u/Affectionate-Bee3199

I just felt depressed saying in my pjs for washing dishes and making breakfast, so I went back to my closet like, okay. What's calling to me. And it was this blouse that I got on instinct months ago but never had the guts to wear?? So shiny?? And so it suddenly became a great opportunity to wear my antique earrings, my favorite MLBB lipstick, a new skirt thats shiny but in a subtler way, and...my house slippers I guess?

I think I had way more shame hiding in me than I realized and even the thought of it being okay to literally dress exactly how I want to has caused some really immediate, interesting changes...It still makes me nervous to do that initial "check in" with myself but truly. Whats the worse that can happen?

The other night I was looking at the outfits from the last few months that have given me the most delight. Hardly any of them used very much situational awareness, truth be told...The intensity is debatable, but it also makes me feel full of wonder to think about: how far will I go, now that Im giving myself permission?? Of course not in a, "let's create the wildest looks imaginable" type of way, but more like, "what's going to happen when I just say yes to what actually EXCITES me?"...which is exhilarating for me..! It feels real and vulnerable but I feel more ready to take on the challenge now.

I had been so avoidant of looking too deep within, probably because my mental health is iffy sometimes, I have traumas that have majorly affected me, Im more than likely ND, etc.-- you know how it is. And to top it off, Im a rushed SAHM, plus Im not really surrounded by the most...stylistically eccentric people, lol. Quite the opposite. Theyre kind and lovely but its not like its already a "thing" around here. Its one thing when you're a teen in school, its more expected. But now in my late 20s with a toddler it's like...I definitely had some rules in my mind about what's acceptable, etc. But honestly rules have never worked for me so I dont think itll be THAT hard to shed the fear...its just strange? And I feel the need to share with others who understand 😅

Slide 2 outfits are some of the more expressive ones, while slide 3 outfits were more careful, cozy, comforting ones, generally. I dont think theres one single aesthetic, really..? But Im surprised to see that there are some recurring themes. Still pondering it all. I def dont always dress FG, SSu, ICN, etc. 😅🤣

Thank you for reading and happy Friday 😊

My apologies for posting back to back like this lol😅 but today was one of the strangest yet easiest getting ready experiences ever!

After Upness came up on my last post, I was like, huh. Wow. Hmm. So today, my challenge was to go full send on both Instinct and Intensity, to the best of my ability. I just let it rip potato chip, and it was actually quite a rush 🤭 And so far today, I actually do feel more bubbly and less shy, paradoxically! Like, "yes, here I am!"

I have always loved to feel that Im being expressive in my style, but it's sometimes felt a little bit high risk, high reward? Since I do feel hypersensitive to my clothes, and I do need them to be "just right" for me, I initially assumed I must be very Down. But now Im re-thinking that, because maybe, my clothes affecting me so much means that I can lean on them to help me come out of my shell, rise to the occassion, show up as my best self...and maybe that does lowkey mean being a little more Up in my best approach than I realized? 🫣 and maybe my best starting point is the internal landscape going on. It all seems to come down to being expressive on MY terms, listening to that voice within etc. I really dont mind being a little "extra", and actually I love it, as long as it's FULLY "me" and in harmony with what's going on within me. I know that my essences/look is sort of on the delicate side and that if my outfit feels loud in the wrong way, Im a mess. But maybe the right kind of loud is going to be an even more fulfilling vision to reach for?

I was a little scared of intentionally listening to that inner voice before, but I think taking the leap has made me feel really happy. Because the voice is there, and I do naturally want to share it with others. I just need to make sure it's done in a well-calibrated, intentional way, it seems. I'll keep taking things one day at a time and trying to learn more and more, but I feel like Im maybe onto something that will be key for me, moving forward.

About the outfit itself-- In my mind, I felt very "doll" today. A touch severe (for me), but also fun and sweet. Pleasant, but somewhat stern. All the pink does feel like color fun for me. And my new pimples are giving this sort of "pinched" look to my face, which somehow feels like natural makeup, like perfect for the mood/vibe? 😅😂 Im leaning into it, so only went for mascara and lipstick. And no necklaces felt like additional intentional vulnerability, while the earrings felt like owning the Ingenue in me. The hairstyle is again my (perhaps subtle) version of "edge", and the puffed shoulders, visible socks and super wide barefoot sneakers all feel like my way of taking up a little extra space. Thanks to the appraoch of looking within and creating the effect I wanted, this look ended up feeling like such a statement of myself, who I am, and how Im feeling. And so miraculously, I dont feel overstimulated at all! Just uplifted, less shy, and a little more confident. It's very energizing and I already am looking forward to tomorrow, which is huge for me 🌸

So I've posted here before in the past, and our dear admin helped me with her amazing typing tool, which at the time gave me a low-confidence DC result. But eventually, we determined Im most likely an FG. Well today Im home with a cold, so I thought itd be fun to actually support the project! And I was really curious what itd say this time, too. So I went to the website with a new and better photo, and it gave me FG with 75% confidence! It was so fun to actually get FG this time, now that I know better how to get as accurate a typing photo as possible. The virtual try-ons were spot-on too, and really showed how I swim in the outfit recs for all the other IDs, despite my average height (5' 5.25"). Dressing FG has been working great for me, but you know how it is; sometimes it's fun to re-open the can of worms. So thank you Lani! Love your work, it's really cool 😊

(Not my photo, just my basic OOTD for fun)

I know my vibe/face/essences can seem a bit "softer" than the FG look, and this can make people feel like FG isn't right for me. But the actual FG lines seem to really work, so I just use whatever style elements and colors I feel suit me, but within FG-ish lines! I've found that when I try to force that feeling of "softness" by accomodating curve that I don't have, it doesn't look right at all. So finding my ID has been extremely helpful these past few months! It's definitely a great yin/yang balance for me and its made getting dressed a lot more fun 😊 happy Monday! 🌸

Last two photos are to honor that Ive finally captured some photos that feel like a true-to-life depiction of my chroma..! Its a long story but after a year I feel like neutral and soft really is where I belong after all. Fun stuff 🌈

Slide 1 gloss is Snow Pink (Revlon) - Took this one when I thought I was LSp, turns out I was already dressing SAu, lol.

Slide 2 lipstick is Worth It (L'Oreal) 💞

Does anyone else like this one? So far, besides this one I've also tried:

Worth It (LOreal)

Blushing Mauve (Revlon)

Moscow Mule (Buxom)

And the Burts Bees shade Red Dahlia

Im really happy and excited because everything SAu I try, I actually like! It just feels like it works! Not just the makeup, outfit colors too, but I also feel like lipstick doesnt lie 🤣 Any other must-haves I should try? Drugstore brands preferred haha😊 Thank you!! 💞

Blushing Mauve from Revlon - yay or nay? Recommended mainly for Soft Autumns I've heard? Only have on the lipstick and some brown mascara. It feels like such a close match to my natural lip color. 2nd photo is same look but in a car; I feel like unlike with cooler or brighter lip colors, its working in all sorts of different lightings. Third slide is to show why Ive been gravitating towards softer colors-- bright looks always seem fun in selfies with nice lighting, but turns out I feel way more harmonious overall in softer looks. So thats why Im trying this softer lip color now. Thanks for stopping by :) ❤️

Slide one is in a typical Cool Summer grey, almost no skin makeup, some silver eyeshadow and Secret Club (Revlon) taken today mid-morning. Slide two is same spot (sorry for stove light) with Volcanic (L'Oreal) and of course gold earrings and shirt, no other makeup. Took me what feels like FOREVER to feel sure about my colors y'all 😅😂 (iykyk)

Here are my key takeaways: surface coloring is irrelevant, hair turning brassy from sun exposure is irrelevant, only drapes tell the truth, and complexion comes first *always* ! Color reflecting up onto your face means your skin is *fighting* that color. A truly good color will make you pop, make your face come forward and let you remain the focus, not steal the show. Blemishes should become less noticeable, etc.

These are all things that we hear all the time and that feel obvious and redundant, but for someone on the journey it can be hard to actually apply these simple truths. Its so easy to feel "medium" in every way, to be convinced you're just so neutral, etc. BUT. In my opinion: If you can see a gold drape turning you yellow in the mirror, it doesnt matter how warm you look-- you're just not! 😆 Even a very neutral-leaning Spring or Autumn should not experience a strong negative reaction to gold or yellow-based colors.

So anyways. Can anyone relate to being a walking optional illusion? 😅 Of course I made many more comparisons and tested various drapes and lipsticks rigorously, got help from analyst friends and analysts in training etc. But I felt these two photos summed up things neatly, haha😊💞

Hopefully Ive chosen the right sub to ask this sort of a thing, thank you for reading :)

Heres the list of ones I tried that are kinda bad, that made me doubt Im cool-toned (all Revlon):

Pink Promise, Secret Club, Mauvy Night, Sassy Mauve, Pink in the Afternoon (its okay, but not ideal)

Anyone else relate to wanting a few perfect daily lipstick go-tos, but hard to find them? Lol! The ones on the list were all either too heavy/muted, too icy, or too pale/soft/light. Maybe even just *too* cool. But Blushing Berry is 💯💯💯

Anyone else love this one?

Any Light Summers here love the Revlon shade Pink in the Afternoon? Ive enjoyed my LSp result the last few months but considering just HOW careful I have to be with yellows/oranges, I have more peace of mind just leaning slightly cool these days. Somewhere in the realm of neutral-cool, mediumish value and medium/medium-high intensity feels like my color niche. And I really HATE what warmer makeup does to me (anything warmer than PitA doesnt work so far) So with that being said, Ive been enjoying:

Pink in the Afternoon (Revlon)

Pink Flamingo (Revlon)

Sassy Mauve (Revlon)

Blushing Berry (L'Oreal)

Jelly tint in shade Burst (MILK)

Any other makeup recommendations in this realm of things? Does anyone else relate to my coloring? Between the freckles (more beige than orange) and sunbleached hair, and also my slight cool fair olive influence in my genes, its been a puzzle lol I mean like basically it took me a whole year to feel confident about things 😂🤣 but now that its making sense to me for real I want to post a little more here and there and see if theres anyone with similar characteristics! So fun. And again, would love to hear any other makeup recs!! BONUS POINTS if its drugstore 😁😊💞

Its been like almost a year since I started with my color journey, so I just thought itd be fun to share where Im at currently with things, and also show this simple way of making virtual drapes.

Basically it's just erasing your photo except for your face to isolate your complexion, and then adding an actual palette to the slide. Then use the color slider to match the actual background to colors in the palette! This might be something everyone's already doing but I am very tech challenged so, I felt proud 😅🤣😂 and it feels accurate! Sort of for those who are a bit "beyond" Vivaldi, but aren't sure how to go about it without spending $ on a pro analysis? Idk, let me know your thoughts 😆

An essential things to note: Back camera photos in natural midmorning light really can't be beat, it's true. I wasted a lot of time trying to figure my coloring out with selfies, pics taken in rooms with blue walls, etc 🥲 please don't bother!!

Slides 1 thru 6 are Light Summer. Slides 7 thru 9 are Light Spring. Slides 10 thru 13 are Bright Winter. Slides 14 thru 18 are Bright Spring. And finally slide 19 is the photo I used, taken with a back camera, clean face, neutral light, etc.

If youre interested in my whooole story haha:

I've mostly always been someone on the border of light and bright, warm and cool. Light to medium value colors have generally gotten the best responses from the beginning, though. An interesting thing to note is that my hair is actually level 6 "darkest blonde", which is a darker color than most of us non-hair folk think of as "blonde" but its been confirmed by 2 of my trained hairstylist friends. Don't be deceived, my hair is sunbleached, not auburn. And yes its 100% natural :)

Also side note, being neutral-cool implies the presence of SOME warmth in the skin; there is no actual blue in skin of course, its just how much orangey pheomelanin one has that determines undertone. So I think I have SOME warmth, just not enough to be a Spring. My freckles are more of a beige color, not actually orangey. BUT bad photos in the past did give a totally different impression; I can LOOK very warm but alas, something kept bugging me: why do certain yellows and oranges just look SO bad on me, haha. So anyways, I digress.

My first virtual analysis result was in February from Perfectly Seasoned, she gave me cool summer. But I couldn't follow the lipstick recs; always too soft and/or cool, nothing was ever QUITE right, and I can do coral and mango just a little too easily for it to make sense. So then a few months later I get a Light Spring result from RLG Color Consulting. (He was so great, btw!) Of course throughout this time, I was trying to figure it out myself, taking any help I could get, feeling confused and frustrated at times, etc. But the LSp result felt like a relief, even though I always ended up stealing from the Brights anyways (and many friends have believed Im a Bright something over time). But at least I could say, "Im a Spring" and be good with that. I took a break from color, getting into every other style system under the sun and its been fantastic. But now Ive felt ready to address my coloring again, just in a more relaxed (and tbh more experienced) way. And I think my cool fair olive dad's genes have added to my complexity lol !

So thats my story! Tell me what you think of these virtual "drapes". And no, in-person analysis is not accessible to me at this time haha! My best lipstick so far is Pink in the Afternoon from Revlon, but Im gonna be trying some others today. I think the Light Summer colors win, with Light Spring as a close-ish 2nd. Of course there are not enough color comparisons here for a FULL, complete picture of things, but still thought itd be fun to share. I think virtual drapes CAN be helpful for determining undertone and intensity, when done thoughtfully. So hopefully this all helps others somehow too! Happy Sunday😊💞

NMIP

Oh, Kibbe...It definitely took some figuring out and there's been a learning curve for sure, but it's been worth it! So Im slowly replacing my ultra long, voluminous items with more structured, narrow/petite pieces. I did love my other more long/flowy looks at the time, and have no regrets! But now I cant imagine going back, tbh 🌟 sorry its just mirror selfies, and not proper chest height photos. Just got this first skirt and Im so excited that I CAN do somewhat longer lengths, just in my own FG way.

Ive always felt an "intensity" in my life and have gone through some pretty crazy things; some things relatively common (e.g. difficult parents/childhood, pregnancy losses) other things not so much (e.g. multiple times of changing belief system/religion, was in an actual cult for 6 years). Im doing better than ever now, so not complaining or treating this like a therapy thing, just painting the picture😊❤️ It's more just that I've always figured Pluto had a lot to do with it, but now Im not so sure? I like to identify the roots of things so that I can address them directly, if that makes sense.

I do feel that Im here to grow and learn, and I crave meaning in my life for sure. So, willing to face the difficult things, always with hope for a positive outcome! I've always been a "seeker" for better or worse, that's for sure. I do feel its gotten me to good places, but its also a challenging way to live life, it seems.

So with that said, would appreciate any insights and thank you for your help! ❤️❤️❤️

Not that my OOTD is like, perfectly by the book FG, but I really feel like Ive gotten what I was looking for within this system and I feel like theres just no looking back!❤️ doing the G chop has really already made my life easier and it does feel genuinely more harmonious with my frame, so Im feeling excited for this new era for sure💞

Im always interested in any new insights !