The importance of color...

Many of us look through our makeup pallets and see a lot of the same color...some of us have all neutrals, some lots of vivids...pinks, purples, blues...but have you ever wondered why you are drawn to those colors?  Or, why you don't feel comfortable trying something out of the box?




Color is both subjective and objective...meaning we use color as something we perceive as indisputable fact...like, red falls between the wavelengths of this and that.  However, color also has power.  We can FEEL color.  It ties into our emotions, it's visceral.

If you'd like to read the scientific mumbo jumbo about the theories of how color is perceived, feel free to read up on it here - Color (Standford).  Otherwise, we'll skip to color as how its used in marketing and real life.  You can read up on that here.

We associate color with things whether historical (royalty wearing "royal blue" or purples) or social (the golden arches of McDonald's or facebook blue) or even emotional ("seeing red", "green with envy") and they really can change our moods.  Hospitals are painted in calming blues to relax the patients, or soothing yellows to lift the spirits.  Restaurants are decorated with oranges and reds to agitate your senses and get you up and out of your seat so a new customer can take your place.  Neutral decor just takes a back seat to whatever is around it...kind of how the stem or the trunk is never the focal point - it's about showing off the flower or the leaves. 

We do the same thing on our face.  Do you find yourself pulling out the blue on days when you're going to be doing something relaxing?  A trip to the spa or beach?  Perhaps you pull out gold or yellow on gloomy days to add a little bit of sun.  Maybe you just wear a color you like, but now you feel stuck in it, or haven't had the guts to branch out.  We wear our emotions with our clothes, express our desires with our shoes but sometimes when it comes to makeup the message gets mixed up.  Perhaps it's time for a change of pace to clarify your thoughts, or to remind yourself that you deserve to feel great and color is a great, simple way to do that! 

Have you been feeling kind of blah lately?  Maybe a little tense?  Try using the color theory on your eyes.  Want to feel grand and royal?  Throw some deep purples...eggplant, or royal blue on your peepers.

Need a pick me up?  Try some rich golds or soft yellows.  Been tense?  Try a teal or aqua to soothe that spirit of yours or even some pink to calm that aggression.  Feel like you're always the one being talked about - maybe try some neutral shades for a change of pace.

For those who feel scared to dive into the color and attention or self expression, a splash of color may be all that you need.  A new shade of eyeliner, or just a dab of something brighter to ease you into trying something new.  Who knows, maybe this spring, instead of changing yourself to prepare for summer, you just need to change your makeup kit. 

Credit to these images goes to whomever the original owner is...they are strewn about on others blogs so I have no idea who did them first.  Thanks to whoever did, but they are definitely not mine.