Deep Winter (Dark Winter) Palette

When Winter flows into Autumn we encounter the Deep Winter palette. Other names for this season are Dark Winter, or Deep Cool, as the two primary characteristics are Deep and Cool coloring. Deep Winter is quite muted for a Winter, but brighter and higher contrast than Deep Autumn, its sister season. The overall effect is rich and vivid, with high contrast between eyes, hair and skin, but the skin still feels neutral and not purely cool. The Dark Winter palette has a touch of warm and some Winters can even wear some of the colors in the Deep Autumn colour palette but the best colors will always be cooler in hue.

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General Characteristics Of The Deep Winter Palette

You are likely to be a Deep Winter if you have several of the following characteristics:

Hair

Deep winter hair is usually dark, but even black hair could have a reddish tinge. It doesn’t have golden highlights, and in general highlights will make Winters look washed out diminishing the intensity of their coloring.

Skin

Dark Winter skin can be olive or bronze, or a light cool beige. It is not as cool as the Cool seasons, but it’s definitely not warm either. You are likely to be a Dark Winter if fuchsia makes your skin glow and burnt orange looks slightly off even if the intensity seems right. People probably compliment you when wearing pure shades like black, or a true green or red, but you can also look great in icy pink (Whereas Dark Autumn would look yellow on that color).

Eyes

The most common eye colors for Dark Winters are black or deep brown, often with a reddish tinge. Very dark olive, dark hazel or deep blue are also possible, but light blue is likely to belong to Bright or Cool Winters.

Famous Deep Winter Celebrities

If you have a similar coloring to some of the following celebrities, you are likely a Deep Winter:

Salma Hayek
Jaime Murray
Sandra Bullock
Penelope Cruz
Viola Davis
Lucy Liu
Anne Hathaway

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The Deep Winter Palette

The Dark Winter color palette is Cool and Deep. It requires relatively high levels of contrast so your best combinations will involve both dark and light colours. You will get compliments with dark outfits accented with bright pieces, Your best colours include black, pure white, dark charcoal, true shades such as true red, green or blue, burgundy, icy pink and brown black. If high contrast levels overpower you, consider soft summer instead.

Deep Winter Worst Colors

Avoid very warm colors such as golden orange and brown, peach and light beige. Pastel colors may make you look sick, but icy light colors such as icy pink will look stunning on you, when combined with darker colors from your palette. If you are thinking of going blonde, please think twice. Very few Deep Winters can pull blonde convincingly. Unless you are willing to rethink your entire makeup and wardrobe to support light hair, you may find that your eyes become invisible and your face looks aged and flat. A very cool silver, even graphite, may work instead. Golden highlights will also clash with your skin but auburn or red ones can look great particularly as balayage in the ends.

Deep And Cool Makeup

In makeup you should try colors such as deep brown or purple for your eyes, and true red, ruby and burgundy shades for your lips. What will look overpowering on a lighter season looks just right on you. You can also try for more natural colors, but avoid lips that are lighter than your natural light color or you will look washed out.

The following makeup for deep winter products are worth a try if you think you are a dark winter.

Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Moisturizing Lip Shimmer

We keep a list of deep winter makeup as well for more product ideas. They are mostly high end products but many have drugstore dupes. Just make sure to do your research: pigment density is very important for dark winters, you don’t want a wishy washy hint of color.

As a deep winter, you can afford to be dramatic both in terms of colors and contrast. Nobody else wears dark colors like Deep winter and Deep autumn, and dramatic makeup will look natural on you. Avoid shades that are too light and will wash you out, or harsh highlights that would reduce your level of contrast and reduce the overall dramatic effect of your dark hair.