When you want to understand the psychology of color, the first step is to realize that each shade conveys a certain awareness and personality to others. Angela Wright, who studied psychoanalytical psychotherapy in England and links between color and human behavior in California, describes the in depth ways that color palettes influence our lives at her Colour Affects website. In short, she describes how the choice of colors emits not only your own personal preferences, but strongly influences how you’re perceived by others.
 
To understand what each shade most significantly conveys, read below.
Red – Red can be considered either abrasive and defiant or friendly & energetic, depending on the wearer. It also can convey courage or strength.
Blue – Blue is described as an intellectual color; often, it’s considered mentally soothing, calming, and a sign of efficiency or trust. However, it can also convey coldness, aloofness or even unfriendly.
Yellow – Embrace yellow, an energetic color specifically linked to emotion. It’s a sharp color that is particularly stimulating. While it’s positive attributes are significant, and include optimism, confidence, self-esteem and even emotional strength, it is sometimes also linked to irrationality, fear, emotional fragility or even depression.
Green - Green is a cooler tone that promotes restfulness and balance, not unlike the soothing nature of blue, but can also be paired with boredom, stagnation or blandness. Because of the easy way in which it strikes the eye (and it’s prevalence in nature), green most often conveys a sense of balance.
Violet - This color often conveys spiritual awareness and vision; used delicately, it’s positive attributes include luxury and authenticity. Go too far, however, and authenticity moves further into decadence, suppression and negative feelings of inferiority.
Orange - Shades of orange convey some of what red and yellow do in that it’s stimulating, physical and emotional. Uses of orange can be particularly negative, especially when paired with black, and convey deprivation. However, its use can also send messages of physical comfort, security sensuality and passion.
Pink - Like red, pink affects many in a physical way, but it usually soothes rather than stimulates. You get positive feelings of physical tranquility, nuture and warmth from pink, but can also get physical weakness and inhibition.
Grey - Grey conveys a sense of nothingness; if you want to be particularly neutral in a topic and devoid of emotion, this shade is for you. While it can be linked to a lack of energy and/or hibernation, it can be particularly useful in places that require psychological neutrality.
Black - Sophisticated and glamorous, there’s a reason black is the color of clothing in New York City. However, its use is also linked to oppression, coldness and menace. If you want to convey either uncompromising excellence or a total lack of energy, then this shade will work well.
White - White (the opposite of black) is a color of reflection; positive attributes include hygiene, sterility, clarity and purity, while coldness, unfriendliness and elitism are its negatives. It does share the quality of uncompromising excellence, however, with black.
Brown - Brown promotes seriousness but also warmth; however, it can be linked to a lack of humor, heaviness and lack of sophistication. Warmer and softer than black, this shade conveys more positivity but lacks the refinement of the purer color.
 
Everyone has shades that they're most comfortable with. However, once you understand the psychology of the color and how you can use it to your advantage, it opens up a myriad of opportunities for you. Get new items and old favorites, all available in our Real Purity Cosmetics category.