Light Summer Color Palette

Light Summer is one of the three Summer types in 12-season color analysis. Its leading trait is lightness and its second is coolness. The palette looks like a summer sky with a light haze: pastel pinks and blues, lavender and sea-glass greens, all gentle enough to keep a light face in focus.

Light Summers usually have light coloring and low contrast. Typical signs:

• hair in light ash or beige blonde, or soft light brown with cool lights;
• eyes in light blue, grey-blue, light grey or soft green;
• fair skin with a pink or neutral-cool base that flushes easily;
• black and dark brown look harsh, while gold and orange make your skin look sallow.

A quick test: compare a powder blue top with a camel one. If powder blue looks fresh and camel makes your skin look yellow, you are on the Light Summer side.

Soft white, light grey, dove grey, rose beige and grey blue are your neutrals, with light navy for darker pieces. Powder blue, periwinkle, rose pink and lilac are everyday colors, and soft watermelon or soft raspberry work as accents. Pair pastels with light-to-medium neutrals to keep the contrast as gentle as your coloring. Soft, flowing fabrics and watercolor prints suit you.

Black, orange, mustard, rust, camel, olive, dark brown and neon lime are the colors to avoid. They are too dark, too warm or too intense for your light, cool coloring. Wear them away from the face if you like them, with one of your pastels at the neckline.

Pink nude, rose pink, soft watermelon and soft berry lipsticks suit you, with powder pink or soft rose blush. Soft grey, taupe, soft navy and lavender work well on the eyes. Hair looks best in light ash or beige blonde or soft light brown with cool highlights; gold and copper make you look flushed. Silver, white gold, platinum and rose gold are your metals, with pearls, rose quartz and aquamarine.

Light Summer is most often confused with Light Spring. Both are light, but Light Summer is cool: if powder pink and lilac beat peach and coral, you are the Summer. Its other neighbor is True Summer, which is a little deeper and bluer; if navy and raspberry feel a bit heavy, Light Summer is the closer fit.

See the palettes side by side: Light Spring and True Summer.

If you are torn between Light Summer and Light Spring or True Summer, 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 Summer, the paid report tells you whether you are this type or a neighbor, with a printable Light Summer color card. See pricing.

Black is usually too harsh. Light navy, soft grey or grey blue are better dark neutrals for a Light Summer.

Cool to neutral-cool. Lightness leads and coolness follows, so the palette is light, gentle and blue-based.

Cool, light pinks and roses: pink nude, rose pink and soft watermelon, or soft berry for evening.