How do I prepare for my appointment?
Everything you want to know before you book.
F A Q
Answers to the most common questions about color analysis, the session, and what to expect.
How do I prepare for my appointment?
Colored or highlighted hair will be covered with a neutral draping cap during the analysis to ensure an accurate result. This is standard practice and does not affect the session otherwise ----- we can discuss your natural hair color and the most harmonious options for color-treated hair as part of your consultation.
Natural grey hair is simply that ---- natural. No need to cover it. Grey hair has its own color tone is accounted for in the analysis.
You are welcome to bring a friend, partner, or family member to observe ---- color analysis genuinely interesting to watch, and many clients enjoy sharing the experience. Please let me know in advance so I can accommodate everyone comfortably.
For Mini & Me sessions, a parent or guardian must be present throughout. For Teen Sessions (age 13 -- 17), a parent or guardian is required to be present for the full duration.
A B O U T T H E S E S S I O N
We begin with a brief introduction to color theory and the TCI 12-Tone method ---- how it works, why it is more precise than traditional four-season analysis, and what we are looking for during the draping process.
You will then be seated in front of full-spectrum lights wearing a neutral draping cape. I will place fabric swatches of varying color beside your face in a methodical sequence, observing how each one interacts with your skin ---- the primary indicator ---- and your hair and eyes. You are welcome to watch in the mirror throughout.
By the end of the session, your personal color tone will have been identified and your palette confirmed! We will spend the final portion of the session reviewing your palette, discussing how to use it, and answering any questions you have.
Please arrive without makeup ---- foundation, concealer, blush, and eye makeup all affect how color drapes interact with your skin, and an accurate result depends on seeing your natural coloring clearly. If you are wearing makeup upon arrival, there are natural makeup-remover wipes available to you.
Avoid perfume or fragrance on the day of your appointment, as scent transfers to the drapes. Please also avoid spray tanning in the weeks before your session ---- a natural sun tan is perfectly fine, a spray tan is not.
Wear something comfortable! You will be wearing a draping cape throughout the session, so what you have on underneath matters less than you might think.
If you wear glasses, you will be asked to remove them periodically during the color analysis. Clear contact lenses are the most convenient option if you have them.
Each session begins with a brief introduction to color theory, the TCI method for color analysis, and the terms hue, chroma, and value.
Using a neutral backdrop and full-spectrum lighting, I work through a carefully calibrated sequence of color drapes to identify the precise hue, value, and chroma that exist in natural harmony with your coloring. Most clients find this the most clarifying moment ---- seeing the difference between a harmonious one, reflected in your own face, makes the science immediate and personal.
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W H A T H A P P E N S I N Y O U R S E S S I O N
Color analysis brings a sense of harmony and ease to the way you move through the world. It removes the guesswork from getting dressed. And it answers, definitively, the question you have likely been asking for years: which colors are actually mine and why?
H O W I D I S C O V E R Y O U R P A L E T T E
Personal color analysis is the process of identifying the specific palette that exists in natural harmony with your individual coloring. The colors that comprise who you are already exist in harmony with one another. Color analysis does not create a palette for you. It is the discovery of the palette you've always had.
Please arrive without makeup ---- foundation, concealer, blush, and eye makeup all affect how color drapes interact with your skin, and an accurate result depends on seeing your natural coloring clearly. If you are wearing makeup upon arrival, there are natural makeup-remover wipes available to you.
Avoid perfume or fragrance on the day of your appointment, as scent transfers to the drapes. Please also avoid spay tanning in the weeks before your session ---- a natural sun tan is perfectly fine, a spray tan is not.
Wear something comfortable! You will be wearing a draping cape throughout the session, so what you have on underneath matters less than you might think.
If you wear glasses, you will be asked to remove them periodically during the color analysis. Clear contact lenses are the most convenient option if you have them.
What about hair? I color it, or it is going grey.
Can I bring someone with me?
Can I take photos or video during the session?
Photos of you in your drapes are warmly welcomed at the end of the session ---- it is a beautiful moment and worth capturing. However, video recording and photographs of draping process and color drapes themselves are not permitted during the anlysis.
The drapes and the TCI method are the intellectual property of True Colour International and protected accordingly.
A standard color analysis session runs approximately 90 minutes. Mini & Me sessions run approximately two to two and a half hours. Please allow a little extra time so the session never feels rushed. One of the joys of in-person color analysis is the relaxed environment!
How long does a session take?
I have had my colors done before. Will my result be different?
It is quite possible. If you were previously analyzed using the traditional four-season method, you were placed into one of four broad categories based on warm or cool undertones. The TCI 12-Tone method works across twelve tonal categories ---- including eight neutral zones that the four-season system does not account for. Approximately two thirds of people have neutral undertones, which means most previous four-season results are either incomplete or imprecise.
If you were analyzed virtually or using photographs, the result is very likely to differ. Digital images and monitor calibration vary so widely that they cannot replicate what full-spectrum light and the trained eye reveal in person. Color analysis must be done in person for an accurate result.
What do I receive at the end of my session?
You will leave with your archival canvas swatch book ---- a personal color fan containing 65+ colors organized by family, calibrated specifically to your color tone. This is the most comprehensive and accurate personal color tool available, and it is yours to keep for life.
We will also discuss how to use your palette ---- which neutral so build around, which accent colors to reach for, and how to begin seeing your wardrobe and future purchases through the lens of your colors.
Does my color season ever change?
Your underlying color tone does not change ---- it is determined by the pigments in your skin, hair, and eyes, which are genetically determined. What can shift over time is the way you read within your tone ---- significant changes to hair color (natural greying, for example) can affect how certain drapes read. In those cases, a follow-up session is available to confirm or refine your result.
Can I use my palette for things other than clothing?
Absolutely ---- and this is one of the most underused aspects of having your colors done. Your palette applies to everything in your visual world: jewelry, accessories, hair color, home interiors, even the colors you choose for a workspace or creative environment. Once you know your colors, you begin to see them everywhere!
What is the minimum age for a Mini & Me session?
Mini & Me sessions are available for children ages 8 and up, accompanied by a parent or guardian. The session is designed to be engaging and age-appropriate ---- children often find the draping process genuinely exciting, and discovering their palette alongside a parent makes it a memorable shared experience.
A parent or guardian must be present for the full duration of the session. Up to two children may be included per Mini & Me appointment.
Is there a separate session for teenagers?
Yes. Teen Sessions are available for young people ages 13 -- 17. A parent or guardian must be present. The session is the same comprehensive TCI analysis as an adult session ---- the same draping process, the same archival palette ---- designed with a younger client in mind.
There is no better time to know your colors than before years of reaching for the wrong ones. A teen who knows his or her palette carries that knowledge for life.
Can a child and a teenager be booked together?
Yes ---- a Mini & Me session can include children of mixed ages, provided all participants are 8 or older and a parent or guardian is present. Please reach out to discuss the specifics of your group and I will confirm the best format.
W H E R E A R E S E S S I O N S H E L D ?
Sessions are offered in Pasadena, Maryland.
Occasional pop-ups are held in Newport, Rhode Island.
Can I purchase a session as a gift?
Yes ---- and color analysis makes a genuinely thoughtful gift. Gift certificates are available for any session type. The recipient books at their own convenience, and the certificate does not expire. Please get in touch to arrange a gift certificate. Physical gift boxes with gift cards are available to ship or for local Pasadena, Maryland pickup.
What is your cancellation policy?
Please provide at least 48 hours notice if you need to reschedule. Late cancellations and no-shows may be subject to cancellation fees. Life happens ---- please simply reach out as soon as you know, and we will find a solution together.
Is color analysis only for women?
Not at all! Color analysis is for everyone. Men, women, and young people all benefit equally from knowing their palette. The draping process and result are the same regardless.
Still have a question?
I am happy to help before you book. Reach out and I will respond within one to two business days.
G E T I N T O U C H
What about hair? I color it, or it is going grey.
Colored or highlighted hair will be covered with a neutral draping cap during the analysis to ensure an accurate result. This is standard practice and does not affect the session otherwise ---- we can discuss your natural hair color and the most harmonious options for color-treated hair as part of your consultation.
Natural grey hair is simply that ---- natural. No need to cover it. Grey hair has its own color tone and is accounted for in the analysis.
Can I bring someone with me?
Colored or highlighted hair will be covered with a neutral draping cap during the analysis to ensure an accurate result. This is standard practice and does not affect the session otherwise ---- we can discuss your natural hair color and the most harmonious options for color-treated hair as part of your consultation.
Natural grey hair is simply that ---- natural. No need to cover it. Grey hair has its own color tone and is accounted for in the analysis.
Can I take photos or video during the session?
Photos of you in your drapes are warmly welcomed at the end of the session ---- it is a beautiful moment and worth capturing. However, video recording and photographs of the draping process and color drapes themselves are not permitted during the analysis.
The drapes and the TCI method are the intellectual property of True Colour International and are protected accordingly.
We begin with a brief introduction to color theory and the TCI 12-Tone method ---- how it works, why it is more precise than traditional four-season analysis, and what we are looking for during the draping process.
You will then be seated in front of full-spectrum lights wearing a neutral draping cape. I will place fabrics of various color beside your face in a methodical sequence, observing how each one interacts with your skin ---- the primary indicator ---- and your hair and eyes. You are welcome to watch in the mirror throughout.
By the end of the session, your personal color tone will have been identified and your palette confirmed! We will spend the final portion of the session reviewing your palette, discussing how to use it, and answering any questions you have.
A B O U T T H E S E S S I O N
A B O U T T H E S E S S I O N
A B O U T T H E S E S S I O N
A B O U T T H E S E S S I O N
How long does a session take?
A standard color analysis session runs approximately 90 minutes. Mini & Me sessions run approximately two hours. Please allow a little extra time so the session never feels rushed. One of the joys of in-person color analysis is the relaxed environment!
I have had my colors done before. Will my result be different?
It is quite possible. If you were previously analyzed using the traditional four-season method, you were placed into one of four broad categories based on warm or cool undertones. The TCI 12-Tone method works across twelve tonal categories, including eight neutral zones that the four-season system does not account for. Approximately tow thirds of people have neutral undertones, which means most previous four-season results are either incomplete or imprecise.
If you were analyzed virtually or using photographs, the result is very likely to differ. Digital images and monitor calibration vary so widely that they cannot replicate what full-spectrum light and the trained eye reveal in person. Color analysis must be done in person for an accurate result.
What do I receive at the end of my session?
You will leave with your archival canvas swatch book ---- a personal color fan containing 65+ colors organized by family, calibrated specifically to your color tone. This is the most comprehensive and accurate personal color tool available, and it is yours to keep for life.
We will also discuss how to use your palette ---- which neutral to build around, which accent colors to reach for, and how to begin seeing your wardrobe and future purchases through the lens of your colors.
Does my color season ever change?
Your underlying color tone does not change ---- it is determined by the pigments in your skin, hair, and eyes, which are genetically determined. What can shift over time is the way you read within your tone ---- significant changes to hair color (natural greying, for example) can affect how certain drapes read. In those cases, a follow-up session is available to confirm or refine your result.
Can I use my palette for things other than clothing?
Absolutely ---- and this is one of the most underused aspects of having your colors done. Your palette applies to everything in your visual world: jewelry, accessories, hair color, home interiors, even the colors you choose for a workspace or creative environment. Once you know your colors, you begin to see them everywhere!
What is the minimum age for a Mini & Me session?
Mini & Me sessions are available for children ages 8 and up, accompanied by a parent or guardian. The session is designed to be engaging and age-appropriate ---- children often find the draping process genuinely exciting, and discovering their palette alongside a parent makes it a memorable shared experience.
A parent or guardian must be present for the duration of the session. Up to two children may be included per Mini & Me appointment. Please see pricing for details.
Is there a separate session for teenagers?
Yes! Teen Sessions are available for young people ages 13-17 at a rate of $325. A parent or guardian must be present. The session is the same comprehensive TCI analysis as an adult session ---- the same draping process, the same archival palette ---- designed with a younger client in mind.
There is no better time to know your colors than before years of reaching for the wrong ones. A teen who knows his or her palette carries that knowledge for life.
Is there a separate session for teenagers?
Yes! Teen Sessions are available for young people ages 13-17 at a rate of $325. A parent or guardian must be present. The session is the same comprehensive TCI analysis as an adult session ---- the same draping process, the same archival palette ---- designed with a younger client in mind.
There is no better time to know your colors than before years of reaching for the wrong ones. A teen who knows his or her palette carries that knowledge for life.
Sessions are offered in Pasadena, Maryland with occasional pop-ups in Newport, RI.
Can I purchase a session as a gift?
Yes ---- and color analysis makes a genuinely thoughtful gift. Gift certificates are available for any session type. The recipient books at their own convenience, and the certificate does not expire. Please get in touch to arrange a gift certificate. Physical gift boxes with gift cards are available to ship or for local Pasadena, Maryland pickup.
What is your cancellation policy?
Please provide at least 48 hours notice if you need to reschedule. Late cancellations and no-shows may be subject to cancellation fees. Life happens ---- please simply reach out as soon as you know, and we will find a solution together.
Is color analysis only for women.
Not at all! Color analysis is for everyone. Men, women, and young people all benefit equally from knowing their palette. The draping process and result are the the same.
