Shadow Tones and Secret Harmonies

There are certain colours that aren’t just flattering — they actually belong to you.  Because they already exist in your face (and body, and hair, and eyes….)

These are sometimes referred to as Body Harmony Colours, and  include your natural hair colour and eye colour, the colour of your gums and palms. Within the broad umbrella of Body Harmony Colours there are what I call Shadow Tones.   

Shadow Tones don’t seem to be discussed in colour analysis spaces as often as they deserve to be. And yet, they’re so telling. These include the colours found in the natural shading around your features — the hue of your gums and inner lower lip, the tone of your waterline, the soft, built-in shadowing many of us have around the eye area…. 

They’re subtle, yes — but surprisingly impactful. 

For some , these Shadow Tones are dusky or smokey in tone, for others, they might be earthy, flushed or vivid.  They might lean cool, warm, deep, light, or anywhere in-between. The reason  they’re so worth paying attention to is because they’re often the most seamlessly harmonious colours you could wear. 

Even as a child, I naturally had a sort of smokey mauve/taupe-tinged shading around my eyes.  It looks like I’ve done a slight smokey even when I am completely barefaced.   When I apply eyeshadow or eyeliner in a similar tone (just a touch deeper), it looks seamless. Like  a continuation of my face.  

For me it’s the same thing with clothing in that same dusky mauve/purple/plum colour family — especially clothing worn close to the face.  My favourite hoodie is the exact same colour as the inside of my lower lip.  It’s not just flattering — it’s innate. 

Your Shadow Tones are quite often the missing piece in a colour analysis that feels “almost right” but not quite.  They’re what can make an eye look hypnotic, a lipstick feel ‘just right’, a sweater suddenly effortlessly elevate you….They’re where your palette becomes truly personal. 

(People who’ve had a colour analysis with me may have wondered: “Why the heck did she request a photo of my gums?” lol…)

When in doubt, wear what your face is already saying!

Curious what your Shadow Tones might be and how to use them? Book a custom colour consult and let’s uncover the palette you were born to wear….