True Spring
The warmest season — golden, clear and sunlit.
True Spring is warmth in its purest form. The colouring is golden throughout — skin, hair and eyes all carry yellow-based warmth — and the best colours are clear, warm and saturated without being icy or heavy. This is the palette of coral, golden yellow, warm turquoise and grass green.
Temperature is the dominant axis here: get the warm-versus-cool call right and everything else follows. (Undertone is what the 12-tone system calls this season's primary characteristic.)
Where this season sits
Every one of the twelve seasons is a position on three axes. These are the coordinates our analysis scores you against.
Is this you?
- Skin
- Warm and golden, from ivory-peach through to golden beige; tans easily.
- Hair
- Golden blonde through golden or strawberry brown; strong natural warmth.
- Eyes
- Warm blue, green, teal or golden hazel — clear and bright.
- Contrast
- Low to medium, with warmth as the unifying thread.
The palette
The 20 colours that work hardest for True Spring, with hex codes so you can match them exactly.
- Coral orange#FF7043
- Bright tangerine#F4511E
- Salmon coral#FF8A5C
- Warm poppy#E85D4E
- Golden yellow#FFB300
- Daffodil#FFD54F
- Amber#F9A825
- Chartreuse#C0CA33
- Grass green#7CB342
- Leaf green#43A047
Neutrals to build on
- Cream#F2E6CE
- Warm beige#D6B98C
- Golden tan#B5854A
- Warm brown#8A6234
- Warm denim#4E6E82
Metals and makeup
Best metals: Yellow gold, Bronze, Copper.
Lip
- Coral
- Warm red
- Warm pink
Blush
- Coral peach
- Apricot
- Golden peach
More on True Spring
Often confused with
Frequently asked
What is a True Spring?
True Spring is one of the twelve seasonal colour types. It is strongly warm, moderately light and bright. In practice that means coral orange, bright tangerine and salmon coral sit comfortably on you, while the colours in the avoid list make you look tired. Temperature is the dominant axis here: get the warm-versus-cool call right and everything else follows. (Undertone is what the 12-tone system calls this season's primary characteristic.)
How do I know if I am a True Spring?
Three checks. Warm and golden, from ivory-peach through to golden beige; tans easily. Golden blonde through golden or strawberry brown; strong natural warmth. Warm blue, green, teal or golden hazel — clear and bright. Contrast is the fourth: low to medium, with warmth as the unifying thread. If two of those four describe you, True Spring is very likely your season — our free analysis scores all twelve and tells you how close the runners-up are.
What colours should a True Spring avoid?
The clearest ones to drop are black, charcoal grey and burgundy. Too cold and too deep — it kills the golden glow that defines the season. Full explanations for each are on the colours-to-avoid page.
What is the difference between True Spring and Light Spring?
They are neighbours, which is exactly why they get confused. The deciding axis is depth: True Spring is the deep one and Light Spring is the light one. We have a full side-by-side comparison if you are torn between them.
Can a True Spring wear black?
Not near your face. True Spring colouring is too gentle for true black — it drops a hard edge under the chin and pulls shadows forward. Use Warm denim (#4E6E82) instead for anything worn up top, and keep black for trousers, shoes and bags where it has no effect on your skin.
What metals suit a True Spring?
Yellow gold, Bronze and Copper. Metal is one of the fastest at-home tests there is: hold silver and gold either side of your face in daylight and watch your skin rather than the jewellery — the wrong metal leaves a grey or sallow cast along the jaw.