Purple color · XKCD survey name
Pastel Purple Color Code: #CAA0FF
Pastel Purple (#CAA0FF) is a light, vivid violet shade: RGB 202, 160, 255, HSL 267°, 100%, 81%. Black text reads best on it (9.98:1 contrast).
Pastel Purple color values
#CAA0FF
rgb(202, 160, 255)
hsl(267, 100%, 81%)
267, 37%, 100%
hwb(267 63% 0%)
21%, 37%, 0%, 0%
13279487
CMYK is a standard screen-to-print conversion. Printed results depend on inks, paper and color profiles.
What is Pastel Purple?
“Pastel Purple” 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 267° places it in the violet part of the color wheel, with 100% saturation (vivid) and 81% lightness (light). It is a cool color.
Compared with the other purple colors in the Aqeeb Studio library, it is lighter than 88% of them and more saturated than 82% of them.
Its relative luminance is 0.449, which makes it a light color. That is above the 0.179 crossover point at which black and white text have equal contrast, so black text has the advantage.
Pastel Purple counts as a light color: its HSL lightness is 81% and its relative luminance is 0.449. Black text reads best on it (9.98:1 contrast).
Text contrast on Pastel Purple
| Text | Preview | Ratio | AA normal | AA large | AAA normal | AAA large |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White text | Sample text | 2.10:1 Poor | Fail | Fail | Fail | Fail |
| Black text | Sample text | 9.98:1 Excellent | Pass | Pass | Pass | Pass |
Ratios use the WCAG 2 formula and are truncated, never rounded up. Test any pair with the contrast checker.
Colors that go with Pastel Purple
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 Pastel Purple
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 Pastel Purple
- Card, highlight and section backgrounds with dark text (9.98:1 contrast with black)
- Premium-feeling accents and gradients
- Illustrations and hero sections
- Tags, badges and highlights
- Creative and entertainment branding
Use Pastel Purple in CSS
:root {
--color-pastel-purple: #CAA0FF;
}
.element {
color: var(--color-pastel-purple);
background-color: #CAA0FF;
border: 2px solid #CAA0FF;
}Questions about Pastel Purple
What is the HEX code for Pastel Purple?
Pastel Purple is #CAA0FF.
What is the RGB value of Pastel Purple?
The RGB value of Pastel Purple is 202, 160, 255: 202 red, 160 green and 255 blue on a 0–255 scale, written rgb(202, 160, 255) in CSS.
What is the HSL value of Pastel Purple?
The HSL value of Pastel Purple is 267°, 100%, 81% (hue, saturation, lightness), written hsl(267, 100%, 81%) in CSS.
What is the CMYK value of Pastel Purple?
A standard conversion gives about C 21%, M 37%, Y 0%, K 0%. Real print results depend on the inks, paper and color profile, so treat CMYK here as a reference value.
Is Pastel Purple a light or dark color?
Pastel Purple counts as a light color: its HSL lightness is 81% and its relative luminance is 0.449. Black text reads best on it (9.98:1 contrast).
How does Pastel Purple look with white text?
White text on Pastel Purple has a contrast ratio of 2.10:1, rated Poor. It falls below the WCAG minimum for text.
How does Pastel Purple look with black text?
Black text on Pastel Purple has a contrast ratio of 9.98:1, rated Excellent. It meets WCAG AA for normal text.
What colors go well with Pastel Purple?
Celery is its complementary color, and Periwinkle Blue sits beside it as an analogous color. Lighter and darker variants of the same hue also work well for monochromatic palettes.
Where can Pastel Purple be used?
It suits card, highlight and section backgrounds with dark text (9.98:1 contrast with black); premium-feeling accents and gradients; illustrations and hero sections.
How do I use Pastel Purple in CSS?
Use color: #CAA0FF; for text, background-color: #CAA0FF; for fills, or define a custom property such as --color-pastel-purple: #CAA0FF; and reuse it with var(--color-pastel-purple).
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.