A Dayton-area entrepreneur recently took a dive into the viral world of color analysis to help locals, and primarily women, find confidence and enhance their natural beauty.
House of Color is a London-based brand, focused on color analysis, expanding across the United States through franchising. Caitlin Benton is a recent regional franchisee and House of Color consultant located in Oakwood.
The process analyzes a person’s undertones to determines the best color palette for clothing, makeup and general personal styling. To do this, Benton uses precision dyed drapes to find the hues and saturations that best fit the individual, ultimately choosing one of four color seasons.
“Obviously, there's a lot going on in the world, and it's very easy to put yourself at the bottom of the list,” Benton said. “There are a lot of other priorities in your life. But for me, this filled my bucket up so much that I could become a better employee, a better spouse, a better parent. I would hope that this service, like gives people some joy and confidence, and just helps them be the best versions of themselves.”
An Oakwood resident, Benton runs the business out of her home within close proximity to the Shoppes of Oakwood. She opened her doors for the first time to receive clients in May.
Benton’s passion for the business started with her own experience trying color analysis in Columbus in 2022. At the time, Benton recalled having stepped away from a decade in workforce to care for her second child and the pandemic was on the horizon. She said she felt as if she’d lost sight of who she was and how she appeared.
“It was such a life changing experience,” Benton said. “I feel like that sounds so dramatic to say, but I'm such a rule follower. For me, it was the absolute permission slip I needed to wear brighter colors, to say no to trends and to be my most authentic self. I know there's other people out there like me that need the permission slip to try new things.”
The studio operates by appointment only. Sessions typically run between two and three hours. A single-person color analysis costs $270 and for groups, $245 per person.
Appointments are conducted in natural light, and clients must show up to the appointment without makeup to ensure accurate reading of undertones. Along with finding out their color seasons, clients will also learn about mixing and matching colors, best metals, denim shades, hair color and makeup. Clients will also walk away with a small color fan, displaying the 36 colors from their season, to use when shopping or digging through their closet.
Benton also offers personal shopping services and makeup classes. In September, she plans to launch a personal styling service.
As her business continues to grow, Benton hinted at pursuing a separate studio space in the future.
