Soft Summer Color Type: Complete Guide to Colors, Clothing, and Make-up

Soft Summer is a soft and cool seasonal color type in the color analysis system, characterized by gentle, muted, and elegant qualities.

In this comprehensive Soft Summer color palette guide, you’ll discover the best Soft Summer color palette, clothing styles suited for Soft Summer individuals, and makeup tips designed to enhance your natural refinement and subtle beauty.

Are you Soft Summer?

In my experience, Soft Summer is one of the most common seasonal color types. In my opinion, it has the widest range of natural hair colors and skin tones. Summer types have a green undertone, so they can have olive skin as well as very light skin that not only has a green undertone but, in the case of low pigmentation, can sometimes show a pink undertone due to sun exposure. Soft types also find it more challenging to balance their softness, medium contrast, and colors that are not too cool in undertone.

If you struggle to clearly identify which season suits you – whether you are Summer, Autumn, or even Winter – and you find it difficult to handle strong contrast in makeup (for example, heavy eye makeup or lipstick), while softer eye makeup with bronzers and blush suits you better, it is quite likely that you are a Soft Summer or Soft Autumn.

How to Understand Soft Summer Color Season?

This type is likely the most difficult to understand. I have the impression that more people can hide under it than really belong there. It can also be hard for the untrained eye to recognize muted cool colors and not reach for warm beiges.

This type can often look unhealthy. I don’t know how to describe it, but both soft autumn and soft summer have more complex make up rules. You have to keep the contrast medium, you have to keep it cool, but not too cool. Natural hair often looks strange and ill. That’s why women with soft summer hair, unlike cool summer women who look great in their natural hair, basically always reach for hair dye. If they choose a tone that is too warm or too dark, the whole balance can disappear and they have to correct it with make-up. (Imagine Angelina Jolie, how a small change in hair colour can make her look less than harmonious.)

Soft Summer and Winter Types

It’s not uncommon for a soft summer to be mistaken for a winter type at the beginning if she has natural medium to dark brown hair. Soft summer, however, cannot handle silver-black shadows, too dark or contrasting make-up or too dark lipstick.

Tanning is very flattering. They can generally look more sun-tanned than they are.

From my experience, when I myself am a soft summer: let the good hairdresser choose the color, and if you want to save money, buy the same color from your hairdresser to take home.

Shadows are better than a pencil or line. For lips, the best is a pink lip balm, which leaves a natural look but a little tinted.

Soft summer also doesn’t look good in cheaper materials. It needs not only softness of colour but also of material. When you think of soft summer, try to think of it in combination with an old money style where nothing is ever over and keeping it natural. It can lead you to perceive soft summer intuitively.

New to Color Analysis?

Discover how the 4 Seasons & 12 Subtypes can help you find your perfect colors in our detailed guide!

Soft Summer Color Type: Skin, Hair, and Eye Features

Skin: Light to medium with cool or neutral undertones — porcelain, rosy beige, or soft olive (especially in eastern europe, women have pale skin with olive undertones)
Hair: Ash blonde, soft ash brown, muted brown, or dark ash brown.
Eyes: Soft blue, grey-blue, grey-green, or muted hazel — always with a slightly smoky look.
Overall impression: Muted, cool, and delicate — a calm beauty.

Harmony

Soft Summer types shine in cool, muted, and powdery shades. Bright, vivid, or very dark colors can overpower their soft natural beauty.

Soft Summer vs. Soft Autumn

Both types are muted and low in contrast, but Soft Summer is cool while Soft Autumn is warm. Soft Summer has more greyed, bluish tones, and Soft Autumn leans toward earthy browns and golden undertones. To tell the difference, hold up cool grey and warm beige near your face – if you glow in grey, you’re likely Soft Summer; if beige works better, you’re Soft Autumn.

Cool Summer vs Soft Summer

Light Summer vs Soft Summer

Best Colors

Neutrals

Soft white (a little bit beige but still cold)
Cool light grey
Dusty navy
Soft charcoal
Muted cool medium brown

Colors

Powder blue
Soft lavender
Misty teal
Dusty rose
Icy mauve
Muted berry
Smoky plum

Note on black

Black can be too heavy for Soft Summer. It’s better to use soft navy, smoky charcoal, or dusty deep colors. If black must be worn, soften it with muted accessories or delicate fabrics.

Avoid

Avoid warm, golden, or earthy colors like mustard, rust, and olive green.

Soft Summer Celebrity Examples

Bella Hadid
Katie Holmes
Irina Shayk
Jennifer Aniston
Dakota Johnson

Clothing Tips

Choose lightweight, soft, and slightly matte fabrics like cotton, linen, cashmere, or soft wool.
Best patterns are gentle and muted — think small florals, soft plaids, or watercolor prints.
Clean but slightly softened lines, avoiding heavy structures.

Your best style is soft, elegant, and quietly refined.

Soft Summer Color Palette Outfits

Ready to refresh your wardrobe for the summer season?

Check out my Soft Summer Color Palette Outfits Wardrobe PDF on Etsy!
This instant digital download features carefully curated summer outfits in cool, muted tones perfect for Soft Summer, styled in an elegant Old Money aesthetic.

Get your summer style guide here → [link]

Simplify your summer wardrobe and start dressing effortlessly today!

Make-up Recommendations

Foundation: Light to medium with a cool or neutral base.
Eyeshadows: Dusty mauve, soft grey, smoky lavender, muted plum, dusty rose
Mascara: Soft black or grey-black for a natural, delicate eye definition.
Lipsticks: Dusty rose, muted berry, soft mauve, cool pink. You will never make mistake with a lip balm with a little pink pigment.
Blush: Soft rose or muted plum tones.

Focus on soft, blended looks with cool, muted shades for the most harmonious result.

Glasses and Accessories

Glasses frames: Cool-toned frames — silver, pewter, smoky grey, or dusty blue.
Jewelry metals: Silver, white gold, cool gold, or soft brushed finishes.
Jewelry style: Refined, delicate, and slightly understated — nothing too bold or bright.

Avoid warm gold and heavy, shiny jewelry that would be too much to your softness.