I'm a Warm Autumn, so These Makeup and Nail Looks Are Basically My Neutrals

I always knew I looked better in earth tones. I'm team brown over black mascara (whenever I do wear it, anyway), and I have more terra-cotta, chartreuse, and olive green hanging in my closet than I know what to do with. I'm also an earth sign (happy Taurus season, folks!), so I had always chalked it up to my spiritual subconscious seeking out grounding, muted neutrals. It wasn't until I walked away from Seklab, a personal color analysis studio in NYC, that I finally understood my affinity for rustic hues. Apparently, I'm a warm autumn—what's your seasonal color palette?

The question is only becoming more common here in the States (thanks to TikTok, of course), but color analysis has long been a coveted service in South Korea. "It's huge in Korea," Lizzie Heo, color consultant and founder of Seklab, tells me. "There are as many color analysts there as Starbucks in America." Here, studios remain rather exclusive joints (Seklab releases appointment slots six weeks in advance and typically has a crowded waiting list), but the demand is only expected to climb. After all, who wouldn't want to know what clothing, hair color, and makeup and nail shades suit them best—and which ones to avoid at all costs? I'm certainly game, which is why I decided to let Heo overhaul my entire beauty routine.

Of course, I'm also aware that there are plenty more things to worry about in this world than wearing the "wrong" blush or polish color. Makeup should be fun, first and foremost, and even Heo tells me not to limit my product choices based on what I discover during my appointment. But if you're hoping to find your most natural-looking makeup shades or nail colors—say, for your wedding or any other important, highly photographed milestone—knowing your seasonal palette can be a major perk. I had an inkling mine would include earthy tones, but I was genuinely surprised by a few suggested swaps. Fellow warm autumns (or anyone remotely color analysis–curious), scroll ahead.

The Seklab Color System

"There are four different aspects that we consider," explains Heo. First up: undertone, which you might already be familiar with in the context of makeup. Everyone has underlying colors beneath the surface of their skin, regardless of their actual skin tone. Do yours lean cool or warm?

Once making that assessment, Heo will then consider the saturation of those cool or warm tones. "Some people look better in vivid, bright colors; some people need pastels," she shares. For example, let's say your colors fall in the delicate pastel camp. "If you're wearing darker colors, then it's going to look like you're wearing mother's makeup. It's not going to suit you well," Heo explains.

Then she considers the value, which refers to the lightness or darkness of a color (different from saturation, which refers to a color's intensity.) "The last one will be the clearness of the color, versus the softness mutedness of the color," Heo explains. "Combining those four aspects, I will find your best palette."

While assessing these four aspects, Heo will also help you discover which "season" you are. Spring and autumn, for example, both contain warm color palettes—but the difference lies in their value. (Spring is lighter, while autumn is darker.) Summer and winter are on the cool side of the spectrum, but their saturation is completely different. For instance, people with a winter palette look best in vibrant, crisper colors. "When they wear a summer's color, it's not even going to show up. It's going to look like they're wearing lip balm instead of actual lip gloss," notes Heo.