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It’s Emily Purchio glowing and she says a lot of that has to do with her outfit and makeup.
Today she wears a dark green velvet headband with an olive green top and an orange lip.
These days, most of her wardrobe consists of clothes in autumn shades. It’s hard to believe that she once only gravitated to bright, cool colors. Then she realized how those shades clashed with her features.
Now Pourciau is helping residents of the Capital Region figure out 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 worldwide. Pourciau holds sessions in her central home, armed with House of Color tools and resources such as painted curtains, a color wheel, makeup and more.
Seasonal color analysis has been around since the 1980s, but sessions like Pourciau’s are enjoying a major social media moment. Instagram reels and TikToks depict bare-faced customers learning what shades complement them.
“When you wear the right colors, it can really make a big difference to how you look.”
[Emily Pourciau, a local color analyst and stylist for House of Colour]
Without makeup and with dyed hair covered, Pourciau’s clients sit in front of a natural light source. She pulls out her color wheel and places a set of rainbow bibs on the client’s chest. It helps announce spring, summer, fall or winter as the perfect season. They then rank the best or “wow” colors revealing the subseason. The results can be surprising.
“I swore up and down that I was summer,” says Pourciau. “You couldn’t convince me otherwise.” Finally I just decided to go and do (color analysis) and it turns out I’m Autumn. It was absolutely mind blowing to see. I was very attracted to the summer colors. I think that’s why I thought I was summer.”
The session also includes a quick make-up consultation using House of Color cosmetics. But dressing in the right shades allows for less makeup wear, Pourciau says.
Defining your color palette isn’t cheap. Prices vary across the country, with some costing over $500. Pourciau believes her sessions, which start at $325, provide a one-time investment that will continue to pay off long after the two-hour consultation ends.
“I think COVID has changed a lot in the way people dress and go out in the world,” says Pourciau. “People wear less makeup than they did 10 years ago. … I think 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 to what’s in their closet and helps make shopping easier. Pourciau shares his phone number in case customers have further questions.
This month, Pourciau will also present style analysis sessions through House of Colour. These include a personal test and evaluation of which cuts and styles look best on the customer’s body. By offering both style and color analysis, she hopes to help her clients enhance their best features.
Growing curiosity around color analysis at the local level has also spawned various techniques for finding flattering hues.
Esther Clothing brand owner, Lydia Matthews, recently began offering a different type of custom color analysis in tandem with the personal style options she already provided. Matthews doesn’t use curtains, but rather holds small swatches of fabric next to her clients’ faces to see which ones bring out their natural beauty.
She trained at the Stoltz Image Institute in Texas and 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 say, ‘Hey, Lydia, can you come over?’ I have a meeting. And I would just put things together for them.
Matthews doesn’t focus on a seasonal color wheel in his $350 sessions. Instead, she builds a palette based on her swatch tests. She also encourages customers to be creative when it comes to choosing clothing. If a color isn’t your fan but seems to match your colors, give it a try. Regardless of the results, she tells customers they can wear any color they like. But she recommends sticking to flattering shades for blouses, scarves and jewelry—anything you wear in close proximity to your face.
Although they practice different techniques, the two women share the same goal: to help others feel great through the power of color. Both agree that finding the right set of shades can help accentuate beauty while mitigating unwanted insecurities about acne, wrinkles, and reddened or dull skin.
“One of the biggest benefits is showing up as the best version of yourself,” says Pourciau. “When you wear the right colors, it can really make a big difference to how you look.”
• Emily Pourciau offers personal color analysis sessions at Central through the House of Color brand. It also has options for children and groups. Learn more about her offerings by visiting houseofcolour.com.
• Lydia Matthews offers personalized 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 225 Magazine.
