Deep Autumn
vs. Soft Autumn
Two palettes. A clearer way to tell them apart.
Deep Autumn
Warm color with depth.
Light Forest Green
#489356
Dark Sage
#5C8759
Dark Aquamarine 2
#34796D
Cocoa 2
#816143
Cocoa
#785430
Brown
#6A3C16
Soft Autumn
Warm. Muted. Unhurried.
Pale Rose
#E7B1A7
Toupe
#D1AA87
Greenish Grey 2
#96A98A
Green Grey
#849577
Dirty Blue
#458594
Slate Green 2
#607458
The three color qualities
| Quality | Deep Autumn | Soft Autumn |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | Warm-neutral | Warm-neutral |
| Depth | Deep | Medium |
| Clarity | Moderately soft | Soft |
| Makeup direction | Deep brick, warm wine, cinnamon brown | Rose-brown, muted peach, soft terracotta |
| Hair families | Deep chestnut, warm espresso, dark auburn | Beige blonde, soft honey brown, warm mushroom brown |
Start with depth
Compare a light and a deep shade from the same hue family. The depth difference is the largest in these two palette profiles.
Deep Autumn is deep; Soft Autumn is medium. Notice the effect of that change, then test the other qualities separately.
Set up a consistent fabric testKeep the comparison fair
- Use indirect daylight and similar fabric finishes.
- Hold the same amount of each color below your face.
- Repeat the pair and look for a consistent preference.
Neighboring palettes overlap. A preference between two colors is a clue, not a confirmed season.
Use the quiz to collect more cluesDescriptions referenced from Deep Autumn and Soft Autumn guides. The swatches and comparison here are original.