Mauve Color Palette
Mauve is hex #E0B0FF, rgb(224, 176, 255). Mauve takes its name from the mallow flower and from mauveine, the first synthetic dye (1856). The CSS value is a bright pinkish lilac, while the fashion use of the word usually means a dustier, greyer pink-purple.
By Mohamed Farhan · Updated Oct 19, 2026
Mauve color codes
Reading the mauve color codes
The hex code #E0B0FF is three pairs of base-16 numbers for red, green and blue. E0 is 224, B0 is 176 and FF is 255, each on a scale from 0 to 255. That is why the same color is written rgb(224, 176, 255) in CSS. The blue channel is the strongest here, which is what gives mauve its violet character.
HSL describes the same color the way people think about it. A hue of 276 degrees places mauve in the violet part of the color wheel. Saturation of 100% makes it vivid, and lightness of 85% makes it a very light color. HSL is the easiest format to adjust by hand: keep the hue, then raise or lower lightness to create tints and shades that stay in the same family.
For print, the approximate CMYK mix is 12% cyan, 31% magenta, 0% yellow and 0% black. Screen and print colors never match perfectly, because monitors emit light while ink absorbs it, so always proof a printed sample before committing to mauve for packaging or stationery. See MDN's guide to CSS color values for every format browsers accept.
Mauve shades and tints
A full 50 to 950 scale built around #E0B0FF, so you can use mauve for backgrounds, borders, buttons and text without leaving the family. Click any shade to copy it.
// tailwind.config.js
theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
"mauve": {
50: "#F4E3FF",
100: "#EAC9FF",
200: "#E0B0FF",
300: "#CB9EE8",
400: "#B68CD1",
500: "#A17ABA",
600: "#8C68A3",
700: "#77568D",
800: "#624476",
900: "#4D325F",
950: "#382048",
},
},
},
}:root {
--mauve-50: #F4E3FF;
--mauve-100: #EAC9FF;
--mauve-200: #E0B0FF;
--mauve-300: #CB9EE8;
--mauve-400: #B68CD1;
--mauve-500: #A17ABA;
--mauve-600: #8C68A3;
--mauve-700: #77568D;
--mauve-800: #624476;
--mauve-900: #4D325F;
--mauve-950: #382048;
}A shade-by-shade guide to mauve
The 50 to 950 scale above follows the same structure as Tailwind's built-in palettes, so each step has a natural job. The lightest steps, 50 (#F4E3FF) and 100 (#EAC9FF), are page and card backgrounds: they carry the mauve mood without competing with content. Steps 200 (#E0B0FF) and 300 (#CB9EE8) suit borders, dividers, hover states and selected rows.
The middle of the scale, 400 to 600, is where mauve is most recognizable, so use it for brand moments, illustrations and primary buttons. White text reaches the 4.5:1 body-text contrast minimum from step 600 upward, so use step 600 or darker when a button label needs to be white. Near-black text stays readable on steps 50 to 500.
The darkest steps, 800 (#624476) through 950 (#382048), make headings, body text and dark-mode surfaces that stay clearly related to mauve. Using step 900 or 950 for text instead of pure black is one of the simplest ways to make an interface feel designed rather than default.
Colors that go with mauve
How the mauve color combinations work
Complementary. Directly across the color wheel from mauve is #CFFFB0, which sits closest to pearl among common named colors. Complementary pairs create the strongest contrast of hue, so use the second color sparingly, for a single call to action or highlight, rather than in equal amounts.
Analogous. #B9B0FF and #FFB0F7 sit 30 degrees either side of mauve. Analogous palettes feel calm and cohesive because the colors share undertones; they are ideal for illustrations, gradients and backgrounds where you want harmony more than contrast.
Triadic and split complementary. The triadic set (#FFE0B0 and #B0FFE0) is evenly spaced around the wheel and feels playful; the second color is closest to peach. The split complementary set (#F7FFB0 and #B0FFB9) keeps much of the complementary contrast but is easier to balance, which makes it a good choice for data visualization and multi-category tags.
Monochromatic. The monochromatic set runs from #EFD6FF to #A821FF. A single-hue palette is the safest way to build a calm, premium interface: rely on lightness for hierarchy, then add one neutral and one accent if you need emphasis.
Mauve compared with similar colors
periwinkle (#CCCCFF) is lighter (90% vs 85% lightness) and similarly saturated, and leans back the wheel toward indigo. Choose periwinkle if you want a softer, airier version; choose mauve if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
lavender (#E6E6FA) is lighter (94% vs 85% lightness) and more muted, and leans back the wheel toward indigo. Choose lavender if you want a softer, airier version; choose mauve if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
lilac (#C8A2C8) is darker (71% vs 85% lightness) and more muted, and leans further around the wheel toward magenta. Choose lilac if you need more weight and contrast; choose mauve if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
Mauve in a real interface
Swatches only tell half the story. Here mauve carries the primary action, with tints from its own scale for the surface and panels.
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Using mauve in UI: buttons, text, backgrounds and dark mode
- Buttons. White labels on mauve only reach 1.78:1, so use dark text (11.82:1 with black) or a deeper shade for the button.
- Text. Avoid mauve for body text on white; use step 600 or darker for links and headings that need to read as mauve.
- Backgrounds. Use steps 50 and 100 for large areas and keep the base color for smaller surfaces. Big blocks of a vivid very light color draw attention, so give them a reason, like a hero section or pricing highlight.
- Dark mode. Steps 900 and 950 make a dark surface tinted with mauve. On dark backgrounds the base color often needs a lighter step (300 or 400) to keep enough contrast for icons and borders, as required by WCAG non-text contrast.
- States. Shift one step darker for hover and two steps darker for pressed. Keep focus rings in a contrasting color so keyboard users can always see them.
Contrast and accessibility
AA needs 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text. AAA needs 7:1.
Color contrast is measured as a ratio from 1:1 (no contrast) to 21:1 (black on white). Mauve scores 1.78:1 against white (Fail) and 11.82:1 against black (AAA). The WCAG 2.1 contrast guideline asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text, which is why the shade guide above recommends specific steps for text and labels.
Contrast is only half of accessibility. Around 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women have some form of color vision deficiency, so never use mauve alone to signal meaning such as success, error or selection. Pair it with an icon, a label or a change in weight.
What mauve means
Purple carries creativity, imagination and a touch of luxury. Light purples feel soft and calming; deep purples feel rich and mysterious.
Mauve is named after the mallow flower, and it is also the color of mauveine, the first synthetic dye, discovered by William Henry Perkin in 1856. The dye made purple fashionable and affordable, starting the 'mauve decade' of the 1890s.
Purple is heavily used by AI and creative tools, so it can look generic. Desaturate it or pair it with warm neutrals to make it feel chosen rather than default.
Where mauve works best
- Beauty and cosmetics
- Vintage-inspired design
- Feminine branding
- Event stationery
How to style mauve
Mauve pairs with grey, cream, dusty rose and deep plum. The bright CSS mauve needs dark text; dustier mauves used in fashion pair well with charcoal. Use it for beauty, vintage and feminine brands, often as a surface or accent.
Build a UI with mauve
Inspo AI generates a full React + Tailwind screen using #E0B0FF as the brand color, grounded in real shipped designs.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Mauve · History and definition of mauve.
- WCAG 2.1: Contrast (Minimum) · The W3C rule behind the 4.5:1 and 3:1 thresholds used on this page.
- WCAG 2.1: Use of Color · Why color should never be the only way information is shown.
- MDN: CSS color values · Reference for hex, rgb() and hsl() syntax.
- Tailwind CSS: Customizing colors · How to add a custom color scale to your theme.
Similar colors
Questions people ask
What is the hex code for mauve?
The hex code for mauve used on this page is #E0B0FF. In RGB that is rgb(224, 176, 255), and in HSL it is hsl(276, 100%, 85%).
What colors go well with mauve?
Mauve pairs well with #B784A7, #F8F1F6, #4E3B4A (the Victorian palette above). Its complementary color is #CFFFB0, and analogous colors are #B9B0FF and #FFB0F7.
Is mauve a warm or cool color?
Mauve is a cool color. Its hue sits at 276 degrees on the color wheel with 100% saturation.
Can I use mauve for text?
Mauve has a contrast ratio of 1.78:1 against white and 11.82:1 against black. Body text needs at least 4.5:1, so it works as a background behind dark text, but not as text on white.
What does mauve mean?
Purple carries creativity, imagination and a touch of luxury. Light purples feel soft and calming; deep purples feel rich and mysterious. Mauve in particular is used for beauty and cosmetics and vintage-inspired design.
How do I use mauve in Tailwind CSS?
Use an arbitrary value like bg-[#E0B0FF] for a one-off, or add the 50-950 scale from this page to theme.extend.colors in tailwind.config.js and use classes like bg-mauve-500 and text-mauve-900.
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