lightred

Lightred is a descriptive term used to refer to pale, pastel shades of red. It is not a standardized color name in major color systems such as HTML/CSS color keywords, Pantone, or NCS, but designers commonly employ it to describe a family of light red hues that sit between pink and true red. These tones typically have high luminance and moderate saturation, producing a soft, warm appearance that avoids the intensity of saturated red.

In digital color models, lightred variants are created by elevating red values while also increasing green and blue to varying degrees. In RGB terms, common representations range toward bright pinkish reds, with hex codes that lie in a broad range around lighter reds, though exact values vary by context. In HSL, lightred tends to have a hue near 0 degrees (or 360), lightness around 60–75%, and saturation roughly 40–60%, yielding a gentle, approachable color.

Applications for lightred include backgrounds, UI accents, and branding where warmth and friendliness are desired without the boldness of pure red. It pairs well with neutrals and with greens or blues to provide contrast without overpowering elements. Accessibility considerations are important, as very light reds can challenge readability on light backgrounds; sufficient contrast should be ensured for text and important controls.

Variants and related colors include pastel pink, rose, blush, and coral shades, which describe similar light red tones in different contexts. See also pink, rose, blush, coral, salmon, and red.