The Seasonal Color Palette

Palettes / Winter

Bright Winter color palette

Maximum clarity with a cool lean. Electric, saturated hues and stark contrast.

Undertone Cool-neutralValue MediumChroma BrightDominant Bright

Best metals: SilverPlatinumWhite gold

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Is Bright Winter your palette?

  • Undertone: Leans cool without being icy. Silver usually wins, and the harshest warm shades like orange and mustard are the ones to skip.
  • Value: Coloring sits in the middle range. Neither the palest pastels nor the darkest shades are ideal.
  • Chroma: High contrast and vivid features. Saturated, electric colors look right, while muted shades wash out.

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16 Bright Winter colors

Tap a swatch to copy its hex code

Best neutrals

  • Pure White #FFFFFF
  • Icy Yellow #FFF9D6
  • Icy Mint #D8F5EA
  • Charcoal #36383C
  • Black #000000

Colors to avoid

Muted, dusty, and earthy shades. The opposite palette on the seasonal wheel, Soft Summer, is usually the least flattering overall.

What suits Bright Winter

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Sister palettes

These sit next to Bright Winter on the seasonal wheel and share one of its characteristics. If you're between palettes, the colors they share with Bright Winter are the safest choices.

Bright Winter FAQ

What colors are in the Bright Winter palette?

The Bright Winter palette includes pure white, icy yellow, icy mint, lemon yellow, hot pink, shocking magenta, cerise, true red, bright violet and cobalt, among others. It is cool-neutral in undertone, medium in value and bright in chroma, and its dominant characteristic is bright.

What colors should a Bright Winter avoid?

Muted, dusty, and earthy shades. The palette on the opposite side of the seasonal wheel, Soft Summer, is usually the least flattering overall.

Can a Bright Winter wear black?

Yes. Black is part of the Bright Winter palette and works well close to the face.

What are the best neutrals for a Bright Winter?

The most versatile neutrals in the Bright Winter palette are pure white (#FFFFFF), icy yellow (#FFF9D6), icy mint (#D8F5EA), charcoal (#36383C) and black (#000000).

What jewelry looks best on a Bright Winter?

The most flattering metals for Bright Winter are silver, platinum and white gold. High-shine and bold. Sparkle and saturated stones. Gemstones that echo the palette include diamond, pink sapphire, bright sapphire, emerald, ruby and tanzanite. Go easy on matte, antiqued or muted metals.

What lipstick colors suit a Bright Winter?

Lip shades that follow the Bright Winter palette include hot pink, true red and cerise. For cheeks, try bright pink and cool rose.

What is the difference between Bright Winter and Bright Spring?

Both share the same value (medium) and chroma (bright). Bright Winter is cool-neutral in undertone where Bright Spring is warm-neutral. Bright Winter is a Winter palette and Bright Spring is a Spring palette, so they sit on either side of the warm–cool divide.

What is the difference between Bright Winter and True Winter?

Bright Winter is cool-neutral in undertone where True Winter is cool; Bright Winter is medium in value where True Winter is medium-deep; Bright Winter is bright in chroma where True Winter is clear. Both belong to the Winter family.