Comprehending Color Theory is Vital for Successful Permanent Cosmetic Technicians

Nearly everyone, with the exception of individuals with albinism, has pigment in his or her skin. And technically, you have four types of pigment:

Melanin (dark brown or black)
Hemoglobin (red)
Hemoglobin (blue)
Carotenes (yellow)

The combination of these pigments is what gives skin its particular color. The way colors, including pigments, can be combined forms the basis of color theory. Color theory focuses on principles discussed in beauty school programs that concentrate on permanent cosmetics technician training.

The Color Wheel: The Cosmetic Key to Color Theory

All colors are created from an original base of three colors, known as the primary colors: red, yellow, and blue. These colors are combined in equal amounts to make the secondary colors:

Orange: red and yellow
Green: yellow and blue
Violet: red and blue

When primary colors and secondary colors are combined in equal amounts, tertiary colors are created:

Chartreuse: green and yellow
Turquoise: blue and green
Plum: red and violet

The color wheel is a graphic representation of the arrangement and relationship of these colors. Colors are arranged on a circle in the order of the color spectrum (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet). There are basic color wheels and more complex color wheels that show various values of color (made by adding black or white to a color).

Color schemes or palettes are groupings of colors that complement each other in some way. The permanent cosmetic technician can use the color wheel not only to understand the relationship of colors and their components to each other and to the skin, but to custom blend pigments.

Permanent Cosmetics Are Cool! (and Warm)

All colors can be classified into two groups: warm or cool. However, some colors can be both warm and cool, depending on the other characteristics of the color, such as how light or dark it is (shade). Part of understanding color theory is knowing how to classify the color of your client's features so that you can choose the most flattering cosmetic colors.

Identifying Skin Tones and Undertones

When it comes to permanent cosmetics, determining the tone and undertone of the skin impacts the choice of pigments you should use on your client. Unlike topical cosmetics that are placed on top of the skin, permanent cosmetics are placed under the skin, so the color of the skin must be a consideration. In addition to the tone or color of the skin, the undertones must also be considered. Skin tones include:

Cameo
Ivory
Golden
Peach
Pink
Tan
Olive
Copper
Brown
Ebony

Color theory is an important part of beauty school training for prospective hair stylists and colorists, cosmetologists, estheticians, and permanent cosmetic technicians. It is essential that your color theory knowledge is as enduring as the permanent cosmetics you apply to your clients.