Turquoise

A bright and refreshing modern cyan

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Turquoise is a bright, high-chroma cyan that feels refreshing and modern. Because of its intensity, #40e0d0 works best as a 10% accent color rather than a primary background, where it can easily overwhelm the eye. Pair this cool, saturated hue with dark grays or charcoal to ground its energy. The hex code for this electric turquoise is #40e0d0.

About Turquoise

Pool water flashing light in the shallow end

What does turquoise mean?

Turquoise often calls to mind tropical water, gemstones, and retro kitchen tile, so it commonly reads as fresh and playful. Its high saturation and light value give it a glowing, glittering energy that lands as bright and jazzy rather than heavy.

Where you see turquoise

swimming pool water
turquoise gemstones
sea glass
1950s diner tile
hummingbird throats
glacial lagoons

What it works for

Turquoise works well for summer packaging, poolside branding, spa signage, and any design that wants a cold, sparkling pop.

What colors go with turquoise?

Coral #ff7f50The warm pink-orange sits directly across the wheel, so both colors look sharper together.Charcoal #36454fDark gray grounds the brightness and keeps the pair from feeling like a pool toy.Cream #fffdd0Cream softens the intensity and gives the turquoise room to read as fresh.Mustard #ffdb58The muted yellow warms the coolness without competing for attention.

Questions about Turquoise

What is the hex code for Turquoise?

Turquoise is #40e0d0. In RGB that is rgb(64, 224, 208), in HSL hsl(174, 72%, 56%) and in CMYK 71%, 0%, 7%, 12%.

How should I use #40e0d0 in a design layout?

Given its high saturation, #40e0d0 works best as a 10% accent rather than a primary background color to avoid visual fatigue. Balance the intensity by pairing it with charcoal or deep neutral grays to ground the design.

Does #40e0d0 read as warm or cool?

#40e0d0 is distinctly cool, leaning toward a crisp, refreshing cyan that mimics tropical waters. Its sharp vibrancy makes it feel more electrical and modern than traditional, softer blue-greens, which can feel muddy by comparison.

Is Turquoise readable on white or black?

Turquoise has a 1.64:1 contrast ratio on white and 12.79:1 on black. WCAG asks for 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text, so on white it is too faint for text and on black it works for body text. Try other pairs in the contrast checker.