How many times have you gone to the drugstore and spent hours swiping different lipsticks across the back of your arm until you finally find the elusive, perfect shade you’ve been looking for, for years? At least it wasthe perfect colour until you took it home and realized you have 17 other tubes of lipstick in almost the exact same colour. (Insert head-shaking emoji here!)
Gravitating towards the same makeup colours is human nature and all part and parcel of being a creature of habit. “Most of us have a favourite colour,” affirms Tatiana Leus, a professional image consultant at True Potential Image. “And most of the time, our colour preferences are based on emotional reasons, so we buy the same colours over and over again because they make us feel good, safe even and because we just really like them.” Knowing what each colour stands for, its definition so to speak, can also provide insight into your personality and how you want the world to see you.
“There are always deeper emotional reasons involved,” explains Leus. Maybe you want to be noticed so you gravitate towards red lipstick or perhaps you’re feeling shy and wish to blend in so opt for black mascara and eyeliner, instead. “Wearing your tried and true favourites will always make you feel good, while pushing outside your comfort zone and trying a new shade of eyeshadow or blush can give your self-esteem a boost.” Here’s what your every cosmetic pick says about your personality.
Colour: Red
Definition: You are fiery. Passion, romance, sex, lust, intensity, drama, attention, confidence, vivacity, energy, all appetites, anger, rage, danger, leadership and vigor are your key words. “Red is one of the most emotionally intense colours,” adds Leus.
What it says about you: Self-confident, you like attention and are daring or want to be by adding red into your repertoire. This hue is uninhibited, courageous, dramatic, intense, energetic and passionate, ideal for entertainers, who are often provocative, dominant, determined and always dynamic.
Colour: Black
Definition: This neutral hue is seen as conservative, traditional, mature, authoritative and formal. It’s associated with death, fear, mystery, grief, pessimism, depression and elegance.
What it says about you: This varies depending on the shade and texture of the colour. “Shiny black on your eyes or even your lips in a deep eggplant hue can project a more dramatic and outgoing look than basic, muted black, which usually means that a person just wants to blend in,” says Leus. “Black can also be perceived as mysterious and elegant colour.”
Colour: White or Silver
Definition: White is purity, innocence, simplicity, elegance, delicate, fragility, cleanliness, clarity, spirituality, new beginning, light and safety. Silver is elegance, sophistication, wealth, grace, faith, innocence, clarity, hope and light-heartedness.
What it says about you:If you’re drawn to either hue you are elegant, sophisticated, calm, generally not a risk taker, graceful and light-hearted. In some situations, white can also be seen as dramatic. “These colours also have a feminine energy,” adds Leus.
Royal or Dark Blue
Definition: Power colours, deep dark shades of blue show authority, tradition, refinement, loyalty, intelligence, stability, wisdom, trust and peace. “You have balanced emotions, nothing extreme or dramatic,” says Leus.”
What it says about you: You are conservative, professional, serious, balanced, pulled together, reserved, stable, mature, calm, self-regulated, responsible and even, aloof.
Light Blue or Aqua
Definition: It’s a diluted version of blue. “Light blue is created by adding white to dark blue, which means it has similar definition, only the lighter version of them,” says Leus. “Fun, easy, playful and light.”
What it says about you: Most pastel colours will make you appear light-hearted, playful, easy going, young and youthful, fun, not too serious and fresh.
Yellow or Gold
Definition: Gold represents prestige, wealth, glamour, glitz, triumph, extravagance, luxury and abundance. Yellow stands for optimism, energy, positivity, happiness, joy, fun, cowardice, betrayal and jealousy.
What it says about you: Gold is extravagant and self-confident, “you like to stand out and are most likely glamorous or drawn to the glamorous life,” says Leus. Yellow is cheerful, fun, free, non-conservative, joyful and original.
Pale Pink
Definition: This pretty shade is frequently associated with unconditional and universal love, compassion, understanding, romance, baby girls, feminine energy, sweetness, cuteness and flowers.
What it says about you: “You’re playful, cute, feminine, romantic, nurturing, youthful, light-hearted and not very serious,” says Leus. “It’s a great shade for a first date.”
Fuchsia
Definition: “It’s a mix or red and violet, so it has some of the attributes of both colours,” explains Leus.
What it says about you: You like to stand out; you’re feminine, energetic, active, fun, artistic, mysterious and creative.
Green
Definition: One of the clearest colours to decode, green has seemingly always been aligned with nature, the environment, growth, fertility, freshness, harmony and safety, and of course, it’s flipside of money, greed, jealousy and envy.
What it says about you: “You’re natural, comfortable, calm, logical, cautious, balanced, reasonable and not a risk taker,” says Leu.
Purple
Definition: “This is the colour of royalty, nobility, wealth, grandeur, wisdom, dignity, luxury, power, ambition, magic, mystery and spirituality,” says Leus. “It’s why purple is associated with royal weddings and events.”
What it says about you: You are noble, important, mysterious, creative, deep, mature and serious.
