Light Summer
vs. Soft Summer
Two palettes. A clearer way to tell them apart.
Light Summer
Light color, cool air.
Pale Aqua
#A8EFDA
Light Blue Grey 4
#C6D7F6
Pale Teal
#9AD2C2
Powder Pink 2
#EBA0C7
Bluegrey
#8AB6B8
Light Mauve 6
#C19AA7
Soft Summer
Color with the edges softened.
Robin's Egg Blue
#77CAD2
Cloudy Blue
#ABA6C3
Light Mauve 2
#AF8995
Dusty Teal
#509084
Grey/blue
#6C7485
Ugly Blue
#396A8F
The three color qualities
| Quality | Light Summer | Soft Summer |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | Cool-neutral | Cool-neutral |
| Depth | Light | Medium |
| Clarity | Gently soft | Soft |
| Makeup direction | Soft rose, pink-beige, light mauve | Dusty rose, muted mauve, rose-brown |
| Hair families | Light ash blonde, beige blonde, light cool brown | Mushroom blonde, ash brown, cool soft chestnut |
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.
Light Summer is light; Soft Summer 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 Light Summer and Soft Summer guides. The swatches and comparison here are original.