Color analysis TikTok trend reaches Long Island: How to find your perfect shade

"Winter, spring, summer or fall," go the lyrics to the Carole King classic "You’ve Got a Friend." These days, that’s also valuable fashion advice.

Thanks to social media, notably TikTok and Instagram, seasonal color analysis is getting a second wind, whether via do-it-yourself online filters or apps or consultants charging hundreds of dollars for a private session. It dates back to the ‘80s, when Carole Jackson’s book, "Color Me Beautiful" was all the rage, with women flocking to determine whether they were, say, a soft winter or a true autumn.

Shana Jacobs, 35, of Cedarhurst, had her colors done four or five years ago. “It completely changed everything," she says. "It changed the way I dressed, my makeup.” Jacobs, was so taken with it all that she started a business, Color. Me. By. Shana. Discovering that she was an autumn, Jacobs says she began testing the waters by wearing rich, warm browns, greens, burgundies. “It gave me a huge leap of confidence,” she says. “I felt more like myself.”

The process of getting your colors done varies. At Seklab Color Studio in Manhattan, Lizzie Heo, like many in the field, uses a series of scarves in different colors and patterns, holding them up next to the client’s face to determine subtle changes in brightness, how some shades make shadows and wrinkles less evident.

"Clients say I’m a lifesaver," says Heo. "They come back and tell me they really do look better." The popular Times Square studio had wait lists of up to 2,000 people as the trend gathered steam, says Heo, who has more availability these days thanks to additional consultants. Heo returned to her native Korea to become certified in color analysis. "It’s very popular there," she says, noting that the New York studio she runs with her sister, Lily, draws clients in part because of the intense interest in Korean beauty.

In the ‘80s it was all about celebrities and politicians, says Heo. But social media has recently helped renew the interest, she notes. "People are always on the screen," she explains.

COLOR EXPERIENCE AND COST

Getting your colors done can be as simple as downloading an app or logging on to a website. Carole Jackson is still in the game. Her website, Carolejacksoncolors.com has a test to help you determine your season and sells kits for $6.99 with color cards and shopping advice. Dressika is a free AI app that works off a selfie (they suggest taking a photo with no makeup in natural light). London-based consultant Francesca Cairns (imageconsultantmaidenhead.co.uk) offers an online color analysis starting at around $115.

However reviews suggest that virtual options are not always reliable. One blogger sent the same photo four different times, all with different results. Heo says she has talked to people who have tried several online services, always with different results.

Personal consultations, of course, are more costly. At Seklab, consultations are $245, or $450 for two people (332-999-4179; seklabnyc.com). "It was worth the investment," says Nicole Layug, of New Hyde Park, who went with a friend in early October after noticing Heo’s posts on Instagram. Learning that she was a "winter cool," Layug says she has started buying things she hasn’t worn before, including jackets and sweaters in shades of cream and experimenting with blues and certain shades of red. More importantly, she pointed out, "I became aware of colors that don’t look the best on me — muted colors, grays. I see the difference."

Layug says she found the consultation most helpful with makeup suggestions. "I had no idea what colors worked for me," she says, noting that she and her friend hit the cosmetics counter immediately after their consultation. Bottom line, says Layug, "I feel like I look better."

Jacobs charges $850 a session (colormebyshana@gmail.com), with the initial meeting lasting as long as three hours.

'THE COOLEST THING EVER'

Jacobs came across color analysis four or five years ago when, she says, "My closet was exploding." Overwhelmed, she began looking for "someone or something to help me narrow down what would work for me." She came across the idea of color analysis on the internet and found a consultant in Florida. "I went in blind, not knowing what it was," she says, "and I left a few hours later thinking it was the coolest thing ever. It really resonated with me."

She urged all her friends to try it, but couldn’t find anyone on Long Island doing color analysis. Her entrepreneurial mind ticking, she found a "guru" in San Francisco who taught the art. Convincing her "very supportive" husband to care for their four children for 10 days, she enrolled in a weeklong course with  Olga Kamova. When she got back, she practiced with friends and family for a full month before starting her business.

Batsheva Ruzohorsky, of North Woodmere, one of Jacobs’ early clients, says she found the experience "transformative." Classified as a light summer, Ruzohorsky says she learned what shades complement her natural features — muted shades in green and purple tones, no black, no white, "nothing too strong or too bright."

The way she shops has definitely changed, she says. "My friends won’t shop with me because I go too fast. It takes me a quarter of the time." More importantly, she echoes what others have said. "I’m more confident. I feel more authentic to myself."

Jacobs said her sessions cover everything from skin tone and color preferences to personality traits and lifestyle choices. Ruzohorsky remembers being asked what scenes in nature piqued her interest. "Having your palette done can reach many elements in your life," says Jacobs. "When you leave my session, you have a much deeper understanding about who you are," she says. "It’s about discovering who you are deep down inside."