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Milk

Milk (#FDFFF5) is a very light, neutral white with a warm-leaning neutral feel. It has a hue angle of 72° and a lightness of 100%. As a neutral it supports other colors rather than competing with them.

#FDFFF5Milk
Conversion

What Milk looks like, feels like and where it works.

Description

Milk (#FDFFF5) is a very light, neutral white with a warm-leaning neutral feel. It has a hue angle of 72° and a lightness of 100%. As a neutral it supports other colors rather than competing with them.

Psychology

White creates space and clarity. It feels clean and open; a touch of warmth or coolness changes the whole mood. As a light shade, Milk feels airy and gentle.

Meaning

White stands for purity and new beginnings in Western weddings, and for mourning in parts of East Asia.

Why use this color

Milk is a flexible base. Dark text is easy to read on it, so it works as a surface, highlight or card background. Pair it with its tints and shades for a complete scale.

Applications
  • Backgrounds and minimal layouts
  • Healthcare and clean products
  • Weddings and photography
  • Space around bold colors
History

Lead white was used in painting and cosmetics for centuries, despite being toxic. Zinc white and then titanium white, in the early 1900s, became the safe standards.

Accessibility

White text on Milk has a contrast ratio of 1.00:1 (fails); black text has 20.79:1 (AAA). WCAG AA needs 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text and interface parts. Do not rely on color alone to carry meaning: pair it with text, an icon or a pattern.

ShadesMixed with black: darker and richer.
TintsMixed with white: lighter and softer.
TonesMixed with gray: quieter and less saturated.
HuesThe same lightness and strength, turned around the wheel.
TemperaturesPushed cooler on the left, warmer on the right.
50#FDFFF5100#EBECE8200#DADBD5300#C0C2B8400#A1A397500#85887A600#6E7064700#57594F800#42433B900#30312A950#1A1B16
Analogous
Complementary
Split complementary
Triadic
Tetradic
Square

Want to explore these on a wheel? Open the color wheel.

#FDFFF5
Typical visionAs most people see it
#FFFEF4
ProtanopiaReduced sensitivity to red
#FFFEF5
DeuteranopiaReduced sensitivity to green
#FEFEFC
TritanopiaReduced sensitivity to blue
#FEFEFE
AchromatopsiaNo color, only light and dark

These are approximations to help you check that meaning never depends on color alone. Real vision varies from person to person.

White textQuote n. 31: there is no such thing as a bad color.
1.00:1
AAAAA
Normal textFailFail
Large textFailFail
Black textQuote n. 31: there is no such thing as a bad color.
20.79:1
AAAAA
Normal textAAAAA
Large textAAAAA
Open the contrast checker