E.l.f.’s New Color Analysis Tool Helps You Find the Most Flattering Makeup

Over the past year, social media feeds have become saturated with videos of people draping fabric swatches across their chests, eager to see which shades brighten their complexions or bring out their eyes. The idea that certain colors look good on certain skin tones is intuitive, but it’s distilled into a science with color analysis, a technique that’s been around since the ’80s, and enjoyed a more recent renaissance in Korea before making its way stateside. Despite its popularity, color analysis isn’t exactly accessible—a session with an expert, like those so often seen online, often comes with a price tag of a couple of hundred dollars. But now, finding your perfect color palette requires only a few clicks. E.l.f. Cosmetics is making the magic of color analysis accessible with the launch of their new tool: color e.l.f.nalysis. 

Simply take or upload a selfie to the color e.l.f.nalysis tool, and it will deliver a verdict on where you fall from soft summer to warm autumn. The tool assesses three metrics to determine your perfect palette: undertones (either cool or warm), value (light or deep contrast), and chroma (bright or muted). 

Once you get your verdict, you’ll be able to explore a Pinterest board full of tailored inspiration and corresponding e.l.f. products, taking the guesswork out of finding shades of eyeshadow, blush, and more that mesh with your coloring. As a soft autumn, my board features moody, muted outfit ideas, plus peachy lip and bronzy blush inspiration. “Color e.l.f.nalysis gives everyday users the ability to choose makeup that truly enhances their unique complexion, without needing expert-level knowledge,” says celebrity makeup artist Vincent Oquendo.  

As someone who has spent more than a few hours standing in a store aisle debating between a foundation with cool or warm undertones, I appreciate how easy the tool makes it to choose shades that work with my features. Oquendo says the tool is invaluable for those confused by undertones, as it helps steer them in the right direction and narrow the pool of products to choose from. “It offers personalized recommendations that once required years of training and experience to understand—making beauty more accessible, intuitive, and tailored for everyone,” says Oquendo, who has used the tool in his own work as a shortcut to optimally flattering makeup looks for his celebrity clients. For Jurnee Smollett, a soft autumn, Oquendo reaches for coral blush. For Nicole Ari Parker, a true autumn, he opts for peachy, terracotta tones. And for a light summer like Ava Phillippe, Oquendo relies on soft pinks to make the eyes pop.

The idea for the tool stemmed from the growing popularity of color analysis, backed by internal data from Pinterest that shows recent spikes in related searches. “‘Color e.l.f.nalysis’ is about breaking down beauty barriers and making personalized color analysis accessible to every eye, lip, and face—for free,” said Patrick O’Keefe, chief integrated marketing communications officer at e.l.f. Beauty, in a statement.

You can find the tool here.