Start with even light

Face a window with indirect daylight. Keep the light source in front of you rather than behind your head. Move away from patches of direct sun, colored lamps and bright green reflected light. You do not need a professional camera; a repeatable setup is more useful than a dramatic portrait.

Keep the whole face visible

Use a front-facing view with the camera around eye level. Leave enough space to show the hairline and jaw, and move hair away from the cheeks. Remove sunglasses and avoid a crop that cuts through the face. Submit one adult face. A neutral expression or relaxed smile is fine; avoid extreme angles.

Reduce color changes

Turn off beauty filters and deliberate color effects. If possible, use a photo without heavy makeup. Dyed hair does not make analysis impossible, but it changes the visible evidence; do not interpret an assessment of visible hair as a claim about your natural color. A neutral top is a useful starting point.

If the tool asks you to retake it

Change one thing at a time. For shadows, move closer to indirect light. For blur, steady the phone and use the original file. For a color cast, move away from colored surfaces. Repeatedly submitting the same unsuitable photo will not improve the evidence. If you prefer not to send an image through the gateway, use the no-photo questionnaire.

What a good photo cannot guarantee

A clear photo supports a better comparison, but it does not calibrate a camera or prove a unique season. Treat the result as a set of colors to try beside your face. Compare them under the same light before making purchases or changing your hair.

Keep exploring

Try photo analysis · Take the no-photo quiz · Explore all twelve palettes