Colors For Blondes And For Brunettes

Now, for a practical application of this knowledge.



The hair of the blond is a mixture of red, yellow and brown. As a rule

the skin is lighter, that is, it contains not so much orange, and the

tinges of red are lighter. Nature, therefore, very properly made the

blond's eyes blue, since the blue is complementary to the orange of her

hair.



The brunette's skin, on the other hand, has more orang in it, and hence

a color favorable to one would not be becoming to the other.



What would be the effect of green upon a complexion deficient in red? It

would certainly heighten the rose tints in the cheeks, but the greatest

care should be exercised in the selection of the proper shade of green,

because the brunette's complexion contains a great deal of orange, and

the green, acting upon the red of the orange, could readily produce a

brick-dust appearance. Green, therefore, is a risky color for a

brunette, and so is violet, which would neutralize the yellow of the

orange and heighten the red. But if the orange complexion had more

yellow than red, then the association of violet would produce pallor.

Yellow, of course, is her color, since its complementary violet

neutralizes the yellow of the orange complexion and leaves the red.



But with the yellow-haired blond the conditions are very different. The

complementary of blue is orange, which improves the hair and freshens

the light flesh tints. A blond, therefore can wear blue, just as a

brunette can wear yellow.



In arranging flowers the same law holds. Complementary colors should be

placed side by side; blue with orange, yellow with violet, red and rose

with green leaves. And anyone who successfully selects his wall paper

and house furnishings is drawing unconsciously, perhaps, on an intuitive

knowledge of these fundamental facts. Dark papers are bad, especially in

rooms with a northern exposure, because they absorb too much light. The

complementaries of red and violet are exceedingly trying to most

complexions, and orange and orange-yellow are fatiguing to the eye. The

most pleasing effects are to be had with yellow, light blue and light

green, for the latter freshens the red in pale skins, and the blue

heightens blond complexions, and goes well with gilding and with

mahogany and cherry furniture.