The colour wheel is an invaluable tool when it comes to understanding colours, as it separates them out into three categories: primary, secondary, and tertiary colours (which are a combination of primary and secondary). You can also split these colours into cool and warm tones, with complimentary colours lying opposite on the colour wheel. Complimentary colours can be mixed together to cancel each other out.

Primary: red, yellow, blue.

Secondary: violet, orange, green.

Tertiary: lime green, turquoise, blue-violet, crimson, red-orange, yellow-orange.

Many pigment manufacturers use yellow, green, red, black and white tones to create natural makeup looks on their clients, and will usually skew warmer or cooler. Understanding how these colours work together in your pigment is paramount in selecting the right colour for your client!