There was much debate over the lack of ethnic models at London Fashion Week and whilst we are not attempting to get into a political debate here, from a simple fashion/style/beauty point of view, it doesn't make sense not to represent the various ethnic looks and skin tones that make up the British demographic today.

Along with your hair and eye colour, your skin colour and skin tone (coolness, warmth and depth in colour) will dictate which colours suit you.  Your personality will also influences your colour choice, of course, but you can't deny that there are some shades you instinctively know make you look either utterly amazing or truly awful.  Certain shades will compliment not just the colour but the tone of your skin wonderfully, and others will make your skin look dull and even cast shadows on your face.  Also, you need to consider that the texture of your skin changes over the years which means the colour and tone will change slightly too.

In our new, just launched Colour Me Beautiful book the expanded colour section now provides a range of colour profiles for women of all skin tones including Caucasian, Asian, Black or Oriental.  Understanding your dominant colouring and knowing your skin tone is the same as knowing you have a high or short waist, a long or short neck or small or large bust; once you really understand what your individual characterstics are you can make better choices in your clothing and make-up.

Consider the people you know and imagine grouping together those with blonde hair, those with freckles, those with dark skin, and so on. Within those groups, each individual will have a different eye colour and skin tone and will suit different shades of colours.  When you think of a simple pair of tights in a ‘nude’ shade, what is YOUR nude won’t be a “nude” for your friend who might be a British born Spaniard, Caribbean, Chinese etc.  So, it was very clever of Mr. Louboutin to create a range of shoes in five nude shades to cater for a variety of skin tones http://bit.ly/1otW8Rd  In 2011 Debenhams launched a range of ‘invisible’ skin tone hosiery, available in different shades for women with fair, medium and dark skin.  Just the same as clothing sizes and body shapes, one ‘nude’ does not fit all.

So, without even stepping into the politics of this discussion, it is a simple fact that we are all a combination of different hair, eye and skin colourings and within that we all have different skin tones.  And thank goodness! How uninspiring it would be if we all looked and dressed exactly the same.

We can help you determine your 'dominant' colouring, skin tone and personal style.  Get in touch with a Colour Me Beautiful consultant near you to find out more about our one-to-one Colour Consultations.