Deep Winter Color Palette (Dark Winter)

Deep Winter is one of the three Winter types in 12-season color analysis. Depth leads and coolness follows. That means dark, saturated, blue-based colors and very little that is golden or dusty. It is the Winter type closest to Autumn: some Deep Winters can wear a few deep, neutral colors that a True Winter cannot, but warm earthy shades still look muddy on them.

Deep Winters usually have dark coloring with medium-high to high contrast. Typical signs:

• hair from dark brown to black, often with no golden or red lights;
• eyes in dark brown, black-brown or deep hazel, sometimes dark olive;
• skin anywhere from fair to deep with a cool or neutral cast;
• black looks sharp and natural on you, while camel and orange make your skin look sallow.

A quick test: try a black top and a chocolate brown one. If black looks crisp and brown looks dull, and pastel pink makes you look washed out, you are likely a Deep Winter.

Black, charcoal, midnight blue and pure white are your core neutrals, and black with white looks striking rather than severe on you. Use jewel tones for color: emerald, sapphire, wine, deep teal and raspberry. Icy colors such as icy pink, icy blue and icy violet work as your light shades instead of beige or pastel. Smooth fabrics, clean lines and strong contrasts reflect your coloring well.

Camel, orange, mustard, peach, golden brown, dusty rose, olive drab and beige are the colors that work against you: too warm or too muted for your cool depth. Wear them away from the face if at all, and choose black, navy or a jewel tone near it instead.

Blue-red, raspberry, deep berry and wine lipsticks are made for you. Raspberry or cool berry blush keeps your face fresh, and charcoal, navy, plum and pewter eyeshadow define your eyes without looking muddy. Hair looks best from dark brown to black with no brassy highlights. Silver, platinum, white gold and gunmetal are your metals, with garnet, sapphire, emerald and onyx.

Deep Winter is easily confused with Deep Autumn, its warm neighbor. Both look great in dark colors, so the deciding question is temperature: if burgundy, emerald and black beat rust, olive and espresso, you are Deep Winter. Its other neighbor is True Winter, which is a little lighter and icier; if pure icy pastels and very bright fuchsia look too sharp but dark jewel tones look perfect, Deep Winter is the closer fit.

See the palettes side by side: Deep Autumn and True Winter.

If you are torn between Deep Winter and Deep Autumn or True Winter, compare two colors from each palette under your chin in daylight; the one that makes your skin look smoother and your eyes clearer wins. A photo is a second opinion: the free selfie analysis reads your skin, hair and eye colors, and the color analysis quiz works without a photo. If it says Winter, the paid report tells you whether you are this type or a neighbor, with a printable Deep Winter color card. See pricing.

Only cool, very dark browns such as black-cherry or dark cool chocolate. Golden or reddish browns usually look muddy next to a Deep Winter face.

They are two names for the same type. Some systems say Dark Winter, others Deep Winter; the palette is dark, cool and saturated either way.

Black, charcoal, midnight blue, dark navy and pure white. Cool grey and pewter also work well.