Light Spring vs Light Summer: How to Tell the Difference
Are you trying to determine whether you’re Light Spring vs Light Summer? Both seasons are light, soft, and delicate, making them a bit difficult to distinguish between.
I want to preface this guide by saying that I think color analysis seasons aren’t rigid categories. I like to think of the twelve seasons as a spectrum rather than individual buckets. But if you’re trying to figure out where you best align, then let’s figure out if you’re a Light Spring or a Light Summer!
What are Warm Colors vs Cool Colors?
The fundamental distinction between Light Spring and Light Summer goes back to color theory in art, warm colors vs cool colors. I think this post by Just Paint handles the idea really well.
The idea in art is that, in general, the primary and secondary colors of red, orange, and yellow are considered “warm” colors and the the primary and secondary colors of green, blue, and magenta are considered “cool” colors.
This idea of color “temperature” is just a way of categorizing colors we can see, based on how they make us feel. Red/orange/yellow feel to people more like a warm sunny day whereas green/blue/magenta feel more like cool water or the night sky.
So when we say warm vs cool colors or warm vs cool tones, or the temperature of colors, what we’re really talking about is how much red-orange is in a color compared to how much green-blue is in a color. For example, a yellow with more green in it is cooler than yellow with more red in it.
This applies to your skin and seasonal color palette as well, and is a good way to differentiate if you are Light Spring vs Light Summer.
Your Skin’s Temperature in Color Analysis
Color temperature is the key difference between Light Spring vs Light Summer.
Light Spring has warm undertones. Think golden or peachy tones.
Light Summer has cool undertones. Think pink or blue tones.
Everything else flows from this core difference. While both seasons are characterized by lightness and softness (with Light Spring being slightly brighter), the temperature of the colors determines which season you belong to.
Understanding Light Spring vs Light Summer
Light Spring
Light Spring is primarily characterized by lightness first, with a secondary warmth. Light Springs look best in:
- Light, warm colors with a golden or peachy cast
- Colors like peach, coral, warm aqua, warm-toned mint, cream, light warm gold
- Delicate colors that have a sunny, spring-morning quality
- Colors that suggest warmth without being too saturated or too rich
Think of Light Spring as the palette of a spring garden bathed in warm morning sunlight, everything is fresh and touched with a golden warmth.
Light Summer
Light Summer is primarily characterized by lightness first, with a secondary coolness. Light Summers look best in:
- Light, cool colors with a pink or blue cast
- Colors like powder pink, lavender, light periwinkle, cool mint, soft white, icy blue
- Delicate colors that have a misty, ethereal quality
- Colors that suggest coolness without being icy or stark
Think of Light Summer as the palette of a summer morning seen through mist, everything is soft and touched by dew.
Side-by-Side Color Comparisons
The best way to understand the difference between Light Spring vs Light Summer is to compare specific colors from each palette:
Neutrals: Light Spring has cream, warm ivory, light camel, warm light gray, while Light Summer has soft white, cool light gray, rose-taupe, cool beige.
Pinks: Light Spring has peachy pink, coral pink, warm salmon pink while Light Summer has powder pink, cool rose pink, soft mauve-pink.
Blues: Light Spring has warm aqua, warm turquoise, warm periwinkle, while Light Summer has powder blue, cool periwinkle, soft cool blue.
Greens: Light Spring has warm mint, apple green, light warm jade, while Light Summer has cool mint, soft sage, light cool jade.
Yellows: Light Spring has pale golden yellow, butter yellow, warm primrose, while Light Summer has cool lemon yellow, icy primrose.
How to Test for Light Spring vs Light Summer
Test 1: The Peach vs Powder Pink Test
What you need: A peach or coral colored piece of fabric or clothing and a powder pink or cool pink item
What to do: Hold each color near your face in natural daylight and observe
Light Spring result: The peach/coral makes your skin look clear and even. Your features appear defined. But the powder pink makes you look sallow, tired, or slightly yellow/gray.
Light Summer result: The powder pink makes your skin look clear and even. Your features appear soft and pretty. The peach makes you look yellow, washed out, or off somehow.
Test 2: The Mint Green Test
What you need: Find two mint green items, one with a warm, slightly golden cast and one with a cool, blue cast.
What to do: Hold each color near your face in natural daylight and observe
Light Spring result: The warm mint makes you glow. The cool mint (slightly blue) makes you look tired or washed out.
Light Summer result: The cool mint (slightly blue) makes you look even and clear. The warm mint makes you look off or sallow.
Test 3: The Gold vs Silver Jewelry Test
What you need: Find at least one piece of gold jewelry and one piece of silver.
What to do: Compare how you look wearing gold jewelry versus silver jewelry (as always, in natural light if possible).
Light Spring result: Gold looks natural on you. Silver can look stark, harsh, or slightly wrong.
Light Summer result: Silver looks natural on you. Gold can look brassy, heavy, or wrong.
Important note: Some people look okay in both metals, especially in how shiny/matte they are, which can make this test confusing. I think the peach/pink and mint tests are more reliable.
Test 4: The Foundation Test
What you need: Find at least on peachy/yellow-based foundation and one pink/rosy foundation.
What to do: Look at your foundation or try different shades in natural light.
Light Spring: Golden, peachy, or warm yellow-based foundations look more natural on you.
Light Summer: Pink, rosy, or cool-based foundations wear more easily on you.
Common Confusion Points
No! Hair and eye color don’t determine your season, skin undertone does. You can be a Light Spring with blonde hair and blue eyes if your skin has warm undertones. Many Light Springs have these features.
This is normal, especially with neutrals.(Again, seasonal color palettes work more on a spectrum rather than rigid buckets.) However, when you compare the signature colors (peach vs powder pink, warm aqua vs cool blue), one will clearly make your skin look a bit better than the other and serve as your home season.
Light Spring colors are relatively soft and not super warm, so they can sometimes work alongside cooler neutrals. However, truly cool colors (like lavender or cool pink) will still make you look a bit less cohesive than your warm colors do.
Surface redness or rosy cheeks don’t necessarily indicate cool undertones. (I have rosacea, for example.) Many Light Springs have rosy cheeks but warm undertones underneath. Trust your eyes. Color draping tests really do show us our best colors.
Styling Differences between Light Spring vs Light Summer
A Light Spring might wear:
- A peach blouse with cream trousers
- Warm aqua dress with gold accessories
- Coral cardigan over warm ivory top
- Mint green (warm) with light camel
A Light Summer might wear:
- A powder pink blouse with soft white trousers
- Light periwinkle dress with silver accessories
- Soft lavender cardigan over cool gray top
- Cool mint with rose-taupe
Makeup Differences
Light Spring Makeup
- Foundation: Golden, peachy, or warm beige
- Blush: Peachy pink, warm coral, soft apricot
- Lipstick: Coral, peach, warm pink, peachy nude
- Eyeshadow: Warm browns, peach, coral, sage, warm gold
- Eyeliner/Mascara: Soft brown, warm navy
- Nails: Warm periwinkle or champagne
Light Summer Makeup
- Foundation: Pink, rosy, or neutral-cool
- Blush: Soft pink, cool rose, soft mauve-pink
- Lipstick: Soft pink, cool rose, soft mauve, rose-nude
- Eyeshadow: Soft lavender, powder blue, cool gray, soft rose
- Eyeliner/Mascara: Soft brown, cool gray, soft navy
- Nails: Cool, soft pink or baby blue
When You Might Be On The Border
Some people are very close to the border between Light Spring and Light Summer. If you’re truly borderline, you might be:
A Light Spring who can borrow some Light Summer neutrals like soft white or cool gray.
OR
A Light Summer who can borrow some Light Spring neutrals like cream or warm ivory.
Again, think spectrum not buckets. However, even borderline cases will have a clear home base in one season when comparing the signature colors like peach vs powder pink.
What If You’re Neither?
If both Light Spring and Light Summer colors seem off, consider:
- True Spring if you need more warmth and saturation than Light Spring.
- Soft Summer if you need more depth than Light Summer.
- Soft Autumn if you need warmth but look better in muted colors.
- Bright Spring if you need much more saturation and brightness.
