Light spring color palette
Light spring is the lightest, most delicate spring: warm leaning neutral, light in depth, fresh rather than dusty. Its colors look like spring at its palest: peach, buttercup, mint and light aqua.
Find your season on your photoThe palette
Ivory#F6EFDC Light camel#D3B58F Light warm grey#BDB3A6 Light navy#4A5A85 Peach#F6C1A0 Apricot#F5A97A Light coral#F28C7C Warm pink#EE9AA6 Buttercup#F7D774 Mint#A9DFBF Light aqua#9FDCD3 Light turquoise#4FC1BC Light periwinkle#A4B3E6 Soft violet#B39DDB
Ivory, light camel and light warm grey are the everyday neutrals, with light navy for anything that needs to be dark. Peach, apricot and light coral sit closest to the face; mint, light aqua and light turquoise are easy accents, and light periwinkle and soft violet are the cooler end. Two light colors together usually look better than one light color against a very dark one.
What makes it light spring
- Undertone
- Warm, leaning neutral. Light spring borders light summer, so its warmth is gentle: peachy or creamy rather than deep gold.
- Depth
- Light, and this is the defining trait. Most of the palette sits at the light end of the value scale; even its darkest color, light navy, is a mid tone.
- Clarity
- Fairly clear. The colors are clean and fresh, never greyed. What keeps them gentle is their lightness, not a muted quality.
Light springs often have light golden or strawberry blonde hair (or hair that was blonde in childhood), blue, green or light hazel eyes, and ivory or peachy skin, with low to medium contrast between them. These are tendencies, not rules; the palette is what matters, not the checklist.
Hair colors for light spring
These hair colors come from the spring family and stay at the light end, as light spring does. Honey golden blonde, butter blonde and strawberry blonde are the closest match; blonde highlights and a money piece add light around the face without a full change. Each one opens the shade, so you can try it on your own photo.
For women
For men
Colors to go easy on
Black#141414 Charcoal#36383D Dark chocolate#3B2418 Burgundy#6E1530 Dusty mauve#A7808F
Dark, heavy and dusty colors are the usual mismatch: black, charcoal, dark chocolate, burgundy and dusty mauve. Next to light, warm coloring they can read as a block of shadow. Near the face, light navy or light warm grey give a darker accent without the weight; further from the face, the rule relaxes.
Close seasons
Light spring or light summer?
Both seasons are defined by lightness, which is why they are so often confused. The difference is warmth. Light spring leans warm: peach, buttercup and warm pink look fresh, and creamy ivory looks better than stark white. Light summer leans cool: powder blue, lavender and rose pink look fresh, and peach can look a little orange. One simple check is to hold a peach fabric and a powder pink one under your chin in daylight; the one that makes your skin look even, not flushed or sallow, is the better hint.
Light spring or true spring?
True spring is warmer and stronger: golden yellow, orange and grass green at full strength. If those look heavy on you and their lighter versions look better, light spring is the more likely match.
Questions
What colors look best on a light spring?
Light, warm and clear colors: peach, apricot, light coral, warm pink, buttercup, mint, light aqua and light turquoise, with ivory, light camel and light navy as neutrals.
Should a light spring wear gold or silver?
Light yellow gold and rose gold usually sit best, in delicate rather than chunky pieces. Because light spring sits next to light summer, many light springs can also wear silver; heavy, antique metals tend to look dull.
What hair color suits a light spring?
Light, warm shades: golden or honey blonde, strawberry blonde, butter blonde, or blonde highlights through a light brown base. Very ashy, very dark or heavy red colors usually work against the palette.
Can a light spring wear black?
Near the face, black usually overwhelms light coloring and can make skin look tired. Light navy, light warm grey or soft violet give a darker accent with less weight. Black shoes or a black belt rarely matter.
Your own season
Mark your cheek and your hair on one daylight photo. The color reading shows your likely season, a close second and how sure it is; when the reading is clear it also names the sub-season. It is a reading of that photo in that light, not a verdict.
Find your season on your photoMore palettes: True spring · Bright spring · Light summer · True summer · Soft summer · Soft autumn · True autumn · Deep autumn · Deep winter · True winter · Bright winter