The 12 Seasons
The 12 color seasons: seasonal color palettes
There are 12 color seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, each in three versions. Spring and Autumn are warm, Summer and Winter are cool, and the three versions in each family differ in lightness, softness or brightness. Compare all 12 palettes below, then open a season for its full colors with hex codes.
Family
Spring
Warm, light and clear. Spring palettes glow with sun-warmed colours — peach, coral, golden yellow and clear turquoise.
Bright Spring
Bright Spring is defined by brightness, warmth, and clarity. Your colors are vibrant, saturated, and full of life, reflecting the fresh energy of a spring day. Think clear, crisp, and sunny.
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Light Spring
Light Spring is characterized by light, warm, and delicate colors. Your palette is soft, airy, and fresh, reminiscent of early spring blossoms. Think gentle, sunny, and ethereal.
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Warm Spring
Warm Spring is dominated by warmth, with brightness as a secondary characteristic. Your colors are golden, rich, and earthy, like a sun-drenched meadow. Think honeyed, spicy, and inviting.
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Family
Summer
Cool, soft and gentle. Summer palettes evoke ocean mist and dusty roses — powder blue, lavender, raspberry and rose-grey.
Light Summer
Light Summer is defined by its light, cool, and soft colors. Your palette is delicate, airy, and ethereal, like a gentle sea breeze on a pastel-colored morning. Think powdery, dreamy, and romantic.
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Cool Summer
Cool Summer is defined by coolness, with softness as a secondary characteristic. Your colors are primarily blue-based, calm, and graceful, like a tranquil ocean scene. Think serene, refined, and refreshing.
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Soft Summer
Soft Summer (also known as Muted Summer) is characterized by muted, cool, and soft colors. Your palette is gentle, blended, and sophisticated, like a hazy summer day. Think dusty, elegant, and serene.
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Family
Autumn
Warm, rich and earthy. Autumn palettes feel like a vineyard at dusk — terracotta, mustard, olive, rust and deep gold.
Soft Autumn
Soft Autumn (also known as Muted Autumn) is defined by its muted, warm, and soft characteristics. Your colors are gentle, blended, and earthy, like a misty autumn morning. Think sophisticated, natural, and mellow.
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Warm Autumn
Warm Autumn is dominated by warmth, with richness as a secondary quality. Your colors are golden, spicy, and natural, like a vibrant autumn harvest. Think glowing, rustic, and organic.
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Deep Autumn
Deep Autumn is characterized by depth, warmth, and richness. Your colors are dark, earthy, and bold, evoking a dense, colorful forest in the fall. Think substantial, exotic, and mysterious.
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Family
Winter
Cool, saturated and high-contrast. Winter palettes are dramatic and clear — true red, sapphire, magenta, pure white and black.
Cool Winter
Cool Winter is defined by its cool, bright, and high-contrast colors. Your palette is sharp, intense, and icy, like a winter landscape under a clear blue sky. Think bold, vivid, and electric.
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Deep Winter
Deep Winter is characterized by depth, coolness, and brightness. Your colors are rich, vivid, and highly saturated, creating a powerful and dramatic effect. Think of a formal evening affair.
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Bright Winter
Bright Winter is defined by brightness, coolness, and clarity. Your colors are extremely vivid, saturated, and almost neon-like, creating a high-energy and striking look. Think jewel tones and electric hues.
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Compare
How the 12 color seasons differ
Warm or cool?
Spring and Autumn lean warm (gold, peach, olive). Summer and Winter lean cool (rose, blue, silver).
Light or deep?
Light Spring and Light Summer are pale and delicate. Deep Autumn and Deep Winter are dark and rich.
Soft or bright?
Soft Summer and Soft Autumn are muted and blended. Bright Spring and Bright Winter are clear and vivid.
| Season | Undertone | Contrast | Best neutrals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bright Spring | warm | high | Warm ivory, Camel, Light navy |
| Light Spring | warm | low | Cream, Camel, Soft warm beige |
| Warm Spring | warm | medium | Camel, Warm ivory, Caramel |
| Light Summer | cool | low | Soft white, Light grey, Powder navy |
| Cool Summer | cool | medium | Soft white, Cool grey, Soft navy |
| Soft Summer | cool | low | Soft taupe, Rose-grey, Mushroom |
| Soft Autumn | neutral warm | low | Warm taupe, Mushroom, Soft camel |
| Warm Autumn | warm | medium | Camel, Warm ivory, Olive |
| Deep Autumn | warm | high | Chocolate, Deep olive, Warm black-brown |
| Cool Winter | cool | high | True white, Black, Charcoal |
| Deep Winter | cool | high | Black, Pure white, Charcoal |
| Bright Winter | cool | high | Pure white, Black, True navy |
Color seasons, answered
What are the 12 color seasons?
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Spring: Bright Spring, Light Spring and Warm Spring. Summer: Light Summer, Cool Summer and Soft Summer. Autumn: Soft Autumn, Warm Autumn and Deep Autumn. Winter: Cool Winter, Deep Winter and Bright Winter.
How do I find my color season?
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Check three things in daylight: whether your undertone is warm or cool, whether your overall coloring is light or deep, and whether it is soft or bright. Then take the free quiz, which points you to your neighborhood of seasons, or let the app read your exact season from one photo.
What is the difference between 4, 12 and 16 season color analysis?
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Older guides use four seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. The 12-season system, used here, splits each into three versions. Some analysts go further, to 16 seasons or more, by adding in-between types. If you were given a 16-season result, match it to the nearest of the 12 by name and undertone.
Are Cool Summer and True Summer the same season?
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Often, yes. Many guides call Cool Summer True Summer, Warm Spring True Spring, Warm Autumn True Autumn and Cool Winter True Winter. Some larger systems list them as separate types, so check which system your result came from.
Not sure which season is yours?
Take the color analysis quiz in two minutes.
Answer three quick questions about your hair, eyes and skin to get your most likely season match — then explore the full palette.