Emily Pourciau is glowing, and she says a lot of that has to do with her outfit and makeup.
Today, she dons a dark teal, velvet headband with an olive green top and an orange lip.
These days, most of her closet consists of autumn-hued pieces. It’s hard to believe she once only gravitated toward bright, cool-toned colors. Then she realized how those shades clashed with her features.
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Now, Pourciau is helping Capital Region residents understand what colors make their skin, eyes and hair pop. She is an analyst and stylist for House of Colour, a London-based company with franchises all over the globe. Pourciau conducts sessions inside her Central home, armed with House of Colour tools and resources like dyed drapes, a color wheel, makeup and more.
Seasonal color analysis has been around since the ’80s, but sessions like Pourciau’s are enjoying a major moment on social media. Instagram reels and TikToks depict bare-faced clients learning what shades complement them.
“When you are wearing the right colors, it can really make a big impact on how you show up.”
[Emily Pourciau, a local color analyst and stylist for House of Colour]
Makeup-free and with any dyed hair covered, Pourciau’s clients are seated in front of a natural light source. She pulls out her color wheel and places a set of rainbow bibs across the client’s chest. She helps declare spring, summer, autumn or winter as their ideal season. Next, they rank the best, or “wow,” colors revealing the subseason. The results can be surprising.
“I swore up and down that I was a summer,” Pourciau says. “You could not have convinced me otherwise. Finally, I just decided to go and get (a color analysis) done, and it turned out I was an autumn. It was completely mind blowing to see. I was very attracted to the summer colors. I think that’s why I thought I was a summer.”
The session also includes a quick makeup consultation using House of Colour cosmetics. But dressing in the right hues allows for less makeup wear, Pourciau says.
Determining your color palette isn’t cheap. Prices vary around the country, with some costing upward of $500. Pourciau believes her sessions, which start at $325, provide a one-time investment that will keep on giving long after the two-hour consultation ends.
“I think COVID changed a lot about how people get dressed and go out in the world,” Pourciau says. “People are wearing less makeup than they were 10 years ago. … I think that we’re very attracted to things that make our lives easier and help us show up as a better version of ourselves with less effort.”
Pourciau’s clients go home with a pocket-sized book containing a fan of their most favorable shades. This cheat sheet allows them to compare their colors with what’s in their closet and helps make shopping easier. Pourciau shares her phone number in case customers have followup questions.
This month, Pourciau will also introduce style analysis sessions through House of Colour. These involve a personality test and assessing what cuts and styles fit best on the client’s body. She hopes by offering both styling and color analysis she can help her clients enhance their best features.
The uptick in curiosity around color analysis locally has also sparked different techniques for finding flattering shades.
Esther Clothing Brand owner Lydia Matthews recently began offering a different type of custom color analysis in tandem with the personal styling options she already provided. Matthews doesn’t use drapes but rather holds small fabric swatches up to her clients’ faces to see which ones emphasize their natural beauty.
She trained with the Stoltz Image Institute in Texas, and she says she’s always had an eye for what looks best on others.
“I’ve been doing this my whole life,” she says. “My friends would always call me and be like, ‘Hey, Lydia, can you come over? I have a date.’ And I would just put stuff together for them.”
Matthews doesn’t focus on a seasonal color wheel in her $350 sessions. Instead, she builds out a palette based on her swatch tests. She also encourages clients to get creative when it comes to outfit picking. If a color isn’t on your fan but looks like it fits in with your colors, try it out. Regardless of the results, she tells clients they can wear any color they like. But she recommends sticking with flattering hues for blouses, scarves and jewelry—anything worn in close proximity to your face.
Though they practice different techniques, both women share the same goal: to help others feel great through the power of color. Both agree that finding the right set of tints can help accentuate beauty while toning down unwanted insecurities about acne, wrinkles and red or dull skin.
“One of the biggest benefits is for you to show up as the best version of yourself,” Pourciau says. “When you are wearing the right colors, it can really make a big impact on how you show up.”
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Book a color analysis
• Emily Pourciau offers personal color analysis sessions in Central through the House of Colour brand. She also has options for children and groups. Find out more information about her offerings by visiting houseofcolour.com.
• Lydia Matthews offers custom color analysis sessions at Brush & Bloom Studios on Government Street. Matthews’ personal styling sessions are available virtually or in person. Book online at esther-clothing.com.
This article was originally published in the November 2024 issue of 225 Magazine.