Color #EF686B Color / Colour Code #EF686B
This page shows the hex color code for color #ef686b (#EF686B). The colour is a red tone with 81% saturation and 67% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #EF686B against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#EF686B paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 329, 359, and 29 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 359, 119, and 239 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #EF686B
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 359 and saturation at 81%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 359 to 44 degrees create a warm, unified palette. This analogous scheme works for marketing materials, seasonal campaigns, and any design that needs visual warmth without clashing colors.
Combines the base color at hue 359 with its complement at 179 and two adjacent cool tones. This split-complementary approach provides strong visual contrast while remaining more balanced than a pure complementary scheme.
Five evenly spaced hues at 40% saturation and 80% lightness. Pastels are gentle on the eyes and work well for dashboards, onboarding screens, category tags, and any interface where multiple distinct colors are needed without visual aggression.
Shades & Tints of #EF686B
Lightness variations at hue 359 and 81% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #EF686B
Design Use Cases for #EF686B
Vibrant Brand Color
#EF686B has a strong 81% saturation that makes it ideal for brand identity elements. Use it for logos, primary call-to-action buttons, hero section accents, and marketing materials where visual impact matters. This saturation level is eye-catching without being harsh.
Soft Accent & Highlight
With 67% lightness, #EF686B has a softer, more approachable quality. It works well for hover states, subtle highlights, progress indicators, and secondary UI elements. This lightness range is particularly effective for tag backgrounds and status indicators.
Urgency & Energy Signaling
#EF686B falls in the red spectrum (hue 359). Red triggers urgency and excitement, making it effective for sale badges, countdown timers, error messages, and "limited time" labels. In data visualization, use it to flag negative values or critical thresholds.
Gradient Pairing
Create a gradient from #EF686B (hue 359) to its complement at hue 179. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 29. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #ef686b, #67efed);
CSS Code for #EF686B
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #EF686B based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #EF686B across image editing and color design tools.
About Color #EF686B (#EF686B)
#EF686B is a red color (colour) with RGB channel values of 239 red, 104 green, and 107 blue. The red channel is dominant by a ratio of 2.3:1 over the weakest channel. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 359 degrees with 81% saturation and 67% lightness, placing it in the warm range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #EF686B is 145/255 using the ITU-R BT.601 luma formula (0.299R + 0.587G + 0.114B). This is a medium-brightness color that can work with either dark or light text depending on font weight and size. For print production, the CMYK equivalent is 0% cyan, 56% magenta, 55% yellow, and 6% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #EF686B against white is 3.06:1 and against black is 6.86:1. This only passes AA for large text (18pt+) on white. For normal body text on white, darken the color or use it on a dark background where it achieves 6.86:1.
The complementary colour #67EFED creates maximum visual tension when paired with #EF686B. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #EF67AD and #EFA967, which sit 30 degrees on either side of the hue wheel. To build a complete design system, start with the monochromatic scale above for consistent shade variations, then add one complementary or triadic accent for interactive elements.
How to Explore Color #EF686B
- Enter your color value in HEX format.
- The tool converts it to RGB, HSL, CMYK format in real time.
- Copy the converted value to your clipboard.
What is HEX to RGB, HSL, CMYK color conversion
Converting from HEX to RGB, HSL, CMYK translates a color value between two different color models. Different color models are used in web design (HEX, RGB), print (CMYK), and color theory (HSL, HSV).
Related Tools & Colors
Frequently Asked Questions
- What color / colour is #EF686B?
- #EF686B is Color #EF686B, a red color (colour) with RGB(239, 104, 107), HSL(359, 81%, 67%), and CMYK(0%, 56%, 55%, 6%). Its perceived brightness is 145/255.
- Is #EF686B accessible for text?
- Against white, #EF686B has a contrast ratio of 3.06:1 (fails AA for normal text). Against black, it has 6.86:1 (passes AA). It passes AA for large text (18pt+) on white. Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #EF686B?
- The complementary colour is #67EFED (hue 179). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #EF67AD and #EFA967. The triadic palette adds #69EF67 and #6769EF for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #EF686B in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #ef686b; or rgb(239, 104, 107); or hsl(359, 81%, 67%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 359 81% 67%; then use it as hsl(var(--color-primary)).
- Is this color / colour explorer free?
- Yes, completely free with no signup required. All colour calculations run in your browser. You can explore any valid hex color code, not just the pre-generated palette.