Warm (True) Spring Color Palette: Makeup, Hair, and Fashion Guide

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As the sun shines and the temperature rises, the world wakes up from hibernation and prepares to bloom.

Colorful spring flowers on a grassy background.

The truest spring version contains the tones of the juiciest harvest and the most abundant flower blossoms. It’s as if you’re hit by the energetic charge of colors dancing through the warm atmosphere.

Even if it’s the warmest this season can go, it’s oozing with freshness and radiating an ample amount of light.

No other season has an impact on the purest version of spring. 

If you find yourself attracted to these colors and each suits you in every way possible, then read on as we give you a thorough guide on getting the best style out of your warm spring color palette. 

Seasonal Color Analysis

The seasonal color analysis is separated into four seasons, each further divided into three sub-seasons with varying degrees of hue, value, and chroma.

Upon identifying your sub-season based on the colors of your natural features, we can now determine the most flattering colors in terms of makeup, hair dyes, and clothing to enhance what you already have.

Warm Spring Color Dimensions

An infographic featuring warm spring color dimensions such as hue, value, and chroma

Hue

Hue defines the dominant color family that identifies the colors’ warmth or coolness

Warm spring captures the purest form of the season that it represents: its primary aspect, warmth. 

Warm spring’s hue stands on the warmest end of the scale as it entirely comprises golden hues. Pink and blue undertones are nowhere to be found in a true spring’s natural features.

Value

The measure of how light or dark a color palette is, or value, will help you determine which sub-season you belong in. 

Spring marks the start of sunny weather, and with that, there is a higher concentration of yellow that broadens the palette to more light colors. Although intense dark colors are mostly outside this season, you may see some darker shades for balance. 

Chroma

Is your season muted and soft or bright and vibrant? This is determined by the chroma or the saturation of the colors present in your season and your palette.

Chroma is the second aspect of warm spring and is also one of the trademarks of this season.

Toward the brighter region of the scale is where you’ll find the warm spring chroma. This means warm spring homes more saturated and vivid colors than the soft, muted ones. 

Warm Spring Comparison

Warm spring is the heart of its season. It’s clear, warm, fresh, and light, but so is its sister palette.

The spring sub-season sitting on either side of warm spring influences the intensity of its hue, the level of its chroma, and the value of its color. Although there are some boundaries, some traits go the same for the three. 

Bright SpringWarm SpringLight Spring
HueNeutral-warmWarmWarm
ValueNeutral-lightNeutral-lightLight
ChromaBrightBrightNeutral-bright

Warm Spring vs. Light Spring and Bright Spring

Warm spring color analysis points to light spring and bright spring as your sister palettes. All spring sub-seasons are light, warm, and bright; the difference comes in when we look at the intensity of these dimensions. 

Warm or true spring possesses classic spring colors ruled by warm and clear tones with light to medium luminosity. 

But once the colors go deeper, you’re now directed to the type of spring that flows near winter: bright spring. 

Bright spring adopted a little of the coolness of winter, keeping its hue within the neutral-warm level. It is also more saturated than warm spring because the seasons it sits next to are both bright. 

Moving over to the other side is light spring. This sub-season borders a different season, which is summer. Like bright spring, light spring picks up the coolness of its neighboring season’s palette, and its brightness is pulled away by the softness of light summer.

Still, overall, warmth is predominant in all three sub-seasons.

Now that you know your similar dimensions and differences, we can now formulate a palette that includes some colors from your sister palettes.

Warm Spring vs. Warm Autumn

Spring and autumn are the two warm seasons of the seasonal color analysis, and that makes it relevant for us to discuss and compare the heart of each season. 

Both of them have a warmth that extends to the end of the scale, but true spring is comprised of brightness and lightness, while true autumn has darkness and softness.

True autumn shades are richer and earthier, whereas true spring is brighter and more colorful. 

The presence of red, orange, and yellow is something the two have in common, but the appropriate shades for them vary in depth and saturation. 

Their neutrals are also very much alike. Black and white aren’t the best for them; that’s why their dark and light neutrals are dark brown, gray, cream, and beige. 

Warm Spring Features

An infographic featuring warm spring features such as skin tone, hair, and contrast

Skin

Common skin tones: Peach, ivory, pale honey, golden medium, olive beige, warm beige, golden, golden beige, bronze, and golden tan.

Warm spring skin tone is filled with an extensive shade ranging from warm fair to tan, with the usual presence of brown freckles like the rest of spring.

Eyes

A closeup image of a woman's light hazel eye with longer eyelashes

Common eye colors: Warm blue, warm green, light hazel, and topaz.

A true spring’s eyes are light to medium and have a distinctive warmth. They stand in contrast to the skin and hair. 

Their eyes may not be as bright as their sisters, but if you look straight into those eyes, the pupils still have the same starburst pattern present on all springs.

Hair

Common hair colors: Medium golden blonde, strawberry blonde, copper, light golden brown, medium golden brown, golden brunette, warm caramel, and dark blonde.

Warm colors with a golden undertone hold the crown for this sub-season’s crowning glory.

Natural hair shades can go from medium to light brown or medium blonde. Some people who belong to this season can be born blonde, but they turn brunette as they age. 

Red hues are also present in their colors, so it’s common to see strawberry blonde or copper.

Contrast

Overall, the contrast between your features is medium.

The color of your skin, eyes, and hair will not look blended or have the same intensity, and that’s the beauty of it: it creates just the right contrast that your season represents.

The Warm Spring Color Palette

An infographic featuring warm spring color palette such as the best colors, neutrals and worst colors
Worst ColorsBest ColorsBest Neutrals
BlackWarm redNavy
Light blue-grayOrange-redOlive
Medium blue-grayOrangeNude
BurgundyMelonIvory
SilverSalmonCream
Muted turquoiseCoralCamel
Pine greenApricotStone
Dark olivePumpkinDark brown
Icy blueButterCognac
HoneyTawny
DaffodilGray-green
Spring
Mint
Lime
Orchid
Lilac 
Rhubarb
Sky
Tiffany
Turquoise

Colors To Avoid

Colors that are completely cool and muted are a no-no for the entire family of spring.

To keep the harmony among the colors present in your season’s palette, we must distinguish which colors negatively impact it. 

  • Hue — Cool tones clash with this season’s warm features, resulting in an unhealthy glow that can make you look sick. 
  • Value — Avoid going for the darker colors if you don’t want unflattering colors. 
  • Chroma — Warm spring colors are relatively bright; therefore, those that are too desaturated can make you look muddy. 

Neutrals

Since we’re in the sub-season that’s located at the heart of spring, the colors aren’t influenced by other seasons.

As the neutrals reroute to warmer levels, there are limitations on the kind of light and dark shades you may use. This brings a significant change in the hues of its neutrals. 

Your dark neutrals aren’t just a warmer shade of black, and your white isn’t just infused with a yellow undertone.

  • Dark neutrals — Since stark black is too cool, darker shades of brown, gray-green, and navy are a great substitute
  • Light neutrals — True white can be too flat, so step up your light neutrals with cream and ivory.

Overall, the best neutrals for this type of spring are in the spectrum of browns and beiges because they are naturally warm and can be adjusted to the appropriate brightness.

Best Colors and Combinations

True spring has a beautiful palette filled with vivid and fun colors. Even if most of the shades in this season look intimidating due to their intense hues, matching them can be very flattering. 

These three basic ways for you to mix and match your colors accordingly use contrasts, including using at least one bright color to maintain your season’s spirit. 

First is through mixing two different shades of the same base colors; this is what we call value contrast. 

If this doesn’t suffice your innate medium contrast, another trick is to use neighboring hues or those that sit far from each other but is still included on your palette. Like peachy orange and teal. 

Remember that the farther they are from each other, the higher contrast they produce. 

Lastly is the classic combination of accent colors to brighten your neutrals. They can be taken from the same hue or through your dark neutral paired with a lighter accent or a lighter neutral with a darker accent. 

Since your best colors come in an extensive range, we’ll give you a guide based on their bases:

  • Red, orange, or pink — warm red, orange-red, orange, melon, salmon, coral, apricot, pumpkin
  • Yellow or green — butter, honey, daffodil, spring, mint green, lime green
  • Purple or blue — orchid, lilac, rhubarb, sky blue, tiffany, turquoise

Warm Spring Hair Dyes

An infographic featuring warm spring hair colors in five different colors

The range of warm spring hair colors is inclusive just as it is colorful. It can be red, blonde, or brown. But you can also try to mix the naturally occurring colors depending on the depth of your warm or true spring skin tone. 

As mentioned, you can also go blonde, but be wary about cool, ash blondes and extremely light shades. You have to keep the color warm, with enough golden undertones to flatter your features but without looking brassy.

Going for a redhead look also has its limits; keep it bright, coppery, orangey, or strawberry blonde to stay within the parameters of spring. Otherwise, it’ll lead you toward the autumns.

Warm Spring Makeup

An infographic featuring warm spring makeup for the cheeks, eyes, and lips

Peaches and cream — this is what you’ll be reminded of while doing a classic warm spring makeup.

A no-makeup makeup look is a go-to if you want to pull off a natural look. 

To achieve this, start with a light and sheer base, with no contour needed. What you can add for a pop of color is a warm peach or coral blush and a nude lippie. Top it off with a golden or peach highlight to flaunt your season!

Complexion Makeup

To guide you on getting the most accurate shade match for your foundation and concealer, remember that spring skin tone is always warm or has a more prominent golden undertone.

For this specific type of spring, warmth is the most distinguished to the point that its natural color is completely clear of blue and pink.

The best base is a dewy, creamy, and radiant finish. Matte, heavy, powder-dry foundations and concealers shouldn’t be on your makeup stash because these can contribute to muteness, which isn’t the best look for you.

Eyeshadow

The basic colors in your eyeshadow palette include your best neutrals, such as browns, creams, and beiges. But it’s best to have it on the peachy side if you want a more natural effect. 

But this is just for starters.

The lively warm spring color palette allows you to wear colorful accents and highlights. And with that, you can flaunt the striking greens, purples, yellows, and oranges to create a truly authentic spring look. 

Remember, your season hates muted colors that wash out your natural colors. To keep your appearance glowing, use creamy and shimmery eyeshadows. 

The best eyeshadow shades for warm spring are bisque, oyster white, tan, Crayola tan, bole, mimosa, cyber grape, denim blue, kelly green, fern green, citron yellow, and dark wood.

Eyeliner and Mascara

Eyeliner and mascara give more fun to the play of colors in this season, making it possible to give the eyes a better definition without settling for black variants.

Since black is too dark for you, It’s safe to substitute your mascara with warm shades of brown; this is also the darkest your warm spring color palette could go.

The best mascara shades for warm spring are chocolate fondant and demitasse. And for a twist, you can try bold-colored mascaras in warm and lively shades of yellow, orange, purple, and green. 

The best eyeliner shades for warm spring are vetiver, dachshund, gingerbread, yarrow, autumn sunset, cayenne, pansy, true blue, water garden, first tee, coffee, moss green, and shaded spruce.

Cheeks

Generally, the colors for this season are vibrant and reminiscent of a flower bouquet, but they are aloof to pinks. 

For the cheeks, blushes with peach-based tones and a shimmery finish are the way to go. If you’re from a darker ethnicity, your best flush of warmth on the cheeks can be in light cocoa shades.

The best blush shades for warm spring are salmon, fusion coral, burnt coral, Georgia peach, light cinnamon, and spicy peach.

Although some would tell you to skip the bronzer, as a true spring, you are entitled to bring warmth to your face. 

Just be careful in selecting the appropriate shades. Aim for a fresh spring shade rather than a rich autumn color. Contour, on the other hand, may be too harsh for you. 

With that, the best colors are peachy and not orange. Such bronzer shades include salmon, jojoba, desert mist, and deer. Remember, you must diffuse your bronzers and make them look as seamless and as light as possible. 

Using highlighters, you can always fake a face-lift and add a more youthful glow.

The best highlighter shades for warm spring are peach or light to medium gold. 

Lips

A close up of a woman's lips with glossy peach lipstick

The lips should also complement your contrast, so keep it warm, bright, and not too dark. Your lipstick shades should match the intensity of the makeup you put on your cheeks. 

Your nude shades are peaches, caramel, and toffee, while your bold, loud shades are the oranges and corals. 

To top it all off, keep them glossy. Opt for the satin finishes over mattes, and stay away from the cool, blue-undertoned shades and soft, muted ones. 

The best lipstick or gloss shades for warm spring are salmon, autumn sunset, fusion coral, firelight, poppy red, burnt coral, ember glow, cayenne, Georgia peach, hibiscus, melon, tangerine, and tomato.

Warm Spring Nail Polish

An infographic featuring warm spring nail polish in different colors

Recreate spring’s bright and fresh surroundings into your nails and watch it elevate your style.

The thing about your season is that colors are never intimidating as long as they’re warm and bright and have medium intensity. So make use of this and reach out for the fun colors of spring and opt for those with a glossy finish!

The best nail polish shades for warm spring are cream yellow, melon, atomic tangerine, spicy red, sunset red, warm red, coral glow, coral pink, violet, forest green, teal, and blue. 

Inside a Warm Spring’s Closet

An infographic featuring warm spring style such as wardrobe basics, prints & patterns, and jewelry & accessories

Wardrobe Basics

Opening a warm spring wardrobe transports you to a place of sunshine and rainbows. It’s uniquely filled with spectacular colors you can freely mix and match.

Starting with denim, a true spring can go with the classic medium blue-dyed and solid-looking one. To be more specific, cornflower or purple-blue tones are some of your best options. 

Another staple for your true spring palette is camel-colored suits, coats, and leather goods.

Cozy is also something that marks your wardrobe, so to prepare for the colder days, you can invest in good quality camel-colored shearlings or trench coats. 

And even if you prefer wearing neutrals, never leave the house without incorporating a pop of color into your outfit. 

Every aspect of your warm spring clothing is marked and emphasized by a certain sheen. Shiny, satiny fabric and patented leather can be your go-to.

Prints and Patterns

If you’ve been incorporating the seasonal color palette in your style, then you probably know the cardinal rule in choosing the appropriate prints and patterns for your wardrobe: to have only the colors in line with your sub-season’s palette. 

But if one color goes against this rule, we’ll have to weigh the size of the elements obtaining the disharmonious color. 

For this type of spring, the patterns should go beyond the level of its natural contrast and should not look like they’re blended. 

The wearable patterns must not be too dense, too small, or too big. And the preferred design for your season is the dotted and creative ones. If you’re opting for the geometrics, choose the ones filled with spherical over the edgy squares or rectangles.

And just like the freshness of this season, the warm spring closet welcomes florals the best. Anything that isn’t overly crowded and contains most of this sub-season’s color is perfect. Hand-drawn effects also create a signature style. 

Jewelry and Accessories

True spring is truly a season of absolute warmth. And when we talk about warm metals, gold takes the spotlight over the disharmonious silver.

But keep the gold light and shiny for the optimum effect that’s perfect for this sub-season. Warm and white gold can also work if you keep them peachy and orangey, not too cool. 

Remember, when it comes to metals, the rule of thumb for the entire spring season is to keep them shiny, or else they’ll look untidy. 

Choose those with polished and shiny stones for the perfect embellishment to your accessories. The more they give off the effect of having the light reflecting and passing through them, the more they’ll make you shine. 

The color of the stones suited for this sub-season embodies the vibrant and bright colors of the spring flowers. These can be corals, turquoise, sunstone, andesine labradorite, carnelian, citrine, golden beryl, tsavorite, and spessartite. 

FAQs

Who Are Some of the True Spring Celebrities?

We have Cameron Diaz and Kylie Minogue in their classic blonde hair, clear blue eyes, and bronzed skin. And there’s Nicole Kiddman with her alabaster skin and stunning red hair. Tyra Banks is also a great example of a warm spring with a deeper complexion.

Can Warm Spring Wear Pink?

A young woman in a pink dress is holding a bicycle and flowers.

We mentioned how the warm spring palette tends to incline away from the pinks. But the thing about colors is that you can continually formulate a shade to make them fit a particular palette.

So if you’re a warm spring fond of wearing pink, you can tweak it to more flattering shades of peach pink instead.  

Want To Dive Into More Seasonal Palettes? 

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Author

  • Stephanie Martin

    Stephanie Martin blends her beauty industry background with expertise in communications to lead in the fashion and beauty world. As a fashion and beauty editor, she is known for engaging and informative articles. Her lifelong passion for fashion, makeup, and hair shines through her work, earning her widespread respect among readers and clients. Stephanie's style, a mix of classic and contemporary, makes her a dynamic and influential figure in the industry, inspiring others with her knowledgeable and approachable insights.

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