Cyan / Teal color · XKCD survey name
Dusty Teal Color Code: #4C9085
Dusty Teal (#4C9085) is a medium-dark, soft blue-green shade: RGB 76, 144, 133, HSL 170°, 31%, 43%. Black text reads best on it (5.63:1 contrast).
Dusty Teal color values
#4C9085
rgb(76, 144, 133)
hsl(170, 31%, 43%)
170, 47%, 56%
hwb(170 30% 44%)
47%, 0%, 8%, 44%
5017733
CMYK is a standard screen-to-print conversion. Printed results depend on inks, paper and color profiles.
What is Dusty Teal?
“Dusty Teal” is a crowd-sourced name from the XKCD Color Survey, in which participants typed names for colors they were shown. It is a popular everyday label rather than an official standard.
Its hue angle of 170° places it in the blue-green part of the color wheel, with 31% saturation (soft) and 43% lightness (medium-dark). It is a cool color.
Compared with the other cyan / teal colors in the Aqeeb Studio library, it is lighter than 46% of them and more saturated than 4% of them.
Its relative luminance is 0.232, which makes it a mid-tone color. That is above the 0.179 crossover point at which black and white text have equal contrast, so black text has the advantage.
Dusty Teal counts as a light color: its HSL lightness is 43% and its relative luminance is 0.232. Black text reads best on it (5.63:1 contrast).
Text contrast on Dusty Teal
| Text | Preview | Ratio | AA normal | AA large | AAA normal | AAA large |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White text | Sample text | 3.72:1 Limited | Fail | Pass | Fail | Fail |
| Black text | Sample text | 5.63:1 Good | Pass | Pass | Fail | Pass |
Ratios use the WCAG 2 formula and are truncated, never rounded up. Test any pair with the contrast checker.
Colors that go with Dusty Teal
Complementary color
Complementary colors sit directly opposite each other on the color wheel (180° apart). They give the strongest hue contrast, which suits calls to action and accents.
Analogous colors
Analogous colors are neighbors on the wheel, 30° either side of the base hue. They blend smoothly and are easy to combine in backgrounds, gradients and illustrations.
Triadic colors
A triadic scheme uses three hues spaced 120° apart. It is lively yet balanced, and works best when one color leads and the other two act as accents.
Split-complementary colors
Split-complementary keeps the base color and uses the two colors on either side of its complement (150° and 210°). The contrast is strong but gentler than a direct complement.
Tetradic colors
A tetradic (rectangle) scheme combines two complementary pairs at 0°, 60°, 180° and 240°. It offers variety but needs one dominant color to stay balanced.
Monochromatic variants
Monochromatic variants keep the same hue and saturation and only change lightness, which makes them dependable for UI scales and subtle layered designs.
A “≈” before a name means the exact harmony color has no named match, so the link goes to the closest named color.
Tints and shades of Dusty Teal
Lighter tints (mixed with white)
Darker shades (mixed with black)
Select any swatch to copy its HEX code. Build longer scales with the tints and shades tool.
Similar colors
Where to use Dusty Teal
- Card, highlight and section backgrounds with dark text (5.63:1 contrast with black)
- Large headings, icons and graphics, where a 3:1 contrast ratio is enough
- Info states and links
- Technology and water-themed graphics
- Fresh accents against warm colors
- Data-visualization series
Use Dusty Teal in CSS
:root {
--color-dusty-teal: #4C9085;
}
.element {
color: var(--color-dusty-teal);
background-color: #4C9085;
border: 2px solid #4C9085;
}Questions about Dusty Teal
What is the HEX code for Dusty Teal?
Dusty Teal is #4C9085.
What is the RGB value of Dusty Teal?
The RGB value of Dusty Teal is 76, 144, 133: 76 red, 144 green and 133 blue on a 0–255 scale, written rgb(76, 144, 133) in CSS.
What is the HSL value of Dusty Teal?
The HSL value of Dusty Teal is 170°, 31%, 43% (hue, saturation, lightness), written hsl(170, 31%, 43%) in CSS.
What is the CMYK value of Dusty Teal?
A standard conversion gives about C 47%, M 0%, Y 8%, K 44%. Real print results depend on the inks, paper and color profile, so treat CMYK here as a reference value.
Is Dusty Teal a light or dark color?
Dusty Teal counts as a light color: its HSL lightness is 43% and its relative luminance is 0.232. Black text reads best on it (5.63:1 contrast).
How does Dusty Teal look with white text?
White text on Dusty Teal has a contrast ratio of 3.72:1, rated Limited. It does not reach WCAG AA for normal text; use large text only.
How does Dusty Teal look with black text?
Black text on Dusty Teal has a contrast ratio of 5.63:1, rated Good. It meets WCAG AA for normal text.
What colors go well with Dusty Teal?
Dark Mauve is its complementary color, and Ocean Green sits beside it as an analogous color. Lighter and darker variants of the same hue also work well for monochromatic palettes.
Where can Dusty Teal be used?
It suits card, highlight and section backgrounds with dark text (5.63:1 contrast with black); large headings, icons and graphics, where a 3:1 contrast ratio is enough; info states and links.
How do I use Dusty Teal in CSS?
Use color: #4C9085; for text, background-color: #4C9085; for fills, or define a custom property such as --color-dusty-teal: #4C9085; and reuse it with var(--color-dusty-teal).
About this color page
Crowd-sourced name from the XKCD Color Survey (CC0). Values are calculated from the HEX code; color names are labels, not trademarks or standards unless stated. Screens render colors differently, so always check important colors on your own device. See the disclaimer.