Deep Winter
Cool darkness — jewel tones against true black.
Deep Winter is the darkest cool season. The colouring is high-contrast and dramatic: dark hair against clear skin, dark eyes, and a face that can carry true black. The palette is deep jewel tones — emerald, sapphire, ruby, aubergine — plus icy accents that create the contrast this season thrives on.
Depth is the dominant axis here: the palette is defined first by how light or deep it is, and only then by temperature. (Depth 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
- Cool to neutral-cool, from porcelain to deep espresso, always clear rather than muted.
- Hair
- Dark brown to black, cool or neutral rather than golden.
- Eyes
- Dark brown, black-brown, deep cool green or icy blue.
- Contrast
- High. The gap between hair and skin is the defining feature.
The palette
The 20 colours that work hardest for Deep Winter, with hex codes so you can match them exactly.
- Ruby#8E0B3A
- Deep crimson#A4133C
- Wine#6A0F49
- Deep violet#4A148C
- Royal purple#38006B
- Indigo#311B92
- Sapphire#0D47A1
- Deep cobalt#01579B
- Deep teal#006064
- Pine emerald#00695C
Neutrals to build on
- Pure white#FFFFFF
- Icy grey#D6D6D6
- Charcoal#5A5A5A
- True black#1C1C1C
- Midnight navy#12243D
Metals and makeup
Best metals: Silver, White gold, Platinum, Gunmetal.
Lip
- True red
- Ruby
- Wine
Blush
- Cool berry
- Deep rose
- Bright cool pink
More on Deep Winter
Often confused with
Frequently asked
What is a Deep Winter?
Deep Winter is one of the twelve seasonal colour types. It is moderately cool, strongly deep and moderately bright. In practice that means ruby, deep crimson and wine sit comfortably on you, while the colours in the avoid list make you look tired. Depth is the dominant axis here: the palette is defined first by how light or deep it is, and only then by temperature. (Depth is what the 12-tone system calls this season's primary characteristic.)
How do I know if I am a Deep Winter?
Three checks. Cool to neutral-cool, from porcelain to deep espresso, always clear rather than muted. Dark brown to black, cool or neutral rather than golden. Dark brown, black-brown, deep cool green or icy blue. Contrast is the fourth: high. the gap between hair and skin is the defining feature. If two of those four describe you, Deep Winter is very likely your season — our free analysis scores all twelve and tells you how close the runners-up are.
What colours should a Deep Winter avoid?
The clearest ones to drop are camel, coral and sage. Golden and muted — it flattens the crisp contrast the season depends on. Full explanations for each are on the colours-to-avoid page.
What is the difference between Deep Winter and True Winter?
They are neighbours, which is exactly why they get confused. The deciding axis is undertone: Deep Winter is the warm one and True Winter is the cool one. We have a full side-by-side comparison if you are torn between them.
Can a Deep Winter wear black?
Yes — this is one of the few seasons that genuinely can. Deep Winter colouring is cool and deep enough to meet true black head-on, and black next to the face will look crisp rather than draining. It is arguably your strongest neutral.
What metals suit a Deep Winter?
Silver, White gold, Platinum and Gunmetal. 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.