Introducing Sarah Tearle of Elemental Colour – Adelaide

I first heard of the concept of personal colour analysis (PCA) about ten years ago, in a book I was reading about style. I was immediately enthralled by the idea, but couldn’t work out from the book’s description which colours were mine, beyond establishing quite positively that black was not a good colour for me! I purged black from my closet, but otherwise left the idea fermenting in the back of my mind for lack of any better information.

My interest in learning about makeup developed quite separately, when I decided that if I was going to wear it sometimes I ought to know how to apply it! I was surprised to discover that the technical aspects of makeup artistry are absolutely fascinating to me. Good makeup is not really about covering up, it is about enhancing the structure of the face and  directing the viewer’s focus. I loved the process of creating these effects so much that I decided that I wanted to become a makeup artist, and enrolled to study at Media Makeup Academy in Adelaide.

Around this time personal colour analysis came back into my life, and renewed searching led me to the sci/ART method of PCA.  I was immediately struck by the beauty and accuracy of the system and was sure that here, finally, I would find my own colour home.  There was no sci/ART analyst available in my city so I had to wait until I could get to Sydney to have an analysis with Amelia. In the meantime I obsessively read everything I could find about this amazing system, and about colour theory in general.

All this knowledge and passion still hadn’t provided the realisation of what a transformative experience a draping can be. My analysis showed that I AM a Soft Autumn; in those colours I saw myself become relaxed and glowing. I saw that my complexion was not boring if it was surrounded by my colours, and that my belief that only with blonde hair could I be attractive was incorrect. Since I studied with Amelia  and have seen the transformation in others many times, I have seen a remarkable thing: wearing correct colours achieves the same thing as good makeup – it brings out the true structure of the face and invariably brings the viewer’s focus to the eyes.

I find that your true colours don’t just make you look prettier or more stylish, they seem to draw out your inner serenity, wholeness and beauty. People are drawn to the person that you are, rather than reacting to a facade that you present. I have had a woman come up to me in the supermarket to say, ‘I just have to tell you

I love the colour of your dress!’ I was wearing a Soft Autumn pink – on many people that colour looks dull and murky. A client going home on the plane wore her complimentary Light Summer scarf and the person sitting next to her said, ‘I can’t help but tell you that your scarf looks beautiful on you!’ People are quite moved by seeing someone in their season’s colours.

I want to give people access to this tool that gives confidence and self-belief; that allows people to be themselves rather than trying to emulate the unrealistic models of beauty presented in the media; and helps them portray the true and perfect expression of their unique beauty.  I believe that everyone is beautiful because I have seen the evidence.

My consultations draw together my knowledge of personal colour analysis and makeup and my aim is to send clients away with a profound new awareness of their personal beauty signature. It is important to me that people can experience the impact their true tone’s colours have on their presence. Consultations for women include a makeup application, which I prefer to be a light, natural-looking application to demonstrate how little is needed when the colours are right. They also include a complimentary scarf in one of the clients’ colours. The scarf helps to bridge the gap to a new wardrobe, and also is a take-home reminder of the magic of their colours on them.

Sarah Tearle

sarah@elementalcolour.com.au

www.elementalcolour.com.au