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APL JAPAN Marks Third Year in Japan — Regular Classes and Consulting from Osaka Base
Now in its third year in Japan, APL runs regular personal color and body-frame analysis classes as well as personal shopper consulting from a WeWork base in Osaka's Midosuji district. Many of its students are professionals from Japan's hair industry.
APL COLOR Receives Plaque of Appreciation from the Mayor of Busan for Contributions to Personal Color and Image-Making
APL COLOR received a plaque of appreciation from the Mayor of Busan for its contributions to the personal color and image-making field. The award recognized its consistent participation in leading Busan fashion events such as 'PFB' as a member of the textile and fashion industry association.
APL COLOR Returns to BEXCO's PFB Busan Fashion Event — to Debut AI Virtual Fitting in 2025
APL COLOR ran a personal color analysis, style consulting, and fragrance recommendation booth at PFB (Preview in Busan) at BEXCO in 2023 and 2024. It will also take part in the event on October 31–November 1, 2025.
Yeonje-gu Family Center's 'Tone-myeodeulda' Program — Personal Color Lecture for 50 Family Members
APL COLOR held an on-site personal color lecture as part of the 'Tone-myeodeulda' program at Yeonje-gu Family Center in Busan. Four consultants led a theory lecture and one-on-one diagnosis for about 50 family members spanning grandparents to elementary school students.
APL COLOR Runs a Guerrilla Personal Color Booth at Yeongdo District's Gender Equality Week Ceremony
APL COLOR ran a dedicated personal color consultation booth at the 2026 Gender Equality Week commemorative ceremony hosted by Yeongdo District Office. Opened as a guerrilla booth before the ceremony began, it drew a waiting line of visitors.
APL COLOR Holds Personal Color & Body-Frame Lecture for Job-Seeking Students at Dongseo University
APL COLOR delivered an image-making (body-frame analysis) lecture as the closing session of Dongseo University's summer career-design program, offering one-on-one diagnosis and styling advice to students preparing for job interviews.
Gyeongnam Secondary School Principals' Summer Gathering — Personal Color Lecture at Floating717, Changwon
APL COLOR was invited by the Gyeongsangnam-do Office of Education to deliver a group personal color lecture for 30 secondary school principals at the oceanview venue Floating717 in Changwon.
APL COLOR Delivers Personal Color Lecture for 8 Teachers at Sangyong Geoje Asiad Kindergarten in Busan
APL COLOR visited Sangyong Geoje Asiad Kindergarten in Yeonje-gu, Busan, to hold a personal color theory lecture and one-on-one drape diagnosis for 8 teachers, as part of a staff culture-day event held after the children went home safely.
APL COLOR Leads Personal Color & Body-Shape Analysis at Korean Red Cross Busan Volunteer Training
APL COLOR conducted personal color analysis and basic body-shape analysis for 90 volunteers at the 2026 Volunteer Cheer-up Capacity Building Program hosted by the Korean Red Cross Busan Metropolitan City Chapter from August 5 to 7.
APL COLOR Holds Face-Shape Makeup & Personal Color Lecture at Bukdu Chilseong Library — Filled Up Right After Announcement
APL COLOR delivered a special lecture at Busan's Bukdu Chilseong Library covering face-shape-tailored makeup and quick personal color guidance using a colorimeter, featuring half-face practice sessions with 1:1 coaching.
Choryang Elementary School Hosts Personal Color & Image Making Lecture for Staff — Principal and Vice Principal Also Take Part
APL COLOR held a personal color and image making training session for staff at Choryang Elementary School in Busan. The school's principal and vice principal also took part, trying the drape-cloth diagnosis alongside teachers in a lively, upbeat session.
Choryang Elementary School Hosts Personal Color & Image-Making Healing Lecture for Parents
APL COLOR held a personal color and image-making healing lecture for 15 parents at Choryang Elementary School in Busan. Three veteran consultants took part, and a lecture for school staff is also planned.
Korean Red Cross Busan Chapter Hosts Personal Color & Image-Making Class for Multicultural Women
APL COLOR held an image-making and personal color class for immigrant women who married into Korea at the Korean Red Cross Busan Chapter. Three consultants took part to provide one-on-one analysis.
Busandong Middle School Staff Training — Personal Color Analysis Held in the Science Lab
APL COLOR delivered a personal color theory lecture and one-on-one analysis at a Busandong Middle School staff training session. The session came about after a school science teacher saw APL's blog and Instagram and made a direct request.
APL COLOR Conducts 'Personal Color with Mathematics' Group Diagnosis at Busan Math Culture Center
APL COLOR conducted a personal color group diagnosis and lecture using LAB colorimetry data at Busan Math Culture Center, a long-standing partner institution. A total of 22 people signed up.
Former MAC Artist and Deputy Director Leads Makeup Class at Bukdu Chilseong Library
At the invitation of Busan's Bukdu Chilseong Library, APL COLOR held a makeup class for adult women. A deputy director and former artist for the global brand MAC taught the class using a curriculum based on colorimeter data.
Second Round of Personal Color–Based Makeup Group Class at Bukdu Chilseong Library Sells Out Early
APL COLOR held the second round of its personal color–based makeup group class at Busan's Bukdu Chilseong Library. Led by Raum Beauty director Shin Yang-hee, the class drew enough interest to sell out early.
Image Branding Lecture at Busan Middle School Vice-Principals' Workshop — Full KCFB Instructor Team on Hand
APL COLOR delivered an image branding lecture at a Busan middle school vice-principals' capacity-building workshop at Hotel Nongshim in Dongnae. KCFB instructors collaborated on the consultations, and the lecture led to a follow-up session at Busan Arts Middle School.
APL COLOR Delivers Personal Color and Image Consulting for Busan Arts Middle School Staff
APL COLOR delivered a personal color and image consulting lecture for the staff of Busan Arts Middle School. The engagement followed recognition of the company's expertise at a group lecture for the Busan Metropolitan Office of Education.
APL COLOR Holds Personal Color and Image-Making Special Lecture for Busan Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Staff
APL COLOR held a personal color and image-making special lecture for staff of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in Busan. The company distributed its in-house self-diagnosis kit alongside one-on-one diagnoses.
APL COLOR Holds Body-Frame Analysis Consulting for Dongseo University Students
APL COLOR visited Dongseo University to provide a body-frame analysis lecture and styling consultations for university students, addressing practical concerns of job seekers such as interview and everyday looks.
APL COLOR Runs Personal Color Booth at Yangsan City Job Fair, Linked with Hair & Makeup Booth
APL COLOR operated a personal color booth at the Yangsan City Job Fair on October 28. A partner-run hair and makeup styling booth was set up alongside it, drawing high satisfaction from visitors.
APL COLOR Delivers Personal Color Lecture at Dongnae Middle School Vice-Principals' Capacity-Building Workshop
On October 1, APL COLOR conducted a personal color lecture and individual consultations at the Busan Dongnae Office of Education's middle school vice-principals' capacity-building workshop, held at Hotel Nongshim in Busan.
APL COLOR Runs Regular Personal Color and Body-Frame Analysis Classes at Busan's Bukdu Chilseong Library
APL COLOR runs personal color analysis and body-type/body-frame analysis classes as a regular program at Bukdu Chilseong Library in Busan's Dong-gu district. The classes draw such strong local response that competition to register is fierce.
Articles
Summer Deep Self-Diagnosis — If You're Summer Mute but Feel Washed Out, and Cool-Toned Winter Feels Too Heavy (APL 16 Seasons)
If you were diagnosed cool-toned Summer but pastels and muted colors leave you looking washed out, while deep Winter-style colors feel too heavy, you may be Summer Deep — the new subtype in APL's 16-season system. This guide covers the self-check criteria, how it differs from Summer Mute, Winter Deep, and Winter Soft, and real Instagram hashtag data.
Autumn Light Self-Diagnosis — If You're Warm-Toned Autumn but Get Mistaken for Cool-Toned Summer Because Your Skin Is Fair (APL 16 Seasons)
If you were diagnosed warm-toned Autumn but keep getting mistaken for cool-toned Summer, and bright pastels feel off while deep browns and burgundies age you, you may be Autumn Light — the new subtype in APL's 16-season system. This guide covers the self-check criteria, how it differs from Spring Light, Spring Soft, and Autumn Mute, and real Instagram hashtag data.
2026 FW Trend Colors: Which Shade Suits You? — Red, Purple, Cobalt Blue & Burgundy Matched to Your 14-Season Personal Color Tone
A guide to matching the 2026 FW trend colors — red, deep purple, cobalt blue, and burgundy — to the APL 14-season personal color tones. Covers the best-color definition for each tone, styling tips, and an Instagram tone-distribution snapshot.
The 16-Season Personal Color System — Why Summer Deep and Autumn Light Were Added, and How They Differ From the 14-Season System
APL COLOR expanded its 14-season classification into a 16-season system by adding two tones — Summer Deep and Autumn Light. This article covers why they were added and the key factors that separate Summer Deep from Winter Soft, and Autumn Light from Autumn Mute, along with each tone's skin, hair, and styling traits.
Why Summer Makeup Melts — Fix Longevity Before You Fix Tone: An 8-Step Base Routine and Personal Color Picks
Summer makeup doesn't melt because of weak coverage — it melts because of weak grip and hold. This guide breaks down the 8-step base routine from primer to tint, plus how tone-specific picks like a matte setting spray for Summer Deep and Summer Mute, or a matte lip for Autumn Light, change what actually lasts.
Low-Rise Body Type Self-Check — Matching Wave, Straight, and Natural Frame Types
A guide to the 4 body types that suit low-rise pants best — short torso with a short rise, an upper-body-weighted frame, a slim straight silhouette, and long legs relative to the torso — paired with a 3-line self-check for the Wave, Straight, and Natural frame types.
How to Find Your Luxury Brand — Matching High Brands to Your Body Frame Type
Based on APL's K-styling curriculum, this guide compares 8 luxury brands — Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and more — by image, silhouette, and material, and shows the 3 brands (Chanel, Burberry, Gucci) whose source material directly names a matching body frame type (Straight, Wave, Natural).
How to Choose a Hat by Face Shape — Completing the 7-Type Styling Series After Glasses, Eyebrows, and Hair
A face-shape-based guide to hats that flatter each of APL's 7 face shapes, with best and worst designs for round, square, inverted triangle, heart, diamond, and oval faces — plus tips for a long face.
What Is Personal Color Contrast? — 6 Accent-Color Tricks for When a Light Tone Reads Flat
If a light, well-matched tone still reads flat, the culprit may be contrast, not tone. Here's how to self-check your contrast level and 6 practical ways to add a point with color coordination, hair color, patterns, accessories, and lip color.
Wrist Veins, Jewelry, Pink Lipstick — 4 Personal Color Self-Diagnosis Myths, Debunked
The wrist-vein, gold-jewelry, tanning, and pink-lipstick self-diagnosis tricks circulating on social media are unreliable. Here's exactly why each one fails, and what to check instead.
How to Become a Personal Color Expert — Colorist Certification and APL's Professional Course Curriculum, Fully Explained
A breakdown of the difference between Korea's nationally certified Colorist Engineer credential and private Personal Color Analyst certifications, 3 questions to ask before choosing a training academy, and the actual curriculum of APL's Professional Course (4 theory sessions + 2 model-practice sessions).
Personal Color Coat, Padding & Mustang Coat Recommendations — A Straight, Wave, and Natural Body-Frame Shopping Matrix
APL's coat, padding, and mustang (shearling) recommendation matrix, organized by body frame (Straight, Wave, Natural) and seasonal tone. Includes silhouette and fabric principles alongside a concrete brand-and-product shopping list.
APL Color's Corporate Personal Color Lectures — How to Choose a Trustworthy Training Provider (Track Record Across 7 Institution Types)
A table of 8 real corporate lectures APL COLOR has delivered across 7 institution types — exhibitions, public libraries, universities, job fairs, government agencies, schools, and overseas. Covers which diagnosis format fits which institution and how APL runs its KCFB-affiliated instructor network.
Personal Color Hair Dye Guide — 10 Toned-Down Hair Colors, Fully Mapped to the 14-Season Matrix
A breakdown of the 10 toned-down hair dye colors APL recommends — from Dark Brown to Blue-Black — mapped against the 14-season personal color matrix. Includes Spring and Winter recommendation tables plus the color-temperature concept that matters just as much as season.
From Short-Waist Outfits to Hiding a Developed Trapezius — A Partial Body-Shape Self-Check
An 8-item self-check plus two how-to tables (principle and practical tip) for short-waisted bodies and a developed trapezius. Both are partial body-shape traits separate from your frame type (Straight, Wave, Natural), and this guide also explains how to tell a short waist apart from a long rise.
Who Suits Hair Bleaching (and Who Doesn't) — A 9-Point Self-Check Before Going Platinum Blonde or Ash
Based on APL's diagnosis criteria, this guide sorts hair bleaching suitability into 5 traits that suit it and 4 that don't, offering a 9-point self-check before trying platinum blonde or ash-toned hair.
From Personal Color Wedding Dresses to Groom's Formal Suit Colors — The Complete Guide to Dress Necklines, Suits, and Bouquets
Based on APL's wedding diagnosis, this guide breaks down bridal dress necklines (9 body-concern types), groom's formal suit colors (5 groups by warm/cool × clarity), and wedding bouquets (4 seasonal image groups) by color and body type.
The Complete Guide to Lukewarm Lip Colors — Cool Tones That Pink Lipstick Doesn't Suit, and Why Warm-Tone Lipstick Looks Too Yellow (A Sub-Tone Matrix)
Explains the 'lukewarm tone' phenomenon — where a standard warm or cool lipstick just doesn't suit you even after a correct personal color diagnosis — with a self-check and product routing for each of the 6 lukewarm sub-tone types: Light, Bright, Mute, Clear, Strong, and Deep.
Personal Color Misdiagnosed or Just Changed? — A Retest Checklist and the Real Reason Hair Dye Looks Off
A guide to telling apart misdiagnosis, genuine change, and color-temperature mismatch when your personal color starts feeling off. Covers four signs it's time to retest, four causes of real change over time, and the 5-step color temperature scale behind why hair dye often looks wrong even when your season is right.
The Complete Guide to Winter Personal Color Types — Makeup for Winter Clear, Winter Strong, Winter Deep, and Winter Soft
A practical guide to the lukewarm lip shades that suit each Winter personal color subtype — Winter Clear, Winter Strong, Winter Deep, and Winter Soft — plus the lip-mixing technique unique to Winter Soft and the points that tell the subtypes apart.
The Complete Guide to Autumn Personal Color Types — Makeup for Autumn Mute, Autumn Strong, and Autumn Deep
A practical guide to the lukewarm lip shades and toned-down hair colors that suit each Autumn personal color subtype — Autumn Mute, Autumn Strong, and Autumn Deep — along with the points that tell them apart.
One Face Shape, Three Answers: Glasses, Eyebrows, and Hair
Once you know your face shape, glasses, eyebrows, and hairstyle all fall into place. We break down APL's 7 face shapes into one table showing the best glasses frames, eyebrow shapes, and hairstyles for each.
The Complete Guide to Summer Personal Color Types — Makeup for Summer Light, Summer Bright, and Summer Mute
A practical guide to the lukewarm lip shades and toned-down hair colors that suit each Summer personal color subtype — Summer Light, Summer Bright, and Summer Mute — along with the points that tell them apart.
The Complete Guide to Spring Personal Color Types — Makeup for Spring Light, Spring Bright, Spring Clear, and Spring Soft
A practical guide to the foundation, eyeshadow, blush, and lipstick shades that suit each Spring personal color subtype — Spring Light, Spring Bright, Spring Clear, and Spring Soft — along with the point that tells Spring Bright and Spring Clear apart.
The Complete Guide to Personal Color 14-Season Names — Why Every Studio Calls Them Something Different (KS vs. PCCS Systems)
Personal color season names differ from studio to studio mainly because they're built on different color systems (KS vs. PCCS). This guide explains APL COLOR's KS-based 14-season naming system, a translation table for other studios' names, and how to tell the most commonly confused tones apart.
What's the Most Common Personal Color Tone in Korea? — A Practical Guide to Telling Confusing 14-Season Tones Apart
A practical breakdown of the personal color tones APL's consultants see confused most often — Spring Light vs. Spring Soft vs. Autumn Mute, Summer Light vs. Summer Mute, Bright vs. Clear, and Winter Soft — with the deciding factors and real examples for each.
Same 'Spring,' Different Colors — The 4 Attributes That Define Your Personal Color
Two people can both be diagnosed 'Spring' yet suit completely different colors — here's why. We break down the four attributes (value, chroma, warm/cool, clarity) that actually determine your best colors, with a self-check for each, based on APL COLOR's KS 14-season system.
How to Become a Certified Personal Color Analyst in Korea (Guide for Foreign Professionals)
A comprehensive guide for international beauty professionals who want to become certified personal color analysts through training programs in Korea. Covers certification types, training options, requirements, and career paths.
The 14-Season Personal Color System: Beyond the Basic Four Seasons
An in-depth explanation of the 14-season personal color classification system used by professional analysts, expanding beyond the traditional 4-season model to capture the full spectrum of human coloring.
LAB Colorimetry vs. Drape Analysis: The Science Behind Accurate Personal Color Diagnosis
A detailed comparison of traditional drape-based personal color analysis and LAB colorimetry using spectrophotometers. Learn why APL Color uses the LS170 spectrophotometer for objective, data-driven skin tone diagnosis.