TRENDS
Color analysis has a huge waitlist. Here’s how to get it done now
The hardest reservation to get right now is to be told what colors you should wear, but you can do it yourself in your own home.
Color analysis, where an expert tells you which colors most flatter you, is the hottest reservation right now, both in New York and across the U.S. Seklab, in New York’s Midtown, which describes itself as a personal color analysis salon, has over 2,000 people on its waitlist.
One of the problems is that there are so few color analysts out there, which means as more people want the service there’s little supply to meet that demand.
And if you do get an appointment it’s not cheap - color analysis can cost well over $200 for an hour-long session. That will typically get you a number of reference colors that go best with your looks, along with makeup tips and recommendations on which type of metal works best for them for jewelry - gold and silver work very differently with different skin tones.
Using AI for your personal color analysis
If you can’t wait for a professional color analysis there is a hack to do it yourself. You can ask AI to do the analysis for you.
The first step is to take a selfie in natural light (don’t use indoor lighting or flash as these can greatly change your complexion) and upload it to your computer. Then you’re going to use a color picker tool to get the precise hex codes for your skin, your eyes and your hair. Online editing tool Canva can give you this - it’s free but you’ll need to create an account.
Then head into ChatGPT (you’ll need to set up an account to use it, even if it’s just the free version) or your AI of choice and ask it to do a color analysis of your codes. You can also try uploading a photo of yourself.
When a friend tried it, it correctly identified that she had “cool undertones” to her skin and opined that with her dark hair she leant towards the “summer palette”, advising her to try “softer shades, like pastels, lavender, soft neutrals and light blue.”
As is often the case with ChatGPT it was quick to get in a disclaimer: “It’s important to note that personal preferences, as well as the specifics of your individual complexion and coloring, can influence what looks best on you. For a thorough and personalized color analysis, it’s often best to consult with a stylist or a color consultant who can see you in person and under different lighting conditions.”
Overall using AI to analysis your color palette is a fun approach to get you thinking more about colors, but if you want the real deal, you’re probably going to have to get on a waitlist to see a specialist.