Pink Makeover - April 2019
Kathleen Mirin
April 2019 Issue
Story by Nina Greenplate
Photography by T.R. Love, TR Media World
Queen for a day? Some of us would be happy to be queen for 10 minutes! Our busy, over-scheduled lives sometime scream for a little royal pampering, but what if that pampering wasn’t temporary, and the throne was a seat where your mirror always reflected beauty and confidence? Well, Personal Stylist, Image Consultant, and Color Analysis Expert, Wendy Jacobs of Bluffton’s House of Colour (HOC) just might be your fashion fairy-godmother.
The role of queen was recently played by Pink Magazine’s Advertising Sales Executive, Dawn Harris. A day of exploration into her color style and profile was great fun, but the method ... purely scientific.
London trained, Wendy’s true purpose is empowerment: To fully have you embrace the beauty in yourself and others. “We all want to look healthy and illuminated,” she said, from her inviting, sun-filled home studio in Bluffton. “We reflect a strong and positive energy when we feel beautiful in the colors we wear.”
With more than nine years, and over 1,000 happily analyzed clients, Wendy doesn’t disappoint. Her warmth is contagious, and she presents herself with confidence. Surrounded by soothing colors and aromas, Wendy explains how, during a business trip to London with her former employer, she became intrigued by her European colleagues’ ability to look rested and refreshed on early mornings, even after a late night. How did they do it? Strong coffee? A good moisturizer? No. “House of Colour” was their response. Immediately fascinated, Wendy discovered that HOC is the world’s largest personal color and style consultancy. Its business model has been used in the United Kingdom for 33 years, focusing on individualized color analysis to complement natural skin tone, hair and eye color.
The power of color has been studied for centuries by philosophers, artists, and teachers alike. Swiss painter and designer, Johannes Itten, influenced much of HOC’s current color analysis protocol. “Colour is life,” he has been quoted as saying. “For a world without color appears to us as dead.” His guidelines for color harmony can be applied to personal image. “Each person’s skin pigment falls into one of four groups,” Wendy explained. “Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, with each season having four sub-sets.”
A complex system was made clear and exciting while the process unfolded. “This is fascinating,” Dawn smiled from her cushy chair. “I feel awesome right now.” Wendy’s excitement matched Dawn’s, and the adventure began. We were treated to light refreshments and a very brief but interesting history on color basics. Primary colors, blue, red, and yellow, are the building blocks of HOC’s theory. “Each and every color in the rainbow is either blue-based or yellow-based. “True red is in between them, and therefore everyone can wear it,” Wendy explained.
Who can’t relate to standing in front of a full closet lamenting that we have nothing to wear! This is because we only wear 15-percent of our clothes 85-percent of the time. And just because we love a certain color, doesn’t mean we look great in it. The correct shade of your favorite color is yours when you discover where you fit into the color wheel.
Our experience was typical of every first visit to HOC: Color Analysis. It is inspiring, revealing, creative, and most of all, fun! Natural light from the studio was the perfect backdrop, as Wendy draped Dawn—wearing no makeup and hair pulled away from her face—in a neutral white cover. She then began to interchange different color drapes as we kept our eyes on Dawn’s skin. “Keep watching her face,” Wendy instructed. Moments went by as the colors continued to pass in front of her. “I feel like Wonder Woman!” Dawn exclaimed.
It quickly became apparent which colors clicked for Dawn. Cool colors made her skin appear sallow. Warm shades and tones were perfect, making her skin look healthy and almost rosy. “That’s what we are looking for,” confirmed Wendy. Like children in a candy store, we began playing with Dawn’s color chart and watching her mood brighten. Dawn is an Autumn; specifically, an Autumn Leaf Autumn, one of the 4 sub-sets in this season. Colors in her palette were then individually rated. Discovering the right color palette for your skin may surprise you, and the process is exciting to watch! No more wasting time and money buying the wrong clothes; a leather wallet with your specific color swatches and a detailed descriptive booklet are given to you when you are finished.
With the session nearly complete, Dawn was illuminous. A beautiful color awakening had occurred, and our time was more than well spent. The knowledge gathered lasts for a lifetime! That is powerful. Dawn summed up her experience perfectly: “Everyone needs a Wendy Jacobs in her life.”
Agreed!
Wendy offers a variety of fresh and exciting classes for you and your friends! Personal Style: Understanding your own form of fashion and what best suits your body’s natural lines, including accessories, patterns and textures. Bridal and Wedding Party Services: Fabric, neckline, makeup, flowers, theme, etc. Wake Up and Makeup: Keep current with trends; go from daytime to nighttime glam, etc. Teen Color Wardrobe Review & De-Clutter Personal Shopping. Wendy also offers a fabulous line of mineral based, U.S. made cosmetics, specifically suited to your personal color pallet.
Wendy Jacobs: (774) 521-6087; www.houseofcolour.com/wendyjacobs This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.;
www.facebook.com/HouseofColourWendyJacobs/
Special Thanks to T.R. Media World for his colorful photography and Island Girl for fabulous accessories pictured on the left.