This clear winter color palette toolkit has everything you need to know about this gorgeous collection of cool, brighter, and dark tones. (Clear winter is also often referred to as bright winter.)
Our goal is to not only teach you how to find your perfect colors, but also show you the amazing portable tools available to you.
Professional stylists rely on fashion color palettes to pick the most flattering colors for their clients, and now you will be able to do the same for yourself.
What is a Clear Winter Color Palette?
A clear winter color palette is a collection of flattering colors that complement those in the clear winter color season.
The color palette for clear winters is generally composed of dark, bright, and cool tones. The words dark, bright, and cool describe both the colors in the palette as well as the color characteristics of those in this winter sub-season.
However, clear winters have at least one bright feature. Whether that’s bright dark blue eyes, or bright light skin with dark hair and dark eyes.
Dark cool hair is usually the first indicator that you are in the winter color season.
Best Clear Winter Colors
Highly saturated and bright or bold darker and medium cool tones tend to be the best clear winter colors. You’ll also find captivating contrasting lighter colors like crisp white and cool tones in the palette.
*As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.
We’ll break down this palette into each major color group. Plus, we’ve paired the colors with women in the clear winter color season so you can see the power of color yourself. (You’ll notice all of these women have two dark features and one or more distinguished bright feature.)
1. Best Clear Winter Dark Neutrals
When it comes to the Clear Winter color palette, darks are a must-have for every stunning and sophisticated wardrobe or makeup collection.
These cool-toned dark neutrals are perfect for creating stylish and timeless looks. Whether you prefer medium or dark tones, you’ll find the perfect shade to enhance your look.
These clear winter shades can be best described as:
- Stark True Black
- Dark Bright Cool Navy
- Dark Charcoal Gray
- Dark Charcoal Brown
Clear winter dark colors to avoid:
- Deep Rusty Browns
- Deep Warm Greens
- Deep Coppers
2. Best Clear Winter Blues
The best blues for clear winter women are bright, medium to darker shades that have hints of grays, blacks, and purple tones mixed in.
These colors pair perfectly with the clear winter color characteristics and play seamlessly off of your cool-toned eyes, hair, and skin. Blue is the epitome of cool tones and is the most referenced cool color.
These flattering blue clear winter shades can be described as:
- Bright Medium Blue with Hints of Black tint
- Medium Cool Blue with Hints of Purple tint
- Dark Purplish Blue
- Dark Navy Indigo Blue
Clear Winter Blues to Avoid:
- Neon Blues
3. Best Clear Winter Greens
The best clear winter greens are brighter and highly saturated. (Not neon.)
Clear winter colors are the perfect way to make your wardrobe and makeup pop.
The most flattering greens for clear winter women can be described as:
- Medium Teal Green
- Medium Bright True Sea Green
- Dark Bright Teal
- Dark Green with Hints of Blue and Black
Clear winter greens to avoid:
- Lime Green
- Yellow Green
- Pastel Green
- True Green
4. Best Clear Winter Reds
For those within the clear winter color season, the best reds to wear are brighter and medium to dark in shade with subtle hints of black, blue, pink, and gray.
These bright and cool reds look amazing on clear winter features and can be easily incorporated into any wardrobe. Bright red lipstick is your secret weapon.
The most flattering clear winter reds can be described as:
- Dark Cool Red
- Medium Bright Cool Red
- Medium Cool Red with Hints of Black Tint
- Medium Berry Red
The reds to avoid as a clear winter woman include:
- Rusty Reds
- Copper Reds
- Pastel Reds
- Neon Reds
5. Best Clear Winter Pinks
Cool-toned pinks are power colors for women who are in any winter color season. The best clear winter pinks are cool berry and plum tones that are medium to dark in shade.
These cool-toned pinks bring a vibrant pop of color to the clear winter color palette, creating an elegant look for any occasion.
The best shades of pink for clear winters can be described as:
- Dark Berry Pink with Blue Tints
- Dark Berry Pink with Gray Tints
- Cool Icy Medium Pink
- Medium Cool Pink
Pink shades that winters should avoid:
- Orangish Pinks
- Pastel Pinks
- Neon Pinks
6. Best Clear Winter Purples
The purples in the color palette for clear or bright winter women are medium to dark shades of purple with tints of grays, blues, and black.
Whether you’re dressing for a night out or a day in, these purples can be used to add a touch of sophistication to any outfit.
The best purples for clear winters can be described as:
- Medium Ice Purple
- Medium Bright Cool Purple
- Medium Eggplant Purple
- Dark Bright Cool Purple
Purples to avoid if you are a clear winter include:
- Pastel Purple
- Neon Purple
- Rusty Brownish Purple
7. Best Clear Winter Light Neutral Colors
If you are looking for light neutrals in addition to crisp white, look for icy light shades with tints of oat, silver, pink, and blue. The tints added to white should be cool and bright.
The best light neutrals for clear winter women include:
- Crisp White
- Light Clear Gray
- Light Dusty Rose White
- Light Bright Blueish White
The light neutrals you should avoid if you are a cool winter include:
- Yellowish Whites
- Cream Tones
- Greenish Whites
Clear Winter Metals
When creating a clear winter color palette, metals are an important factor to consider. The best metals for any winter palette are silvers, white gold, and rose gold. All of these metals are perfect for adding a hint of icy glamour and a unique flair to any outfit.
Silver is the most versatile of the metals, adding a light and airy, slightly cool feel. White gold is a great alternative to silver, offering a more classic and formal look. Lastly, rose gold is a great way to add a touch of warmth and femininity to an outfit.
All of these metals are perfect for a clear winter color palette and can be used in jewelry, accessories, and other accents.
Clear Winter Colors to Avoid
When it comes to creating a Clear Winter color palette, not all colors are created equal. You’ll want to avoid warm tones, neon colors, pastels, and creams.
- Fall Colors can be too warm for your cool complexion. Fall rusty colors contrast negatively with clear winter complexions. You’ll see the rusty brownish orange draws attention away from this gorgeous woman and it dulls out her natural sparkle.
- Neon colors can be too bright and overwhelming. There is a such thing as too bright for this clear bright color season. Clear colors are saturated and bright and not neon.
- Pastels are too muted and soft. You’ll notice the pastel yellow in the photo washes out this beauty bright winter woman. It almost drains all of the color out of her face.
- Ivory is too light and warm. Light warm shades, like ivory and cream, lack the intensity needed to play off your highly saturated and bright natural coloring.
Best Clear Winter Color Palettes
There are a variety of helpful clear winter color palette tools that showcase these beautiful, jaw-dropping shades.
These custom palettes give you all-time access to your most flattering colors.
There are physical color palettes that you can touch and feel, and there are digital palettes that you can keep on your phone.
Here are our favorites:
1. Style Solutions for You – Best Fabric Palette to Fit In Your Purse
It’s like having a personal color stylist with you at all times. This bright winter color palette fabric swatch fan fits in your purse and is super simple to use. (Clear winter and bright winter are the same thing.)
Highlights
- Handmade
- Portable
- Beautiful Protective Bag
- Plastic Covering for Each Swatch
- Fast Shipping
Price
This clear winter color palette costs around $50 on Etsy.
2. Color Me Beautiful – Best Plastic Palette for Full Winter Color Season
This is another great option for a portable palette. It can fit in your purse. The major difference between this one and the one above is that it includes all colors from the entire winter color palette, not just the clear winter color season.
Highlights
- Portable
- Fits In Your Purse – 1.58 ounces
- Wipeable
- Fast Shipping
- Wide Variety of Colors
Price
This palette for the full winter season costs under $40 on Amazon.
3. Color Me a Season Selector – Best for Complementary Colors
Cover all of your color bases with this color selector. Find your main color and get all of the professionally recommended complimentary colors too. This is great for picking outfits and makeup combinations.
Highlights
- Includes Main + Complementary Colors
- Portable – 8 x 0.1 x 8 inches
- Plastic
- Instructions on the Back
Price
This amazing color selector costs under $30 on Amazon.
4. BelleAndBonnet- Best Digital Palette
If you like the idea of having your best colors on your phone at all times, this clear winter digital color palette may be a great option for you.
Highlights
- Instant Digital PDF Download
- Includes 26 Colors
- 9 Pattern Ideas
- 6 Lipstick Shades
Price
This digital color palette costs around $8 on Etsy.
Conclusion
The clear winter color palette can be used to help women in the clear winter color season to find their most flattering colors.
Several color palette tools such as fabric swatch color palettes, plastic swatch color palettes, and digital color palettes can be incredibly helpful when shopping for makeup and clothing colors. These handy tools empower you to advocate for yourself and essentially be your own color stylist.
The colors within this clear winter palette are dark, bright, and cool. These colors include cool reds, purples, blues, pinks, and greens. The collection of colors also includes complementary colors like crisp whites and blacks.
