If you've taken a basic seasonal color quiz and landed on 'Autumn' or 'Summer,' you might have felt that the result was close but not quite right. Maybe some of the recommended colors looked amazing on you while others fell flat. That's because the four-season system is a starting point, not the destination.
The 12-season system refines each of the four seasons into three sub-seasons, giving you a much more precise palette. Instead of 'Autumn,' you might be a Soft Autumn (muted and gentle), a Warm Autumn (rich and golden), or a Deep Autumn (intense and dramatic). The difference is meaningful — and once you find your exact sub-season, the colors just click.
How the 12-Season System Works
Each sub-season is defined by which of three characteristics is dominant in your coloring: undertone, value (lightness/darkness), or chroma (brightness/mutedness). Think of it as a spectrum rather than a box.
Your sub-season is determined by which quality is strongest in your natural coloring. Two people can both be 'Autumn' but look quite different — one might lean closer to Summer (Soft Autumn) while the other leans toward Winter (Deep Autumn).
The Three Springs
All Springs share warm undertones and a fresh, light quality. What varies is the dominant characteristic:
Bright Spring
The most vivid of the Springs. Bright Springs have high contrast and clarity — think clear, saturated colors like true red, bright turquoise, and vivid coral. Their coloring is warm but striking, with bright eyes that stand out against their skin. They share a border with Bright Winter.
Bright Spring
True Red
#FF4040
Turquoise
#00CED1
Coral
#FF6347
Chartreuse
#7FFF00
Hot Pink
#FF69B4
Warm Spring
The 'truest' Spring — undertone is the dominant quality. Warm Springs are golden, peachy, and sun-kissed. Their best colors are warm without being too dark or too muted: salmon, warm coral, golden yellow, warm green. They share a border with Warm Autumn.
Warm Spring
Salmon
#FA8072
Khaki Gold
#F0E68C
Light Salmon
#FFA07A
Light Green
#90EE90
Burlywood
#DEB887
Light Spring
The lightest and most delicate of the Springs. Light Springs have low contrast with a warm, airy quality — fair skin, light hair, light eyes in warm tones. Their palette is soft pastels with warmth: peach, light coral, mint, butter yellow. They share a border with Light Summer.
Light Spring
Peach Puff
#FFDAB9
Pale Green
#98FB98
Light Pink
#FFB6C1
Lemon Chiffon
#FFFACD
Sky Blue
#87CEEB
The Three Summers
All Summers share cool undertones and a soft, muted quality. They look best in colors that have been 'greyed' slightly — nothing too saturated or too dark.
Light Summer
The lightest of the Summers. Light Summers have cool, delicate coloring — ash blonde hair, light eyes, pink-toned skin. Their palette is soft and icy: powder blue, soft pink, light lavender, silver. They border Light Spring.
Cool Summer
The 'truest' Summer — cool undertone is dominant. Cool Summers look best in colors with a blue base: raspberry, blue-grey, teal, plum, cocoa. They have a distinctly cool, almost silvery quality to their coloring and share a border with Cool Winter.
Soft Summer
The most muted of the Summers. Soft Summers have low contrast and a gentle, dusty quality — nothing sharp or bright works on them. Their best colors are greyed and blended: sage, dusty rose, mauve, soft teal, mushroom. They border Soft Autumn.
The Three Autumns
All Autumns share warm undertones and an earthy, rich quality. They look best in colors that feel grounded and organic.
Soft Autumn
The most muted Autumn. Soft Autumns have warm coloring that's gentle rather than bold — think cashmere and suede rather than leather and gold. Their palette includes sage, camel, soft terracotta, dusty teal, and warm grey. They border Soft Summer.
Warm Autumn
The 'truest' Autumn — warmth is the dominant quality. Warm Autumns are golden, coppery, and rich. Their palette is unmistakably warm: burnt orange, olive, mustard, chocolate, rust. They border Warm Spring.
Deep Autumn
The darkest and most intense Autumn. Deep Autumns have warm coloring with significant depth — dark hair, rich skin tones, deep eyes. Their palette is warm but bold: mahogany, forest green, warm burgundy, bronze. They border Deep Winter.
The Three Winters
All Winters share cool undertones and high contrast. They can handle bold, saturated colors that would overwhelm other seasons.
Deep Winter
The darkest Winter. Deep Winters have intense, dramatic coloring with warm undertones peeking through — rich dark skin, very dark hair, deep eyes. Their palette is saturated and deep: black, dark ruby, navy, emerald, dark aubergine. They border Deep Autumn.
Cool Winter
The 'truest' Winter — cool undertone dominates. Cool Winters look best in icy, blue-based colors: true white, fuchsia, royal blue, sharp burgundy, pure grey. They border Cool Summer.
Bright Winter
The most vivid Winter. Bright Winters have extreme contrast and clarity — they can wear electric colors that most people can't: shocking pink, electric blue, bright white, emerald, pure violet. They border Bright Spring.
Finding Your Sub-Season
The key question isn't 'am I warm or cool?' — it's 'which quality is most dominant in my coloring?' Someone with warm, light, and clear coloring is a Bright Spring. Someone with warm, deep, and muted coloring is a Deep Autumn. The sub-season is where undertone, value, and chroma intersect.
“Your sub-season isn't a limitation — it's a superpower. It's the 50 colors out of millions that were specifically designed to make you look your absolute best.”
HueCheck's AI analysis determines your exact sub-season by measuring all three characteristics from your photos. The result includes not just your season name but a personalized palette of 50+ colors, complete with hex codes you can reference while shopping online or in-store.
