Licorice
A mysterious near-black with organic warmth
Licorice is a near-black shade with intense reddish undertones that create a gloomy, mysterious presence. Because it is so dark, use #1b1212 as a base for high-contrast UI backgrounds where white text remains perfectly legible. It feels much warmer and more organic than a true black, making it an excellent anchor for luxury branding or moody, editorial photography layouts.
About Licorice
Ash still warm at the center of the fire
What does licorice mean?
Licorice often brings to mind dark candy, burnt coffee grounds, and shadows with a faint ember of red left in them. It sits so low in lightness that it reads as near black, with a dry, dusty warmth instead of a sharp or glossy edge.
Where you see licorice
- black licorice
- burnt match heads
- dark roast coffee grounds
- cast iron skillets
- soot in a fireplace
- bound leather book spines
What it works for
Use it as a near-black base when pure black feels too harsh, especially in palettes built around warm earth tones.
What colors go with licorice?
Dusty Rose #b56f76The faint red in Licorice surfaces when it meets a muted pink, and the pair reads soft rather than stark.Sage Green #9caf88Licorice grounds sage's gray undertone, giving the green a dried, herbal depth it lacks on white.Burnt Sienna #a93400Both colors carry the same warm red base, so the pairing feels baked and cohesive.Cream #fffdd0Cream warms the near black without snapping to full contrast, keeping the whole palette quiet.Mauve #e0b0ffMauve's grayed purple echoes Licorice's dim red, and the two share a low, dusty saturation.Mustard Yellow #e1ad01A small amount of mustard glows against Licorice, like an ember in dark ash.
Questions about Licorice
What is the hex code for Licorice?
Licorice is #1b1212. In RGB that is rgb(27, 18, 18), in HSL hsl(0, 20%, 9%) and in CMYK 0%, 33%, 33%, 89%.
How does Licorice #1b1212 differ from a standard black?
Licorice #1b1212 carries subtle, intense reddish undertones that make it feel significantly warmer and more organic than a flat, standard black. This quality keeps it from looking harsh, making it an ideal choice for high-end editorial layouts or moody, sophisticated interface backgrounds.
What color palettes work best with Licorice #1b1212?
Is Licorice readable on white or black?
Licorice has a 18.39:1 contrast ratio on white and 1.14:1 on black. WCAG asks for 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text, so on white it works for body text and on black it is too faint for text. Try other pairs in the contrast checker.