Best "colour" consultant in London?

[teejwood]

Have been umming and aahhing over this for years - quite literally - and think it's about time I got on with it. I want/need to get my colours "done".
Having looked up previous threads, a lady in Kensington was recommended a while back, so that could be an option, but has anyone been to see any of the other consultants in London they would recommend? Or anyone any experience of a consultant they found wasn't that good? Thanks in advance...

[roary]

I'd very highly recommend Nikki Bogardus who does Sci/art 12 seasons colour analysis (as seen here). She comes to the UK regularly and will be here later this month. The rest of that website is very useful if a little terrifying. Are there colourspotters like trainspotters? If so these people are colourspotters but very good. I was impressed with Nikki and unlike CMB/HoC they don't try to sell you anything else, which I liked, and I got a totally different result from my HoC consultation (which I had always been unconvinced by)

[levantine]

Flippping heck roary that is a serious site isn't it.

[Gillybobs]

I thought House of Colour were fantastic, I know 8 or 9 others who have also been Hoc'd and they agreed. yes they do sell make up but its hardly a hard-sell environment, some of us bought a lippy in our new colours, some of us didnt. I certainly didnt feel under any pressure

Ive tried reading the Sci/Art stuff as a matter of interest but find it almost ridiculously flowery and OTT.

[roary]

Yes, the Sci/art people on that website are a bit nutty and, well, obsessed.

But Nikki Bogardus is very normal and good, and gives you TONS of useful recommendations for lipsticks, blushes etc that are in your colours. I think HoC consultants can vary enormously but the 12 season thing to me makes more intuitive sense (there must be more than 4 groups into which we can be organized). In HoC I was apparently an autumn, despite the fact that many of the colours looked horrible on me and only a few looked great. They told me that I was a rare deep blue autumn who could wear Spring blues. In Sci/art I am a bright spring, and my entire palette looks great on me, and there's no colour in it that I should wear only below the waist or at 25%. But I think it does HUGELY depend on your consultant and I've heard very good things about some, too.

[levantine]

I think it looks amazing roary
How much is it?

[Hopefully]

That's really interesting Roary. I have had my colours done twice, once coming out as a Spring with colour me beautiful - which I was never completely confident with - and once as a Blue Autumn with HoC, which I am more confident with, but can see that plenty of the sludgier colours do nothing for me. Is there any cross over between your Sci/Art colour palette and your old autumn palette?

[teejwood]

thanks for the info roary - so when people on here are talking about being a warm autumn or whatever that isn't HoC?

and seconding levantine, how much is Nikki Bogardus?

[teejwood]

yowzers - following the links, her US site says $195 USD for the appointment alone. is it worth the extra compared to HoC roary and is the style element a bit like the style advice HoC provide??

[Gillybobs]

teejwood House of Colour give you sub categories too, Im a Paintbox Spring (Bright Spring in Sci/Art), my friend is a Deep Summer etc..... Hoc use the 4 seasons and then there are 3 sub categories within each (I believe). So the "warm autumn" or whatever you see on here could well have been HoC diagnosed

[teejwood]

ahh - thanks for the clarification Gilly!

[teejwood]

oh - and did you use one of the London-based HoC consultants?

[Gillybobs]

teejwood Im in scotland!

NYE I was thinking exactly that about Hopefully and Roary. Fascinating. Do you both have pics on your profiles by any chance? Would be so interesting

Im quite interested in training as a colour consultant but am waiting for the economic situation to improve....its a big initial investment and I know of someone who has gone ahead with it and isnt making much of a living at the moment

[Hopefully]

I can't see Roary's photos, but mine are public (I think)

[Gillybobs]

NYE How exciting, Im envious! Ive fancied it for years and having recently become redundant it is tempting but Im so nervous about the outlay in this climate. Also the HoC franchise area available isnt perfect for me. What are your thoughts?

She is HoC. I believe she has spent a fortune converting a room in her house etc as well as the usual start up costs and is a very looooong way from recouping.

[Gillybobs]

Wow, exciting times NYE best of luck, would love to hear how you get on with that. If you have a moment, would you be kind enough to PM what you estimate start up costs to be?

[roary]

Hopefully, I think I am less dark (more clear) than you. This site is a very good intro to sci/art www.truth-is-beauty.com/

Gilly, I think my HoC experience was poor because of the consultant, who spent all of 30 seconds on the subcategories. And your palette doesn't include those colours. And I could never go for a style day with someone who dressed like that!!

The makeup recs were uncannily good.

Levantine, she charged 100 pounds so on par with Hof c and gave great advice about hair (style) and persuaded my mum to color her hair a different shade, which she did and it looks awesome. She had lots of good tips. Great value for money.

One of you should set up as sci/art, there are no uk consultants. Everything, I'm dying for you to go for 'research' and to see what you think!!

[roary]

Ps only the 'brights' cross in palette. Kingfisher, peacock (which were my wow colours). But cobalt, which is brilliant on me, lots of bright greens and purples not in the autumn palette. I think hoc spring is quite different but have not seen the palette. I think if you are a 'true' season HoC works v well.

I am shy about pics but have v similar colouring to Rose McGowan. Not that gorgeous though!!

[teejwood]

roary thanks for the additional info on Nikki - i have taken the plunge to ask whether she has any times available.
and to everyone else - thanks for your feedback, too. gilly and NYE I hope your training goes well - you both sound like you'd be great at this

[maria71]

Teejwood I know it's been years since you've posted this but just wanted to ask if you've ever had that SciArt session in the end? Not sure if Nikki still travels to the UK, but there's a new SciArt analyst permanently in the UK now and she has lots of client draping photos on her facebook page, if you search for Chromology.

Personally I haven't seen Gabi yet, but the reviews on facebook seem really convincing and I'm thinking of asking for a consultation with her for my birthday. Her prices are considerably more than HoC or CMB, but since I've had 4 colour consultations in the past 6 years (with varying results) I just want to stop searching and wondering and being confused all the time.

On one occasion I walked into the room and within 2 minutes the analyst told me that I was a Warm Autumn and then she took out some drapes to show me how good the colours harmonised with me. Couldn't make that palette work AT ALL and same goes for most other palettes I had, inc. a custom one. I guess you get what you pay for, so I'm not complaining just want to get to the end of this never ending colour journey now.

Teejwood if you happen to pick this comment up do let us know who you went with in the end and if you were happy with your result. Thanks!

[Yikesivedoneitagain]

Try fabrickated.com, Kate Davies does colour consultations, and is based in central London.

[mummop25]

Maria71 I'm going to sound controversial but honestly having learnt styling from e seasoned expert in the fashion industry! may I suggest you look up a personal stylist instead.

IMHO you should be able to embrace all colours, it's just a matter of putting outfits together that match your style and personality.

If you want an expert - reach out I will give you her name .

I don't want to sound like I'm selling her services but I genuinely believe she is good.
She is based in London.

[maria71]

Thanks Yikesivedoneitagain - fabrikated.com seems to be under construction but I'll check it again in a few weeks...

Mummop25, no worries at all I'm quite controversial too. Though on the topic of 'putting outfits together that match your style and personality but without considering one's genetic colouring' I tend to disagree as my personal experience shows it otherwise.

I've had a David Kibbe personal style analysis, so I'm on track with my lines, shapes, patterns, proportions etc and now just want to be able to make better colour purchases as well. If one should be able to embrace any or all colours then we could go into Boots and pick out any lipstick colour to go with our outfit and expect to look good. I so wish it was that simple, but personally I do think that colour choices make a big difference in one's appearance, but thank you so much for your comment!