Why Color Payoff Matters

It sounds dull but understanding color payoff means knowing why some colors look good on you and some don't, why some makeup colors disappear and some go full-ass clown.

This blog is named “Makeup Lessons & Color Theory”. I’ve been talking a lot about makeup and formula so now let’s hit on a color theory topic that makes a difference. It might sound boring but it is the key to knowing what colors you can wear and why, it is the basis to finding the best nude lip color and best neutral clothing colors. It gives you power at the makeup store and you come home with fewer “duds”. It is a key piece that many, even pro artists, don’t get and don’t use.

It is: Color Payoff.

Most people think of color payoff in terms of opacity. Things that are sheer or translucent will have very little color payoff compared to things that are opaque. In makeup this would be about the pigmentation in our products. Think of the difference between a face powder and a black eyeshadow. Both are powders but one is super pigmented. Obviously a black eyeshadow is going to give a lot of color payoff.

But we can take the concept deeper into color theory and skin. How solid something is will determine how much of it you see (in the pigment discussion), but this is about density and doesn’t really deal with color. Color payoff describes the degree in which a specific color will appear or show up when applied. This takes into consideration the intensity of the color and its comparison to the canvas it sits on and the colors around it.