Carmine Color Psychology & Meaning
Carmine is a deep, saturated red with a cool cast, the color of ripe pomegranates and theater curtains. It commands attention and appetite, making it a staple of food and luxury brands alike.
#960018
#C23B4E
#E88A97
#33000A
Background
Primary Accent
Secondary
Body Text
Carmine Color Palette
#960018 · #C23B4E · #E88A97 · #33000A
Fail
WCAG Grade
2.0:1
Contrast Ratio
1,240
Saves
3,380
AI Copies
Use #960018 as the background. Use #C23B4E as the primary accent. Use #E88A97 as secondary. Use #33000A as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Carmine — bold, rich, passionate.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Carmine color scheme. Use these values for web design (HEX/RGB), print projects (CMYK), or specialized design software (HSL).
| Swatch | Design Role | HEX | RGB | CMYK | HSL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background Luminance: 6.5% | 150, 0, 24 | 0%, 100%, 84%, 41% | 350°, 100%, 29% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 15.1% | 194, 59, 78 | 0%, 70%, 60%, 24% | 352°, 53%, 50% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 37.6% | 232, 138, 151 | 0%, 41%, 35%, 9% | 352°, 67%, 73% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 0.7% | 51, 0, 10 | 0%, 100%, 80%, 80% | 348°, 100%, 10% |
Carmine Tints & Shades
Hover states, borders and elevation need lighter and darker steps of your base colors. Here are computed tints and shades for every color in the Carmine palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
#960018 saturated rose-red
#C23B4E gently saturated rose-red
#E88A97 saturated rose-red
#33000A saturated rose-red
Carmine Palette Contrast Matrix (WCAG 2.1)
Every color tested as text on every other color as background. Body copy needs 4.5:1 (AA), large text and UI components 3:1. AAA requires 7:1.
| Text on Background | Preview | Ratio | Grade | Safe For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #33000A on #E88A97 |
Aa Sample Text
| 7.43:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #E88A97 on #33000A |
Aa Sample Text
| 7.43:1 | AAA | Body text, headings, UI |
| #E88A97 on #960018 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.69:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #960018 on #E88A97 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.69:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #33000A on #C23B4E |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.52:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #C23B4E on #33000A |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.52:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #E88A97 on #C23B4E |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.11:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C23B4E on #E88A97 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.11:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #33000A on #960018 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.02:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #960018 on #33000A |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.02:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #C23B4E on #960018 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.74:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #960018 on #C23B4E |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.74:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Analogous Scheme
The Carmine palette is built using a analogous relationship between its hues. This ensures that even with high-contrast accents, the overall scheme feels balanced and intentional.
Hue Wheel
A analogous palette is often preferred by professional designers because it creates a calm, serene atmosphere by using neighboring colors.
History & Design Context
Carmine comes from the cochineal insect, crushed and processed to yield a brilliant crimson dye. The Aztecs traded it, the Spanish shipped it by the ton, and it colored royal cloth across Europe for centuries.
Best Design Use Cases
Use carmine for high-impact brand moments and appetite-driven accents. The mid red drives buttons and highlights, while the deep maroon grounds text and gives the palette gravity.
Industries This Palette Suits
Food and beverage, cosmetics, fashion, luxury, entertainment.
Colors That Pair Well With Carmine
Need a fifth color? These three companions are computed from the palette's own hue positions on the color wheel, so they extend the scheme without breaking its harmony.
teal
directly opposite #C23B4E on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
orange
30° beside #C23B4E — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension
tinted neutral
a paper-white carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers
Using Carmine Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #C23B4E for small UI elements on #960018 — at 1.7:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Don't set body copy in #33000A on #960018 — 2.0:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
- Don't use #E88A97 behind body text — this light tone works better for surfaces, badges and dividers than for reading areas.
How to Implement the Carmine Color Scheme
To use this Carmine color palette in your web project, you can copy the following CSS variables or Tailwind CSS configuration. These roles ensure your UI maintains accessibility and visual hierarchy.
Option 1: CSS Variables
:root {
/* {name} Palette - ihatecolors.com */{'
'} --color-bg: {colors[0]};{'
'} --color-primary: {colors[1]};{'
'} --color-secondary: {colors[2]};{'
'} --color-text: {colors[3]};{'
'} {'}'}Web Design Tip
Use #960018 for the main background and #C23B4E for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #33000A and #960018 is 2.02:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Carmine Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Carmine color palette?
The Carmine palette contains #960018, #C23B4E, #E88A97, #33000A. Click any swatch on this page to copy its value, or export all four at once as CSS variables, Tailwind config, SCSS or a Figma-ready list.
Is the Carmine color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #33000A on #E88A97 reaches 7.4:1 (AAA). For body text always keep a 4.5:1 ratio and for large UI elements 3:1 — the full contrast matrix above shows the exact score for every color-on-color combination in this palette.
What colors go well with the Carmine palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #3CC3B1, #B67149, #F2E9EA extend it naturally: the complementary hue for high-energy accents, an analogous neighbor for calm transitions, and a tinted neutral for surfaces. All three are computed from this palette's hues on the color wheel.
What mood does the Carmine palette create?
Carmine reads as bold, rich, passionate. Gently saturated rose-red drives the personality, grounded by saturated rose-red — a combination that works best when the mid-tone base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Carmine color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Carmine palette is free for personal, client and commercial work — websites, branding, apps, print and social content, with no attribution required.
How do I add the Carmine palette to Tailwind or CSS?
Use the export panel on this page: CSS variables, a Tailwind config block, SCSS variables, or a Figma copy list are generated from Carmine's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.