Is HOC worth it if you're cool and warm?

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Sorry for another colours question, but after a bit of self analysis I think I may be cool and warm, or at least neutral.

Since HOC seems to begin by deciding whether you are cool (Winter/Summer) or warm (Autumn/Spring) and then go on to testing you with colours from those pairs, it seems like you might very early on be moving away from some colours that might suit you, even if you lean one way?

Also, I seem to remember reading that HOC focuses on skin undertone, whereas other sites about colour analysis say that the eyes and hair are quite key. I think my eyes/hair are warm but not sure about the skin undertone so I feel like I might fall through the gaps and it might have been a waste of money...

Anyone got any advice, or has anyone felt like that happened to them?

I am right on the cusp of two seasons (autumn and winter), but I still fall fractionally to one side of that line (autumn), and I was so convinced by the entire thing that I trained as a consultant (so you may wish to ignore every word I say as wanky sales talk). I have literally never come across someone who fell bang on a line and didn't look better in one or the other.

FWIW as a blue/deep/whatever you want to call it Autumn, I know full well that some winter colours work on me, but they are at the most 'autumn' end of the winter palette - the rest of it is beyond hideous. Getting your colours done isn't about limiting you to 36 colours forever more, but helping you find the palette that works for you and which you can find colours to tone in with as well. I try to explain to my clients that it's more of a starting point than the be all and end all, but it's sometimes hard to know where to start without the help of someone else. TBH plenty of clients do stick rigidly to their colour wallet and literally do wear only 36 colours forever more, and some go maybe a touch further into other seasons than I would recommend (the sweet spot is probably somewhere in the middle), but I like to think I've given them the tools to do whatever they need to with their colour analysis.

Oh, and hair and eyes do come into it, but they aren't the only thing we looks at, as they are with more simplistic analysis systems.

Thank you both of you. I am not sure what to do, on the one hand Pontypine you sound like you have quite similar colouring to me so I'd possibly feel similarly confused.

On the other hand I see what you mean Hopefully and seeing a professional could be good as I could do with some guidance. I could be wrong about being neutral. I might try and get some advice on the undertone and if it is actually warm then consider it. I definitely think I look better in gold than silver but some of my veins look more blue for sure, and I burn in the sun. I don't know if both of those could just be a result of being incredibly pale though. I have only once in my life met someone as pale as me. We liked each other!

Anyway I want to be a soft autumn and if anyone told me I wasn't I might have a hard time adjusting .

Sorry it didn't work out well for you Pontypine but very glad you've worked out what suits you anyway. Hopefully thank you for sharing your expertise, that is kind of you.

Actually, sorry, one quick question Hopefully - do you place people quickly as warm/cool or as a season, or is there time to discuss and look into options for people on a borderline? Being on a border yourself you probably understand the situation when you get a client who is. Sounds like a fun job .

I haven't had my colours done but have read around this a lot. You can do this yourself and may find the Colour me Beautiful system easier to apply.

They basically work out what is the most important factor for you using eyes/hair/skintone.

So initially you work out if you are soft (low muted contrast), clear ( high contrast with bright eyes), light, deep, cool or warm.

If you are primarily soft but with look better in cooler colours -soft summer and if it's warm than you are a soft autumn. These palettes share a lot of colours because the most important consideration is that the colours are soft.

If you are obviously primarily warm than you work out your secondary characteristic which is the level of contrast but warmth is the most important aspect.

There is loads about this online.

Thank you Travelin, that is helpful. I think I'm getting the idea. I love that Mnetters get to know each other's bedtime, so sweet .

Milminge thanks for that guide. I think I am definitely soft/muted as my eye and hair colour certainly are, and are not contrasting. It is just that my skin is so pale that it does raise the contrast a bit. I find photos/mirrors all look different because of lighting, etc, and I don't trust my own judgement. I just feel I could get it totally wrong, and be swayed by colours I prefer but that don't prefer me. I need to buy a few things at the moment for autumn/winter and don't want to waste money on the wrong thing.

It is fascinating though. I'm looking at people now trying to guess, and I can see that it is very hard without seeing them in different colours, unless they are very obvious.

The CMB system fails me, because it will always always make me a bright season (v dark hair, bright eyes and pale skin), but I look horrendous in 90% of both the spring and winter palettes. I have done it by the book and IRL and it is immediately obvious that the colours that I get 'given' aren't right. I am fairly sure this is because I am on the cusp on two seasons - a friend has been done by CMB and it works for her because she is bang in the middle of her season, iykwim.

And look, I have been known to stay up past 10pm! Travel knows I have a small baby and ought to be in bed.

Hopefully! get to bed!

That is interesting, so HOC may be better for those of us on the border. I keep typing borderline people but that is quite different .

I think this is me too. I haven't had it done but SIL is a HOC evangelist and can't place me.

I have dark hair, pink toned skin and dark blue eyes with some green. I would have thought I was a summer of some description but most of the blues/purples look crap on me. I cannot wear bright colours at all, they wear me.

I like pinky browns, nudes, mushroom, iron grey, Air Force blue, sea green, grey, black, white, dusky raspberry and teal colours.

One day I think I'll have to get it done out of curiosity if nothing else.

Oh and I also look ok in coral and tomato red! Plus, neither gold nor silver suit me, I always go for bronze or wooden accessories.

Megan that is intriguing, I want to know what is going on there too. Are your hair and eyes a warm dark and warm blue/green, if you know what I mean? Tomato red and coral sound like they'd be for warmer toned people. I think you might also be someone for whom soft/muted is dominant...? What ideas has your SIL come up for you?

Having done HoC (and certainly being an enthusiastic deep autumn ever since) I would also say - if you like talking and thinking about colour, which you seem to, you'll really really enjoy the whole experience. I found it illuminating (people had always steered me towards pastels, summer blues, and greys) but also so much fun.

I just had my colours redone. I was originally diagnosed by an independent stylist as an Autumn but never felt 100% comfortable and couldn't really 'see it'. So I took the plunge with HoC and am so glad I did. I am a Jewel Winter and could totally see the difference as I was being draped. I would 100% recommend.

Megan you sound like that new classification of soft summer deep. There are pinterest boards to see if it seems about right.

This is interesting as I've had the HOC colour consultation today, have always thought I was an Autumn and came out Deep Winter. I hope I can keep a few favourite things in teal and rusty red going.

temporary I really can't tell. Eyes are navy blue round the edges, then mid to dark in the middle and a kind of dark olive around the pupil! Hair, I have no idea any more, I just kind of dye it a neutral dark brown.

SIL diagnosed me as an autumn but I disagree. Nude pinks look great, peach/beige nudes look crap so I'd say more cool there. My dilemma I'd the gold and silver thing and the fact that many of the cool colours look awful.

However, Milmingebag you might just have nailed it with that pallet! I wouldn't have said I was soft as I have very dark hair and am really pale so high contrast? However, I love those colours so I will consider myself diagnosed

What about that pallet for you OP?

I think it is still worth it, because it should still be able to identify your best shades.

HOC drape you in colour upon colour to get their "diagnosis" and an experience consultant will be able to get your best colours along the way as well as place you in a season.

A poster upthread mentioned she is a burnished Winter - lucky her, this is a very unusual set of colours which may be why she is struggling to get the point of it but with the right ones it is a very enviable palette.

There will be subsections within seasons that show if you are a warm season favouring cool colours - there are Blue Autumns and Blue Springs, Burnished winters is another and there is something called a soft brown Summer which is also difficult to pinpoint but when in the best colours is totally SHAZAM!

I'm just a boring paintbox spring unfortunately

MeganChips try and forget eyes, hair, contrast and other seemingly obvious signs. It really is all about the underlying skin tone and can be terribly difficult to see on yourself.

I wouldn't have had myself down as warm either and in the wrong colours my skin looked so cool it almost had a blue undertone but in my correct warm palette I can see it is pure peaches and cream!

Its crazy.

Shame its a fair bit of money just to find out but really I don't think you'd regret it unless you couldn't eat for 6 months or something, its so great.

Thanks Charity and shopafrolic, feeling very tempted and like the phrase 'being draped'!

Deep winter Raising! That sounds very dramatic.