Light Spring color palette

What is Light Spring?

Light Spring is the lightest of the spring seasons. Its colors are light first and warm second: think of a spring garden at midday, where nothing is heavy or dusty. Light Spring borders Light Summer, so it can borrow a few soft, light cool-leaning colors, but it looks best when there is a little warmth in everything.

The Light Spring color palette

Light to medium-light colors with gentle warmth and clear (not dusty) chroma: peach, light coral, warm pink, buttercream yellow, light warm green, mint, aqua, light turquoise and periwinkle. Every color below links to its own page with hex, RGB and OKLCH values, shades and matching colors.

Best neutrals for Light Spring

Ivory, cream, light camel, light warm gray, soft stone and light navy. Swap black for a light-to-medium warm gray or a soft navy.

Colors Light Spring should avoid

Black, very dark browns and burgundies, heavy jewel tones, and dusty, grayed colors. Icy cool pastels can drain warmth from the face.

The colors below come from Deep Winter, the season with the opposite traits. They are the least flattering on Light Spring coloring.

How to tell if you are a Light Spring

• Skin: Usually light, with a warm or neutral-warm undertone: peachy, ivory or golden-beige. It may flush pink easily.
• Hair: Light: golden blonde, strawberry blonde, light honey or light golden brown. Gray hair often turns soft silver-blonde.
• Eyes: Light and clear: blue, aqua, green, light hazel or warm gray-green.
• Contrast: Low to medium. Hair, skin and eyes sit close together in lightness, so very dark colors overpower.

Coloring is a tendency, not a checklist. The surest test is to hold colors from this palette and from True Spring and Light Summer under your chin in daylight and see which make your skin look clear and even. The color analysis quiz narrows it down in a few questions.

Light Spring outfits and wardrobe

Build a Light Spring wardrobe on two or three neutrals, then add medium tones for most of your tops and save the strongest colors for accents near the face. Four starting combinations from this palette:

Light Spring makeup, hair color and jewelry

• Lips: Peach, light coral, warm pink and clear nude-pink. Avoid deep berry and brown-red.
• Cheeks: Peach and light coral blush.
• Eyes: Champagne, soft gold, light bronze, warm taupe and soft brown liner instead of black.
• Hair color: Golden and strawberry blondes and light honey tones. Avoid ash and very dark shades.
• Jewelry and metals: Light yellow gold, rose gold and polished brass. Avoid heavy dark metals.

Light Spring vs True Spring and Light Summer

If several Light Spring colors look slightly off on you, try the neighbor that shares your strongest trait. Medium tones such as Soft Pink, Peach and Pale Olive are the easiest way to compare.

All 12 color seasons

• True SpringWarm and clear: coral, poppy, golden yellow, grass green and warm turquoise.
• Bright SpringSaturated and warm-leaning: hot coral, poppy red, lime, turquoise and violet.
• Light SummerLight, cool and soft: powder blue, lavender, rose pink, mint and soft gray.
• True SummerCool and softly muted: rose, raspberry, cool blue, periwinkle, lavender and blue-green.
• Soft SummerMuted and cool: dusty rose, mauve, slate blue, soft teal, sage and gray-plum.
• Soft AutumnMuted and warm: sage, camel, terracotta, soft olive, muted teal and salmon.
• True AutumnWarm and rich: rust, pumpkin, mustard, olive, forest green and teal.
• Deep AutumnDeep and warm: chocolate, brick, rust, olive, forest green, deep teal and aubergine.
• Deep WinterDeep and cool: black, burgundy, emerald, sapphire, plum and deep teal.
• True WinterCool and vivid: true red, fuchsia, royal blue, emerald, icy pink, black and white.
• Bright WinterVivid and cool-leaning: hot pink, true red, electric blue, emerald, violet and icy tints.

Frequently asked questions