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Salon Carcica is an Aveda Concept Salon in Atlanta, GA.

News From Salon Carcica | July 2010

Your best colors make you look more vibrant, healthy and - most importantly - younger. Wearing unflattering colors on your head or body can make you look dull and lifeless. Unless you're in a casket, that's never a good look, and even then there's no reason not to look your best! Wearing colors that mimic your own natural coloring, contrast and intensity makes you look like the real you, the way Mother Nature intended. We're certainly not saying don't color your hair; let's not get carried away. But, selecting a color that complements your skin and is closest to your natural color (especially as we age) is more flattering and can help keep Father Time at bay.

Cool vs. warm: What does this mean?
Individuals with a cool undertone have more blue in their skin while a warm person has more yellow. Cool people may appear more pink or red, while warm people are more peachy, golden or bronze.

In general, people fall into one skin-undertone category or the other. Knowing which category you're in helps you select the most flattering colors. These tips will help you sort it out:

• Examine the underside of forearms. - This skin has not been as exposed to the sun and assuming you can clearly see your veins, inspecting this area can help determine your undertone. If your veins appear undoubtedly blue, then you're probably cool. If the veins are greener, then you are probably warm. Why is this? Blue (veins) combined with yellow (skin) equals green, which creates a warm undertone.
• Try on certain colors. - If you need to, borrow these four colors from a friend: 1) rose pink/mauve; 2) coral; 3) bright white and 4) ivory/cream. In the most natural light possible, stand in front of a mirror and put each article of clothing up around your face. Does the coral make you look healthy and sun-kissed or peaked? Does the pink/mauve really do something for you or does it make those tiny flaws more noticeable? Which of the light shades brings out the beautiful, healthy-looking you: the ivory/cream or the bright white? If the pink/mauve and bright white are your colors, you're cool; if coral and ivory/cream are best, you're warm.
• Which metal makes you shine? - Do you look best in silver or gold jewelry? Which makes your skin look more radiant? Usually people with cool undertones look their best in silver or white metals, while those with warm undertones look best in gold or yellow metals.

Carmen Before

Carmen After

Cool vs. warm: What does this mean for my hair?
If you have a cool undertone to your skin and your hair is too warm, the colors conflict. Picture a really pink complexion (cool) with yellow blonde hair (warm). Trust us, it's not good. Color plays off color. Colors complement each other and it is especially important near the face - like an outfit that isn't your best color, a scarf or necklace in a complementary color up against your face can save it.

Tell me more.
Contrast is also something to consider when choosing hair color. If little contrast exists between your hair and skin - meaning it all blends together - you can look "washed out". According to Carmen, our What-To-Wear Consultant, if you are low-contrast then your best clothing choices are low-contrast. That's part of the reason she changed her very blonde hair to a warm dark blonde/brunette. She is very warm, but she had little contrast with her previous color. Her new color (compliments of Cindy Wade), is warm flattering to her skin and a nice contrast, which makes her features pop.

Feel like a change this summer?
Hair color is one of the easiest things to experiment with. Think about it - color can be changed in a couple of hours and if it's wrong, it can be changed again. For brunettes, it is easy to add a few highlights for summer with little maintenance and they can be blended back once autumn rolls around. Brunettes should generally stay away from light blonde highlights, unless you completely change the color. Usually a lighter brown (a few shades lighter than the natural color) adds shine and dimension to the cut and looks natural. Remember, stay with cool color on cool-tone skin and warm color on warm-tone skin. Consult with your stylist because WE know color!

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By Carmen Westbrook
What-To-Wear Consultant, Naked Fashion Help

When I decided to pursue image consulting as a profession, I chose to train at The London Image Institute (sounds impressive, huh?). I quickly learned what I was doing wrong regarding color. I discovered I have a warm undertone to my light skin, that I should NEVER wear black anywhere near my face and that my hair color (which I did myself - what was I thinking?) provided no contrast against my skin. Sure it may have been edgy in my younger days, but once in my early 40's (gasp), it was time for a change. What I learned about color has been invaluable in dressing myself and my clients at our best.

Consider these color concepts:

Black may be slimming, but it's NOT for everyone.
Only about 30% of the population actually looks good in black and I learned I'm not one of them. Black is for the cool-skinned folks like Courtney Cox or Oprah Winfrey. Sure, we warm-skinned people (think Beyonce Knowles or Jennifer Anniston) can do a black skirt or pant, but say no to that turtleneck! One way I can pull off black is to do a deep-scooped top or dress and accessorize with gold jewelry near my face. The gold and bronze are warm medals that add the warmth I need when sporting black. Silver and platinum look best on the cool people.

The black & white combo may not be your friend.
Contrast is a key consideration when dressing our best. With my former ultra blonde locks (see photos above), I had no contrast between my skin and hair. Black and white creates the highest contrast in color, and it's not my most flattering look. Someone like Courtney Cox looks great in that look because it mimics what's going on with her natural coloring - very dark hair and very light, bright skin. For me, I keep it in the low to medium contrast range to look my best.

Intensity matters.
One of the most flattering things you can do is dressing to your eye color. You know the color, the one that makes your eyes pop! However, if I wear a blue that's a higher intensity (brighter) than my eyes and overall coloring, my peepers look dull and lifeless. I'm 43 and want all the help I can get, so I stay away from the really royal, intense blues and lean towards the softer grayish blues that make my eyes sparkle.

When helping my clients choose their best colors I tell them this: It's not the clothes we want others to notice when you walk in the room, it's YOU! The famous French designer Coco Chanel said, "The badly dressed woman, people remember the clothes. A well-dressed woman, people remember the woman." That applies to you men, too!

If you want to change up your hair or wardrobe this summer, we are here to serve you. As always, we greatly appreciate your continued business and referrals. We couldn't do it without you!

All the best,
The Salon Carcica Team

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