10 Seoul-based Colour Analysis Studios To Find The Perfect Match For Your Skin Tone

And yes, these studios offer appointments in English or an English translator on-site.

By Vanessa Chia - published 4 Oct 2024

Scrolling through social media and loving the makeup look that your favourite K-pop or K-drama actress is wearing? The only problem: you’re not sure if it would look as good on you with your skin tone.

We feel you, because we’ve been there too.

And browsing through the many shelves at Olive Young, you might have noticed how the makeup products are often categorised according to “warm” or “cool” tones.

But what if you’re not too sure about your “tone”? Because it’s more than just being fair-skinned or tanned.

The answer: A colour analysis workshop to understand what colours work best for you. In fact, many Korean celebrities have joined the trend too. BLACKPINK’s Jisoo is a “Dark Winter”, EXO’s Baekhyun is a “Cool Winter” and SHINee’s Key is a “Light Summer”.

What is a colour analysis?

Basically, colour consultations help you determine what shades of colour best suit your skin tone. It encompasses everything from the clothes you wear to the makeup you use and your hair colour; especially useful if you love changing up your hair colour often.

Its origins lie in the four-season colour theory by Swiss theorist Johan Itten, where colours were categorised according to the seasons. This was then divided into cool and warm tones based on the seasons, with Spring and Autumn colours corresponding with warm tones, and Summer and Winter colours pairing with cool tones.

Today, it’s evolved further, sub-dividing into 16 further colour subgroups that categorises the four seasons into different tones that would match it. For instance, Summer can be divided into True Summer that’s complemented with light and muted colours, Cool Summer is said to combine Winter’s vibrancy, Light Summer has a clear Summer palette and Soft Summer includes Autumn’s warmth in its range.

During the colour consult

So what happens during your colour analysis appointment?

The consultant will take you through a whole swatch of colours to show how your skin tone interacts with each shade. This is followed by colour swatch boards held up to your face to further illustrate which colours brighten or dull your features.

Once your colour palette has been determined, the consultant will go through the appropriate makeup, accessories and/or hair colour options to help you perfect your new look.

But that’s not all. In addition to colour analysis, many studios are also offering skeletal analysis as well. This focuses on analysing your natural skeleton, including your facial feature and body shapes, to help you learn how to style your outfits and even hairstyles to bring out the best in you.

Eager to get your personal colour analysis done on your next visit to Seoul, South Korea? Not to worry because we’ve sifted through the many options available, and here are our top 10 places to check out. And yes, appointments can be done in English or with an English translator onsite.

1. Eco Jardin Aeogae Station

Many of you would know Eco Jardin for its pampering 15-step scalp treatment, but now you can complement your beauty day out at the salon with a colour analysis session too. And you can even opt to include a makeover session to look like a K-pop star once you’re done.

Equipped with national qualifications, Eco Jardin colourists will definitely provide a tailored analysis, easily merging colour, fashion and makeup. Look for Julien. Not only has he been doing colour analysis since 2017, but he also majored in fashion design, so you know you’ll be in good hands.

Eco Jardin Aeogae Station is located at 204 Mapo-daero, Mapo-gu, Seoul; For reservations, DM Eco Jardin Reserve.

2. It’s My Colour

The goal of founder Ahn Seonju is to help you find your unique charm and style with confidence. In addition to colour analysis, It’s My Color also offers skeletal fashion styling and even Color Therapy, where you can learn how to utilise colours in communication through cognitive and behavioural patterns.

Fun fact: It’s My Color was also featured on the iconic K-variety show, Running Man, where the members were given a quick skeletal analysis to determine their best fit.

It’s My Color is located at Room 401, 512 Building, 61 Gangnam-daero 128-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

3. Hybrid Rainbow Studio

No worrying about not being able to understand your colour consultant here at Hybrid Rainbow Studio. Not only is founder, Christina Kim, a native English speaker, but she is also a double licensed Personal Color consultant.

The studio offers two packages: a 45-minute Fashion and Image Personal Color Consultation and a 60-minute Personal Color Consultation for Fashion Colors and Makeup. The latter includes a makeup component. And, there’s also a group discount if you decide to make it an outing with three of your girlfriends.

Hybrid Rainbow Studio is located at Level 2, Jeongmyeong Building, Baekjaegobunro 45-gil 24, 204, Songpa-gu, Seoul.

4. Colorful Hyejin

This studio is run by a two-woman team, colourist Yoon Hyejin and makeup artist Jenny Hyun (she also doubles as the studio’s English interpreter). Reviews shared online have mentioned that Hyejin is very detailed in her analysis, even analysing the quality of the skin, eye colour and brightness, as well as hair colour and quality. Even influencer and ByAVA founder, Ava Lee, has visited Colourful Hyejin too.

And don’t forget to take notes when Hyun does your makeup because she’s an instructor at Jung Saem Mool as well, so you’ll be able to learn pro application techniques to level up your skills.

Colorful Hyejin is located at Daewoo Audioville Office 1708, 33 Gangnam-daero 84-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

5. Amoment

If you didn’t take a photo, did it even happen? At Amoment studio, you can include a studio photo shoot to complete your session. There’s no better time to put your newly learnt information to good use.

Both the Basic and Special packages include a fun makeup tutorial where you’ll be able to try your hand on doing the look they suggest and pick up some K-beauty makeup tips too.

And you won’t have to worry about taking down all the details shared, as your consultant will send over a document with all the information, from best colour choices to the colour of accessories that would suit you best.

Amoment is located at 646-17 Seongsan-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul.

6. Color Place

Arguably the most famous colour analysis studio in Seoul, thanks to the many celebrities who have visited, like ITZY’s Ryujin and Yuna, TWICE’s Nayeon, Jisoo, Baekhyun and Day6’s Sungjin.

While getting an appointment with chief consultant, Lee Se-ryeong, can be tricky, the studio also has qualified consultants that will help you find your perfect colour match.

Color Place only offers one package, Premium Total Consulting, which includes hair style and colour, eyebrow design, eyeglass design and even contact lens colour recommendation, in addition to your colour analysis.

Besides being given the colour theory papers from your session, you’ll also get a keychain with small fabric swatches of the colours from your match. Perfect for your shopping days during the rest of your Seoul vacay.

Color Place is located at 54 Bongeunsa-ro 30-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

7. Vic’s Lab

Founder, Victoria Joo, is highly passionate about skincare, makeup and fashion, and it shows with what Vic’s Lab offers. Besides personal colour analysis, you can also sign up for fun experience programmes like DIY Lipstick Makeup, best done after your colour analysis session, or an Expert Skin Analysis where you’ll get a professional skin assessment, advice for a holistic skincare approach and even get to create your own toner, serum and lip balm.

The best bit? Vic’s Lab also offers group colour analysis sessions for up to six people, making it a memorable activity for your next girls’ trip to Seoul.

Vic’s Lab is located at Level 3, 100-13 Yanghwa-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul.

8. Meime Color And Beauty

Without a doubt, Meime Color and Beauty is well-loved by foreigners thanks to founder, Suzi’s fluency in English.

Known for her detailed and informative sessions, Suzi levels up her consultation with the use of a spectrophotometer, a device that helps accurately determine your skin tone. This is because your personal season colour may not always correlate with your skin tone.

And to help you with your shopping after the session, Suzi will send over inspired looks and makeup options based on your results.

Meime Color And Beauty is located at 15-15, Level 15, Hyosung Harrington Tower, 1337-16 Seochodong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

9. Cocory

If you’ve always been curious to learn the ins and outs of the colour theory, Cocory is the place to visit. Each session begins with a quick, but detailed, colour theory lesson.

And instead of just giving you colour options for your top two season matches, Cocory will give you options from the other different seasons as well, so you won’t feel like you have to do a complete wardrobe or makeup overhaul. Results can be sent via email, but we would suggest getting it on your phone so that you have the information on-hand anytime, anywhere—great for all the visits to Olive Young you’ll be making.

Besides a Personal Color session, Cocory also has a Balance Design session where you can get your body and facial structures analysed to help determine fashion outfits and hairstyles that work for your individual style.

Cocory is located at Level 6, 193-3 Yeonhui-ro, Seodaemun-gu Seoul and Level 3, 11 Hongik-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul.

10. Mood Collect

Did you know that (G)I-DLE member and Harper’s BAZAAR August 2023 cover girl, Minnie, visited Mood Collect to do her colour analysis workshop? And if it’s good enough for the Thai K-pop idol, it’s definitely cool in our books too.

And with a few locations in Seoul’s popular spots—Gangnam, Seongsu and Garuso-gil—making an appointment at Mood Collect is easy. Makeup enthusiasts will be happy to take home a PDF full of instructions, complete with face diagram, on how to replicate your new beauty look after your session too.

But what we’d suggest is making your colour analysis appointment at Mood Collect Black (the Garuso-gil branch) and adding a hair service, like a perm or colour session so you can get a head-turning top-to-toe transformation.

Mood Collect is located at Level 4, 7 Teheran-ro 6-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul; Level 3, 12 Yeonmujang 7-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul; and Level 2, 23 Dosan-daero 17-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.