Do Freckles Always Mean Warm Skin Tone? The Truth Every Colour Consultant Should Know
Monday, June 23, 2025
I love freckles.
Both my boys have lots and they’re both Autumns. So I totally get where the assumption comes from that freckles = warm skin tone.
But that’s not always true.
And if you’re a personal stylist or colour consultant, you’ve probably had that moment where you see a young client with freckles, and your brain immediately whispers, “Oh, this one’s going to be warm.”
Sometimes it’s right.
But sometimes… it’s not.
Today I want to share a story from inside the support group for my Certified Online Colour Analysis Expert Program that really brought this to life. It reminded me how much nuance there is in colour analysis—and how much our assumptions can trip us up.
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When Consultants See Opposites
One of the stylists in our program brought a young client forward for feedback. She had freckles, delicate features, and beautifully clear skin. The kind of client who looks effortlessly fresh and youthful.
But opinions about her colouring were completely split.
Some consultants were convinced she was 100% warm. They saw warmth in her cheeks, eyes, and hair, and naturally leaned toward palettes like Warm or Light Spring.
Others were adamant she was cool. They picked up coolness in her overall skin tone and the way some colours made her features pop. Cool Summer and even True Cool were suggested.
What made it so challenging, and interesting was that both groups had valid points. She did have warm features. And she did have cool ones too.
Ultimately, what brought everyone together was a realisation that her overall appearance was soft and blended. When we tested her in the Soft-Muted palette, something clicked.
The colours didn’t compete with her natural beauty, they enhanced it.
They pulled her features into harmony, echoed the softness of her freckles, and created that unmistakable flow we look for in a great colour match.
She wasn’t one extreme or the other. She was a beautiful combination of warm and cool, expressed through a muted, low-contrast aesthetic.
Why Freckles Can Be Misleading
Freckles are so charming. They add texture, dimension, and personality to the face. But they can throw us off when it comes to undertone.
They often appear golden or tan, which leads many to assume warmth. But freckles also show up on cool-toned clients, especially those with fair skin. They might be more ash-brown or taupe in tone, blending into cool or neutral undertones.
So when we rely on freckles alone to guide our colour analysis, we risk overlooking the full picture.
What to Look for Instead
If a client has freckles, here are some tips to guide your analysis:
1. Assess Areas Without Freckles
Check the jawline, neck, or under the chin—areas where freckles might be lighter or absent. These can help you determine the true undertone.
2. Look at the Eyes and Lips
These often reveal cool or warm undertones more reliably. Grey-blue or slate eyes and mauve lips suggest cool. Amber-flecked eyes and peachy lips suggest warm.
3. Evaluate Overall Contrast
Clients with freckles often have low contrast. Are the eyes, hair, and skin similar in depth? If so, Soft-Muted or Light palettes may work better than brighter, more contrasted ones.
4. Use Both Seasonal and Tonal Drapes
Sometimes the 4 seasons (Winter, Summer, Autumn & Spring) are not enough. The tonal system (Soft, Warm, Cool, Light, Deep, Bright) can offer more precision, especially when clients don’t fall cleanly into one season.
5. Don’t Rush to a Decision
This is especially true with younger clients. They often have clear skin that responds well to multiple palettes, so it takes time to find the best match. Trust the process.
The Beauty of Subtle Cases
Clients who sit between warm and cool, or who have less usual features like freckles, are often the ones who make us better colour consultants.
They force us to:
- Pause and look again
- Question surface-level assumptions
- Use more of our toolkit
- Collaborate and learn from others
And that’s what great colour analysis is about. Not getting it perfect instantly, but refining, learning, and being open to what the client is showing us.
In the case of the client shared in our group, no single voice had the full answer but the group process revealed the truth: She looked best in Soft-Muted because that matched her overall softness, her mix of undertones, and her gentle features.
Want to Build This Level of Confidence?
If you love these kinds of real-world, nuanced colour conversations and want to feel confident in every single consultation, then I’d love to invite you into the Certified Online Colour Analysis Expert Program.
Inside, you’ll learn:
- How to analyse every skin tone, including freckles and mixed undertones
- How to confidently use both seasonal and tonal systems
- How to handle tricky clients who don’t fit into neat boxes
- How to conduct consultations online with ease
- How to grow your colour business and stand out in your market
And you’ll be supported every step of the way with a private community of passionate colour consultants who are learning, growing, and sharing their wins.
Freckles are beautiful. They tell a story. And sometimes, that story is more complex than just "warm" or "cool."
When you learn to see the nuance and trust your process, you give your clients more than a palette. You give them clarity, confidence, and a new way of seeing themselves.
Hi, I'm Aileen Lane AICI CIP
6-Figure Mentor To Personal Stylists
I help visionary, ambitious personal stylists scale their businesses with strategy and soul—creating true location and financial freedom.
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Exclusive For You
Free Online Colour Analysis Training
FREE TRAINING
How Image Consultants Can Be Fully Booked With Online Colour Analysis...
...using skills you already have!
Sign Up for my 3 part training Now and get The EXACT Same Strategy I used to go from having the odd client here and there to my first 10k month.