Autumn color palette: best colors for an Autumn color season
An Autumn color season looks best in warm, earthy and rich colors: terracotta, olive, camel, rust, mustard and warm teal. Icy pastels, fuchsia and cool gray tend to wash it out. Here is the whole Autumn palette, how to wear it, and how to tell the three Autumn types apart.
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Which colors suit an Autumn?
Autumn colors are warm and slightly muted or deep: terracotta, rust, burnt orange, mustard, olive, moss, khaki, warm teal, petrol, camel, cinnamon, chocolate and cream. The hardest colors near the face are icy pastels, fuchsia, cool blue-pink, cool gray and optical white. Autumn splits into Soft Autumn, Warm Autumn and Deep Autumn, which differ in how muted, how golden and how deep the best colors are.
Soft Autumn
The most muted Autumn: olive, camel, cinnamon and muted coral. Its neighbor is Soft Summer.
Warm Autumn
The most golden Autumn: terracotta, rust, mustard and moss. Its neighbor is Warm Spring.
Deep Autumn
The deepest Autumn: espresso, forest green, oxblood and copper. Its neighbor is Deep Winter.
Three steps for a fair comparison
- 01
In daylight, hold cream and then pure white under your chin. If cream makes the skin look smoother, that points warm.
- 02
Compare terracotta with light coral. If the deeper, earthier color looks more natural, you are closer to Autumn than to Spring.
- 03
Try olive, rust and espresso one after another. The one that looks most natural hints at Soft, Warm or Deep Autumn.
The Autumn color palette
Every Autumn color has warmth and some earthiness: spices, woods, moss and harvest colors rather than fresh flowers.
- Reds and oranges: terracotta, rust, burnt orange, brick red, muted coral, tomato red.
- Yellows and greens: mustard, ochre, olive, moss, khaki, forest green.
- Blues: warm teal, petrol, turquoise-green, deep warm blue.
- Neutrals: cream, camel, cinnamon, warm taupe, chocolate, espresso.
Colors that are harder for an Autumn
Icy pastels, fuchsia and blue-based pinks sit on top of warm skin instead of blending with it. Cool gray and optical white can make the face look tired, and black right next to the face is often harsher than chocolate or espresso.
Wear them further from the face, or put cream, camel or a warm lip color in between.
Clothes, makeup and hair color for an Autumn
Build basics in camel, chocolate, olive and cream; they combine with every Autumn accent. Tops in terracotta, warm teal or mustard do the most work near the face. Lip colors in brick, terracotta, warm nude and cinnamon suit Autumn; cool pinks and purple-reds tend to look separate from the skin.
Rich, warm hair colors work best: copper, auburn, chestnut, golden brown and caramel highlights. Ash tones and blue-black can make an Autumn complexion look gray.
Clarity before your next purchase
Can an Autumn wear black?
Yes, especially Deep Autumn. For the others, espresso, chocolate, olive or petrol usually look softer near the face.
Is Autumn the same as having a warm undertone?
Not quite. Autumn is warm plus muted or deep. A warm undertone with light, clear coloring usually points to Spring.
How do I know which Autumn type I am?
Compare the three Autumn palettes against your face, or take a photo-based color analysis in the app: it places you in one of the 12 color seasons and gives you that palette for clothes, makeup and hair.
Do Autumns suit silver or gold?
Gold, bronze, copper and brass usually look most natural. Brushed, warm-toned metals are easier than bright silver.
From an initial clue to personal color analysis
Analyze your photo, receive a practical palette and use it when choosing clothes, hair color and makeup.