There's something special about watching a colour change the way your face looks, right in front of you. One drape and your skin looks brighter and more even. The next and you suddenly look a little tired. Seeing that difference with your own eyes is what makes in-person colour analysis so memorable, and so useful.
Online and photo-based assessments can be a helpful place to start, but seeing real fabric against your face in person, guided by an experienced consultant, offers its own kind of understanding. At Colour Decode in Hillarys, Maureen's sessions are built around one idea: you shouldn't just be told your season. You should be able to see it for yourself.
What happens when you're draped in person
The right conditions
Natural daylight is ideal for judging colour, but direct sunlight and shadows can get in the way. That's why Maureen uses professional lighting to create the best possible conditions in the circumstances, along with a full 16-season drape set. Clients should arrive without makeup and wear a neutral top, so nothing else is influencing what they see.
Real fabric, right under your face
Draping means placing fabric beneath your face, one colour at a time. Real fabric, in the same light, right next to your skin, shows how each colour changes the way your skin, eyes and features read. The changes can be subtle with some drapes and striking with others, and comparing them side by side is where the picture starts to form.
Seeing the tell-tale signs, together
This is the heart of the experience. Rather than working quietly and announcing a result, Maureen talks you through what's happening as each drape goes on. She'll point out the signs to look for, such as:
Skin: does it look clearer, smoother and more even, or do redness, uneven patches or a sallow tone become more noticeable?
Shadows: do the shadows under your eyes and around your mouth soften, or deepen?
Eyes: do they look brighter and more defined, or do they fade into the background?
Overall impression: does your face look fresh and awake, or suddenly tired? Do you notice the colour first, or you?
From her years of experience, Maureen usually spots these signs first, then gently guides you to notice them for yourself. She never pushes you towards a result you can't see, so it becomes a shared discovery, and it's remarkable how quickly you start spotting the differences on your own.
Arriving at your season, with understanding
As the session goes on, the drapes that lift you start to share a pattern, and the ones that drain you share another. By the end, you can clearly see which colours enhance you, what your season is and why it fits. If you'd like a refresher on the colour principles behind it, the What is Colour Analysis page covers them.
What to keep in mind with online assessments
Online and photo-based assessments can be a helpful way to explore colour, and it's worth knowing what can affect how colour appears in a picture. Lighting plays a big part, whether it's warm indoor light, cool shade or a patch of direct sun. Many phone cameras also apply filters, smoothing or automatic colour correction. Backgrounds and surrounding colours, such as a painted wall or a bright top, can reflect onto the skin and subtly change how it reads. Camera quality varies, and every screen displays colour a little differently too.
None of this means a photo can't be useful. It's simply good to be aware of these factors. In person, they're controlled: the same light, neutral surroundings and real fabric right next to your skin.
The benefits that last
Confidence in your own eye
Because you've seen the signs for yourself, you'll recognise them again in a change room mirror, at the hairdresser or when you're getting dressed in the morning. That understanding tends to stay with you long after the session.
Time to ask questions
An in-person session leaves plenty of room for conversation. You can ask to see a drape again, compare two colours you love, or talk through the pieces already in your wardrobe. Every question gets answered with the drapes right there in front of you.
Guidance beyond the season
A session doesn't stop at a label. Maureen also offers hair-colour guidance, drawing on more than 15 years as a L'Oréal Colour Specialist, along with makeup and wardrobe recommendations. You'll take home a palette card and a colour wheel on the day, and a personalised report follows afterwards, so you have something tailored to you to shop with.
A relaxed, personal experience
Sessions take around an hour and a half and are relaxed and unhurried. Men and women both enjoy the process, and it's often more fun than people expect. There's no pressure and no rush, just time to discover what suits you.
If you'd rather stay home, Colour Decode at Home brings the full drape set, a vanity mirror and professional lighting to you anywhere in Perth's Northern Suburbs, so Maureen can make the most of the light in your home.
See it for yourself
If you'd love to see your colours with your own eyes, you can book a session whenever it suits you.