The Biology of Beauty
Colour analysis is not an art. It is a science governed by physics, genetics, and light. Here is everything you need to know about the TCI Munsell 12 Season system.
The Three Dimensions of Colour
In the early 1900s, Professor Albert Munsell created a way to define colour uniformly. He proved that every single colour on earth can be measured by three specific dimensions: Hue, Value, and Chroma.
Kathryn Kalisz, a master painter and colourist, applied this exact science to human skin, creating the Sci\ART (now TCI) method. We measure your colouring against these same three dimensions to find your perfect season.
1. Hue (Warm vs. Cool)
Is the underlying temperature of your skin warm (yellow/golden undertones) or cool (blue/pink undertones)? This is caused by the ratio of carotene vs. haemoglobin in your skin.
2. Value (Light vs. Dark)
How light or dark is your overall colouring? This dimension measures the depth of colour in your hair, skin, and eyes, created by melanin levels.
3. Chroma (Bright vs. Soft)
Also known as saturation or contrast. Are your features clear, bright, and contrasting? Or are they muted, soft, and blended?
Glossary of Colour Analysis Terms
- TCI Munsell System
- The most accurate system of personal colour analysis in the world. It takes the original 4 seasons and refines them into 12 scientifically precise tones based on the Munsell colour wheel. TCI stands for True Colour International.
- Draping
- The diagnostic process of placing specially dyed test fabrics (drapes) under a client's face to observe optical reactions. The skin will react to the varying dimensions of the drapes, allowing the analyst to pinpoint the client's season.
- Undertone vs. Overtone
- Your overtone is the surface layer of your skin (which can be red from rosacea, tanned from the sun, or pale from illness). Your undertone is the biological colour beneath the surface, determined by your genetics. Colour analysis matches your undertone, which is why your season never changes, even if you get a tan.
- Seasonal Palette / Swatch Book
- A fan-shaped tool containing the 60+ core colours of your specific season. You use this when shopping to verify if a garment matches your biological harmony.
Want To Know Your Season?
Don't guess with online filters. Get scientifically verified in person.
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