The color pink: meaning and palettes to use it
Pink has gone from “the girls' color” to one of the most versatile colors in design today. There's a world between blush pink and Mexican pink. Here's what each one means and how to use them.
Click a color to copy its code.
What the color pink means
It's linked to tenderness, affection, sweetness and romance. It's a softened red: it keeps some of red's passion without the aggression.
The link between pink and femininity is fairly recent: it took hold in the mid-20th century. Today many brands use pink precisely to break with it.
What pink says about a brand
Soft pinks convey calm and care: beauty, wellness, baking. Bright pinks and fuchsias convey energy, humor and attitude.
A bright pink with black or dark green is one of the most recognizable combinations there is, and nothing childish about it.
Not every shade of pink says the same thing
Blush pink
Soft, elegant, romantic.
Dusty pink
Grown-up and warm. Fashion, interiors.
Bubblegum pink
Fun and pop.
Mexican pink
Bold fuchsia, joyful and festive.
Palettes with pink to copy
Each swatch shows the contrast of the text that reads best on top of it. From 4.5:1 it works for body text.
Mexican pink
Food, events, culture
Dusty
Beauty, fashion, weddings
Pop
Social media, music, youth
What goes with pink
- Goes well with
- Dark green, black, navy blue, gold and orange.
- Use with care
- Red at the same intensity, and purples that dull it.
Pink around the world
In Mexico, rosa mexicano (Mexican pink), a bold fuchsia, is almost a national symbol: it's in folk art, on house fronts and in the architecture of Luis Barragán.
As in most of the world, in Spain pink is the color of the fight against breast cancer every October.
Design with this palette, for free
Copy the codes and take them to Polimake's design canvas: social posts, covers and thumbnails with your own photos, no subscription needed.
Frequently asked questions
- What is Mexican pink?
- A bold fuchsia that runs through Mexican culture and architecture. A close hex value is #E4007C.
- What goes with pink?
- Dark green, black, navy blue, gold and orange.