What is a Soft Spring?
Soft Spring is the gentlest of the three Spring subpalettes. Your undertone is warm and clear, like every Spring. What sets you apart is low, gentle contrast and light color: your best shades are warm and fresh, but delicate rather than bold.
It sits next to two neighbors. True Spring shares your warmth and clarity but is brighter. Soft Autumn shares your warmth and softness but is dustier and more earthy. Soft Spring is light and fresh: peach, soft coral, warm beige and light aqua.
Common Soft Spring traits
These are patterns, not rules. Plenty of Soft Springs break one or two of them.
- Hair: golden blonde, strawberry blonde, honey or light golden brown. Silver often blends softly into blonde.
- Eyes: light blue, aqua, soft green, light hazel or light warm brown.
- Skin: ivory, peach or light golden. It often flushes peachy, and freckles are common.
- The black test: black near your face looks overpowering, as if it's wearing you.
- The peach test: peach and soft coral bring color into your face right away.
The Soft Spring palette
The six colors above are your core palette. Around them, your wider palette looks like this:
- Neutrals: ivory, cream, warm beige, light camel, soft golden brown and light warm gray.
- Accents: peach, soft coral, apricot, light aqua, butter yellow, light green and warm pink.
- Deeper colors: soft golden brown and light camel. They are your darks instead of black or navy.
Colors a Soft Spring should avoid
Your colors are light and warm. The ones that work against you are heavy, cool or dusty:
- Black, charcoal and very dark colors near the face. Swap them for soft golden brown, light camel or warm beige.
- Cool grays and icy colors: blue-gray, icy pink and stark white.
- Dusty, muted shades: mauve, mushroom and grayed rose can make you look tired.
- Deep jewel tones: burgundy, deep plum and emerald tend to overpower light coloring.
Soft Spring clothes: building a wardrobe that works
Soft Spring colors are light and warm, so they mix easily and always look fresh. Start here:
- Pick three neutrals to build around, such as ivory, warm beige and light camel.
- Add two or three accent colors for tops and scarves, such as peach, light aqua and butter yellow.
- Choose light, soft fabrics. Linen, cotton, cashmere, soft knits and silk with a gentle sheen suit you.
- Keep prints light and delicate. Small florals, light stripes and watercolor prints work better than bold, dark graphics.
- Choose a light denim wash. Light-to-mid blue washes and cream jeans work better than inky indigo or black.
Soft Spring makeup
Aim for warm, fresh and sheer. Nothing heavy or dark.
- Lips: peach, coral-pink, warm pink, apricot nude and sheer coral.
- Cheeks: peach and apricot.
- Eyes: champagne, soft bronze, peach and light brown. Brown liner rather than black.
- Brows: light golden brown, a shade softer than you think.
Jewelry, metals and hair color
Metals: yellow gold, light gold and rose gold. Ivory pearls, aquamarine, coral and peach-toned stones suit the palette.
Hair color: golden blonde, honey and strawberry blonde tend to work. Ash tones and very dark color can look heavy against light, warm skin. A colorist can tell you what works for your hair.
Soft Spring vs. True Spring and Soft Autumn
Try these side-by-side tests in daylight, with no makeup on:
- Peach vs. bright coral. If peach looks best and bright coral feels like a lot, lean Soft Spring over True Spring.
- Light aqua vs. turquoise. If light aqua looks fresh and turquoise looks loud, lean Soft Spring.
- Peach vs. dusty coral. If clear peach looks better than dusty coral, lean Soft Spring over Soft Autumn.
Still stuck? That's normal. It's exactly what the free quiz and the photo analysis are built to sort out.
Soft Spring after 40
Your clear, warm undertone never changes. As contrast softens with age, the gentlest Spring colors often suit you best, and many Springs who wore bright coral and turquoise at 30 find peach and light aqua look better now. Read more in Does your color season change with age?