Aumente Style in Ohio (Pat Henshaw who co-authored Color me Confident is a partner) uses the CMB-Europe 12-palette system.

Clear Spring is so pretty. I used to want to be one…

I was recently able to find some of the older 12 season CMB swatch packets (made for distribution in the USA, the spelling is “color” on everything) on eBay, the CMB consultant who sold them to me told me that CMB discontinued them “several” years ago because it was “too confusing” and they weren’t getting enough extra profit for the time/expense of carrying 12 unique product lines instead of four.

I believe CMB operates like Mary Kay and many other direct cosmetic/ image consultant companies, one of the ways that consultants make money is to recruit and train other people to become consultants. I bet what really happened is the consultants were having to spend a lot more time with both their clients and their trainees using the 12 Season system and that it was easier for the consultants to type and train people with only four options. Just a guess. Too bad though!

I think that one of the reasons CMB and color analysis in general aren’t more popular these days (besides the passing of the “fad” phase) is that many women weren’t happy with being stuck in one of the four seasons, and don’t realise that they would really shine in one of the 12. Look how many of Christine’s readers have been dissatisfied with their initial color analysis experience.

I’m so happy we have this site and companies like Sci/Art and Pretty Your World as resources!

I wondered the same thing about CMB – and don’t know the answer. I haven’t read all the books, so I don’t know if they explain this decision in one of the more recent books.

You are probably right, since I was typed by more than one system and given similar results I likely don’t need another draping, even though this was done back in th 80’s. CMB gave me Spring (this was before they expanded to 12 seasons) and Color 1 doesn’t use seasonal names since they did individual custom swatch packets, but they told me I was warm not cool and gave me many of what I now recognize are the Clear Spring colors. I also had a woman that had started her own business based on CMB concepts type me as Spring.

I’m sure you know by now that the reason I went to multiple people is that I intially wasn’ t that excited about “my” colors, when I first went for color analysis I really thought I was a Summer or possibly Winter because my favorite colors to wear were blues and purples and of course being the 80s I also had a closet full of black, grey and pink. Spring was not what I expected (nor were browns/beiges and yellows very fashionable at the time)! I think if I’d been given Clear Spring right away (with my favorite blues and purples) I would have fallen in love with the pallette, and once I had what I know now to be Clear Spring colors from Color 1’s pallette I finally learned to embrace Spring. I still loved black and whatever the hot fashion colors were though.

Now that I’m older I’ve really noticed that the “wrong” colors accuentuate skin spots and undereye circles/fine lines, and I realize I need to get on and stick with a “right” colors program.

I’m wondering if you have any theory on why Color Me Beautiful abandoned the 12 season system and is now back to just four seasons? A real step backward in my opinion.

Thanks for the feedback and for all you do here, really like this site!

Kathy W.

I’m undecided if I need to have a draping done to confirm my Clear Spring suspicions. One of the systems that typed me years ago was Color 1, they match individual color swatches to you to create custom packets (a process that took hours!) and the Color 1 associate gave me many of the colors in the Clear Spring palette way back then – lots of blues, purples and reds. I don’t look good in muted earth tones so I’m pretty sure I’m not a Warm Spring or an Autumn that was incorrectly typed as Spring, and I think I’m too dark eyed for Light Spring. I’ve been reading about your transition from Autumn to Winter though, maybe a pair of “fresh eyes” is what I need.

The company is certainly still in operation, very much so. While the women who were shot (Google “Kalisz shootings Brooksville Florida” to read what happened) are still recovering, one of Kathryn’s daughters has taken the reins and is filling orders for the analysts. The company will take some restructuring, but I know that there are many plans. The online shop for buying swatch books should be operating again, but I do not know when. On the website, under Personal Colour Analysis, there should be a directory of analysts in the US (I’m assuming that’s where you are). You might be able to arrange a purchase through them.

Any news is appreciated. Sorry for your loss and the loss to the greater community.

As indescribably horrible as this loss has been, for the family, it must be unbearable. In the shootings, Deb, the office manager, and Captain Reed of the Florida police were also shot and killed. Kathryn is survived by her 3 daughters, one of whom was shot and lost a pregnancy, but is expected to live. I think of this terrible tragedy every day. Hopefully enough of Kathryn lives on in her family, her writing and teaching, and in her analysts to continue her journey.

I hope you’re keeping well. There are a number of Season naming systems, several more than those I’ve described. I think you would enjoy being color analyzed because you have an open mind. You can’t go into it with the notion that “I know what suits me better than anyone else does”, in which case the money is best spent elsewhere. Do you know how to find a Sci\Art- trained analyst near you? The company originates in Florida, I believe. Follow the Appointments link on the left side of this page :

http://www.coloranalysis.com/category_s/90.htm

Regarding leaving the veterinary world – I guess we are all made up of many parts. I’ve been a vet for 20 years. I don’t want to be 70 and look back and think that I denied a whole other part of myself just to be a vet for 40 years. Life has made me want things that I didn’t want back when I made the first choice. However, I will make the transition gradually. You know, A Greener Kibble might be an idea worth pursuing! That world generates a story each day, might be useful when I run out of gas on the other topics.

I think I am a warm autumn like you thought you were but now at some point I guess I am going to have either you or the woman you have been following do an analysis.

Do I understand correctly that you are becoming a color analysis coordinator and giving up the veterinary work? I honestly need you for that, also-maybe you will do a greener kibble email.

I owe you still a long personal email but I do read all you send and keep 90%of them!

Rosalie