” season plus 2 “flow” sub-seasons. Each sub-season considers temperature, value and only one aspect of chroma for diagnosis, limiting the system by 4 missing sub-seasons. While more personalized than the 4-season system, it’s incomplete in my opinion because, well, my own season is excluded!

16-Season System
The most precise method, the 16-season color palette system includes the complete 4-season categories — each foundational “home” season plus all 3 “flow” sub-seasons. Each color dimension is represented in full, making it the most comprehensive, inclusive and nuanced system available. This is why I was trained in, and practice, the 16-season color palette system for diagnosis, and also because it includes my own Soft Winter season!

For more about my color analysis process and how diagnosis is determined, see this blog post.