Light, bright and clear, the Warm Spring colour palette is like a bouquet of Spring flowers. It’s full of colour – think bright green, sunny yellow, peachy pink and orange. There are absolutely no cool tones here!
Can you wear these colours effortlessly? Then you could be a Warm Spring (also known as a True Spring). By wearing colours that match your natural colouring, your eyes will appear brighter, your skin healthier, and imperfections minimised. Whereas the wrong colours, well, they can make you look washed out. So, it’s worth getting your colours right.
In today’s post, I share my quick guide to Warm Spring skin tones: what they are, how to know if you’re a Warm Spring, their best colours and celebrities who also share this season.
Use Pinterest? Pin and save for later.
Defining Characteristics of a True Spring
If you’re a Warm Spring, the first thing you’ll notice when you look in the mirror is your warm, sun-kissed colouring. You have a golden hue to your appearance and a noticeable absence of cool pink and blue undertones; you might see more peachy tones to your skin. Your hair, eyes and skin also appear bright and fresh, so your features stand out against each other.
Hair
Lighter skin Spring types typically have golden blonde, warm light brunette or red hair. Light to medium golden brown is common for darker ethnicities, all the way to black hair with warm red tones that come through.
Eyes
The eyes will be brighter shades of warm blue, green, hazel and light brown, medium brown and dark brown.
Skin
Warm Spring skin appears bright thanks to its medium-high contrast in features. It can range from fair to medium (with ethnic skin types, this must be considered within your race if you are fair or medium). A yellow undertone can show up on the skin as a sun-kissed look on you, sometimes only noticeable with a tan.
In the images above, you can see how the facial features have a medium level of contrast, but there are no completely dark areas. In the image below, the contrast is slightly higher due to the darker hair, but the skin softens the contrast, so it isn’t intense. Instead, we look to see the opposite; there are no super-light areas.
Use Pinterest? Pin and save for later.
Note: For People of Colour
It is possible for all ethnicities, regardless of hair and eye colour, to find the warmth and brightness of a spring colour palette to suit them. It’s the brightness and luminosity of the skin, along with the warmth and a low to medium contrast, that matters. Traditionally, colour analysis only focused on grouping people into the four 4-seasons whilst focusing on those with Caucasian skin. The typical colour seasons did not factor in a range of ethnic diversity. This is why the tonal colour analysis system used alongside the 4 seasons gets better results.
So, am I a Warm Spring?
Use Pinterest? Pin and save for later.
Identifying your colours via online resources isn’t as straightforward as it may seem (due to the fact that we’re all unique and the 4-seasons system relies on us all fitting neatly into one of the descriptions). Looking at how your skin reacts to certain colours is a great indicator of your natural colouring and if you’re warm or cool.
If you’re a Warm Spring, you’ll find very dark, muted colours and cool, delicate tones that look awful on you. Think of colours like deep burgundy or maroon; both may be warm but lack the necessary vibrancy to lift your bright complexion. Then consider cool muted colours like powder blue and baby pink; the coolness of these colours is underwhelming and does not add to the brightness and required warmth that your complexion needs, making you look drained, tired and dull.
As a Warm Spring, you will come alive in warm and bright colours like yellow, orange, peach and orange-reds, and you’ll suit patterns and prints that aren’t too fussy, with a medium contrast.
Warm Spring worst colours
Use Pinterest? Pin and save for later.
As I said, figuring out your season within the colour analysis system is tricky. Despite having very different colour palettes, each season can share similar characteristics. For example, Warm Springs and True Winters have a bright, clear appearance, which can often lead to confusion. This varies across ethnicities unless you’re a Bright Spring (more on that coming soon), and the contrast is usually much higher.
An easy way to distinguish these two seasons Cool Winter and Warm Autumn is to look at your undertone. If there’s a blue or pink undertone to your skin, you’re likely a winter type. While a yellowness to your skin indicates that you’re likely a spring type.
If you’re a Warm Spring, you can still rock bright mustards and bright khaki greens, while a True Winter will find these colours very hard to pull off without looking washed out and needing lots of makeup.
Your bright colouring means you look better in vivid, saturated colours. Whereas Warm Autumn, your sister season, looks best in soft, muted colours. But because these sister seasons share the same warm undertones, they are often confused, which can lead to unflattering colour choices in your wardrobe.
An important note ON COLOUR ANALYSIS
Colour analysis can be an incredibly empowering tool – but often it’s not used to promote internal energy; it’s more concerned with vanity. Colour analysis systems were originally designed with white, Western beauty standards in mind, which means they don’t always account for the full spectrum of diverse skin tones and undertones.
While I believe in the power of colour to transform how you look and feel, I also believe that you wear what feels good too. The right colour is one that lights you up—not just one that flatters your complexion.
Colour psychology is powerful. It’s absolutely valid to explore colours based on how they make you feel energetically, emotionally, and even spiritually – not just how they reflect light on your skin.
Many of my clients start with their colours and then integrate broader style coaching techniques to unlock their true confidence. When a woman knows who she is and what she believes in, she truly shines from the inside out.
Warm Spring Colour Palette
Use Pinterest? Pin and save for later.
Warm colours are bright and saturated. Think back to the bouquet of spring flowers – it’s full of greens, yellows, peachy pinks and orangey reds. Unlike Warm Autumn, your bright features are easily dulled by muted tones. Instead, stick to more vivid colours such as spring green, aqua blue, coral pink, violet and bright yellow. And, of course, steer clear of cool colours.
If you’re struggling to tell the difference between warm and cool colours, then check out my warm colours blog for a step-by-step breakdown.
Best Colours for Warm Spring Skin Tones
- Ivory white
- Every shade of brown (light camel, warm beige, golden tan)
- Yellow
- Yellow greens (spring green, true green, emerald, turquoise)
- Warm blues (aqua blue)
- Peachy pinks (coral, salmon)
- Orangey-reds
This is just a small selection of your most flattering colours. If you’d like to learn more about your go-to colours…and which ones to avoid, then enrol on my course to access my bespoke spring colour wheel and handouts.
Warm Spring best colours
Use Pinterest? Pin and save for later.
Your best neutrals
Use Pinterest? Pin and save for later.
True Spring Celebrities
There are lots of Warm Spring celebs who know how to dress for their spring colouring. Some are quite obvious spring types, while others might come as more of a surprise. First up, you have celebs like Cameron Diaz and Kylie Minogue who have the typical blonde hair, blue eyes, and bronzed skin.
Then you have Nicole Kidman with her alabaster skin and fiery red hair, who pulls off bold colours really well. Tyra Banks is another great example of someone who can wear Bright Warm Spring colours (as well as brighter autumn colours). Other famous spring types include Scarlett Johansson, Beyonce and Amy Adams. Bright Spring types come in many variations; Kareena Kapoor, based on some of her better makeup choices and outfits, would also be a Spring type.
Do you think you’re a Warm Spring? Not sure? Let me know why in the comments below, and I’ll pick one of you to win a virtual colour consultation with me.
Think you might be a different season? Read my other posts to find out:
17 thoughts on “Warm Spring: Colour Analysis Guide”
Thank you so much for this post! Really helpful! I think I may be a warm spring and have always struggled with which hair colour suits me best as a result. As a student I don’t have the money for a colour analysis so I would love to win this competition 🙏🏻🙏🏻
Thank you for your articles!
Hi Roberta,
Finally a site that explains on detail the nuances between every palette! Thank you! I have light Indian skin, light brown eyes and hair is dark with lighter brown / caramel highlights. I LOVE wearing aquas and turquoise the most as I get a lot of compliments from those. However,I also stand out in red or black…completely confusing!
Do you offer color analysis as a service one on one virtually without doing a course?
Would love to have mine done!
Hi Rose,
Without seeing a photo of you, I can’t say for sure, but you might be somewhere in the winter or spring palette. It sounds like muted colours aren’t for you.
Have you tried the white or cream test to see which looks best? https://robertastylelee.co.uk/how-do-i-know-if-i-should-wear-white-cream/ this could help you understand if its warm or cool colours that make your skin glow… or you could be lucky and be a neutral.
I don’t do online colours as a stand alone service – but I do offer video coaching calls as a perk for the course, so you do get access to me to get feedback. I’m actually working on a lot of updates for the colour harmony class which I am excited to launch soon.
Hi,
I think I am a true or warm spring because I love how I look in aqua, warm green, peach, orange, and tomato red but I feel I also look good in navy and I do not typically look good in black unless there are pops of bright color. I have hazel eyes with a sunburst of brown, yellow skin undertones with green veins, golden brown hair with blond highlights. I get confused between the spring and autumn palettes. My daughter’s wedding is coming up and I chose an aqua-sage colored dress. I am hoping I chose well. The tag on the dress says sage but everyone says it is aqua. By the way my eyes used to be dark brown but they changed!
Hi Debbie, firstly congratulations on your daughters wedding I can understand your desire to want to choose the right colour dress. It sounds to me that you’re likely going to suit the spring colour palette, but that’s not to say you can’t wear the brighter shades of Autumn too. Within every seasonal colour palette there are sub-sets of colours (light, dark, deep, soft, muted, clear, bright etc) – you can better understand this here: https://robertastylelee.co.uk/colour-examples-within-the-12-seasons-of-colour-analysis/ and more examples showing examples of people wearing these colours https://robertastylelee.co.uk/seasonal-tonal-palettes-a-comprehensive-guide-to-colour-analysis/ – let me know if this helps. 🙂
I have a hard time distinguishing between the warm spring and warm autumn on me. I have 2 colors in my hair. Darker underneath and lighter blonde on top- but all with a golden warm tone. I have similar features to Drew Berrymore. But yeah there’s more of a contrast between my hair and eyes and skin like hers. My veins look blue- but I tan really easily.
No seriously this was so on point and respectful to the fact that a lot of color analysts don’t explain the fact that as a woman of color it can be so confusing figuring out the color analysis. Thank you Roberta!
I was told I was a shaded soft summer & only to wear cool, muted colours & nothing too oramgey or golden…a second colour analysis said the opposite I was a warm spring & only to wear bright rich orangey golden colours! I have peach/pink skin, blush easily, warm blue/green eyes & naturally ash blonde hair! I think I look very drained & tired in dark colours & also very washed out in light ones & if I wear peach clothing & make up I look completely different I come to life….I think I am a warm Spring.
I was diagnosed as a spring, draped, and comments from others reaffirmed it. My best photos are ones of me in a Brazilian bronze golden brown or auburn hair. Now, that I am older, my hair is nickel gray colored- not salt and pepper, but like a dirty nickel. It won’t hold color long and is getting thin. I’m afraid of dye chemicals at this point. Any suggestions?
Hi Ayme,
Have you considered looking at Organic Natural Hair Dyes? I’m not sure if you are UK based but I know that Holland & Barratt do Henna home dyes that will be much more gentle on your hair. I am no hair expert, but I recall people using Henna dyes decades ago and it tends to hold longer than chemical dyes. However if you want to embrace you hair colour and feel like your Spring Colours are looking a bit harsh on your complexion, consider looking at the lighter colours in the spring palette https://robertastylelee.co.uk/seasonal-tonal-palettes-a-comprehensive-guide-to-colour-analysis/ – I’m not sure if this helps at all? x
I think some of the ladies above are expecting too much from analysing themselves! Not everyone has the exact same colouring that seems, on paper, to fit into a colour catergory. It is by colour draping and an expert eye that you find your season. Also, (again, expecting too much) not every colour within a catergory with suit the person within it, An expert eye can see which ones suit and which do not. I have just been draped as a true or warm spring and looked great in most of the colours. Also, the camels and browns, did not look that brilliant against my pale skin, too close in tone, so she said, leave those alone! I also, might be taken as a dark or true autumn (as in some of the comments here) but my skin reacted best to the spring colours, the autumn ones were just too muted and did not do anything for my pale, peachy, luminous skin. I cannot recommend a personal draping enough, otherwise it is a bit like searching around in the dark by yourself.
Thanks for your comments Trisha. I agree draping is the best way to go, and you do need a good eye for it too. I always tell my clients that the there will be colours that we rule out, as not every colour will give you that WOW factor. It’s great to see you sharing your experience so that others can benefit from what you have learnt.
I am a complete anomaly. I have extremely pale yellow toned skin, dark hair, and my eyes are mainly cool green with a warm brown starburst in the centre and a grey rim. I give the impression of being cool toned but my skin demands warm tones – I look ill in anything cool. You’d therefore assume dark autumn, but although some of the colours look good on me, most leave me looking a bit green in the face. True spring colours are way too bright and overpower me. Warm spring colours seems to suit me best but my high contrast and lack of obvious warmth doesn’t fit in with the profile of a warm spring at all.. Colour analysis is HARD.
I think I am warm spring but just not 100% sure. I have hazel eyes and warm hair, more a dark blonde but I don’t really tan so that’s why I am confused. I once had a skin analysis and was told I have neutral/ warm skin but my arm’s are definitely more warm toned. It’s all very confusing especially when you are pale x
Hi joy. I have green eyes and a very red face/ For years I used shades of Cool light summer and did my hair platinum thinking a cool will make a face less red. After 7 years I look and feel awful.. Then I came across with Colour Analysis app/I took a picture and reading said Warm Spring. As soon I incorporated True Spring colour I came alive again.
It is fun for me to read about different colors or groups of colors I can read. I am a strawberry blond with yellow undertones in my skin and people are always trying to put me in pastels or stronger deep colors because “you’re a blond.” Based on positive comments and color analysis I’m comfortable with this analysis. Unfortunately I’m blind so I use others’ comments as my reflection in the miror. I have memory of colors from when I could see and I research colors on the color wheel. My husband is my best mirror now that I’ve trained to be honist. I don’t want to hear “that color is beautiful on you” if it doesn’t.
Hi Joy,
Thank you for leaving such a lovely message on my blog. It sounds like you have your husband well trained indeed. Appreciate you taking the time to share your story and I love that you can appreciate colours through your memories and the feedback people give you on what you’re wearing. How wonderful 🙂