Shades of Cream: Names and Hex Codes
This is a practical reference for the most useful shades of cream, with accurate hex codes, RGB values, and notes on character and use. Cream is a soft, warm off-white — white with a touch of yellow — so it reads as gentle, classic, and inviting, but small shifts toward pink, gray, or stronger yellow change it from creamy to ivory to vanilla. Use the table below as a citable palette, then read on for how the shades group together.
For two neutrals cream is constantly confused with, compare beige vs cream and ecru vs cream vs white. The closely related pale neutrals are covered in our shades of beige and shades of tan references.
Shades of cream: full table
| Shade name | Hex | RGB | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cream | #FFFDD0 | 255, 253, 208 | Classic soft yellow-white. |
| Ivory | #FFFFF0 | 255, 255, 240 | CSS ivory; near-white, faint warmth. |
| Vanilla | #F3E5AB | 243, 229, 171 | Pale creamy yellow; soft and warm. |
| Eggshell | #F0EAD6 | 240, 234, 214 | Soft matte off-white; very pale. |
| Pearl | #EAE0C8 | 234, 224, 200 | Soft luminous cream; subtle warmth. |
| Almond | #EFDECD | 239, 222, 205 | Pale pink-beige cream; warm. |
| Cosmic Latte | #FFF8E7 | 255, 248, 231 | Very pale warm cream; soft glow. |
| Floral White | #FFFAF0 | 255, 250, 240 | CSS floral white; pale warm white. |
| Light Cream | #FFFDE7 | 255, 253, 231 | Barely-yellow off-white. |
| Old Lace | #FDF5E6 | 253, 245, 230 | CSS old lace; vintage warm cream. |
| Antique White | #FAEBD7 | 250, 235, 215 | CSS antique white; aged cream. |
| Seashell | #FFF5EE | 255, 245, 238 | CSS seashell; pinkish cream-white. |
| Snow Cream | #FFFFF7 | 255, 255, 247 | Palest cream; almost pure white. |
| Buttercream | #FBF5DF | 251, 245, 223 | Soft buttery off-white. |
| Beige Cream | #F5F5DC | 245, 245, 220 | CSS beige; cream’s cooler cousin. |
| Cornsilk | #FFF8DC | 255, 248, 220 | CSS cornsilk; pale golden cream. |
| Khaki Cream | #F0E68C | 240, 230, 140 | CSS khaki; deeper yellow cream. |
| Blond | #FAF0BE | 250, 240, 190 | Pale warm yellow cream. |
| Wheat Cream | #F5DEB3 | 245, 222, 179 | CSS wheat; warm golden cream. |
| Cream Pink | #FDEEF4 | 253, 238, 244 | Cream with a soft pink tint. |
| Parchment | #F8F4E3 | 248, 244, 227 | Aged paper cream; soft and matte. |
| Milk White | #FFFDFA | 255, 253, 250 | Faintly warm milky white. |
| Custard | #F3EAC2 | 243, 234, 194 | Soft pale yellow cream. |
| Pale Goldenrod | #EEE8AA | 238, 232, 170 | CSS pale goldenrod; yellow cream. |
| Bone Cream | #E8E0CC | 232, 224, 204 | Slightly gray-beige cream. |
Palest near-white creams
The lightest creams are barely distinguishable from white. Ivory (#FFFFF0), Snow Cream (#FFFFF7), Milk White (#FFFDFA), Floral White (#FFFAF0), and Light Cream (#FFFDE7) carry just a whisper of yellow, enough to soften the harshness of pure #FFFFFF without reading as a distinct color. These are the workhorses of clean, elegant design — page backgrounds, packaging, and editorial layouts where you want warmth without color. Compared side by side with true white, they glow gently; in isolation, most people simply read them as “white.” The ecru vs cream vs white comparison covers exactly where these lines fall.
Classic soft creams
The defining creams sit just below the near-whites. Cream (#FFFDD0) itself, Eggshell (#F0EAD6), Pearl (#EAE0C8), Buttercream (#FBF5DF), and Cosmic Latte (#FFF8E7) are the soft, warm off-whites most people picture when they hear “cream” — gentle, classic, and inviting. Cream at #FFFDD0 is the baseline, clearly yellow-tinted but still pale. These tones are slightly richer than the near-whites, which gives them a cozy, comfortable quality perfect for backgrounds, wedding stationery, and any palette that wants softness. This warmth is also what separates cream from beige — see beige vs cream.
Warm yellow and golden creams
Push cream toward yellow and it deepens into custard territory. Vanilla (#F3E5AB), Cornsilk (#FFF8DC), Custard (#F3EAC2), Blond (#FAF0BE), and Pale Goldenrod (#EEE8AA) carry clear yellow that feels sunny, warm, and appetizing. At the deeper edge, Khaki Cream (#F0E68C) and Wheat Cream (#F5DEB3) verge on pale beige and tan. These golden creams suit food, beauty, and vintage branding, where the extra yellow signals comfort and richness; they make a palette feel warmer and more characterful than a plain off-white would.
Vintage and tinted creams
A few creams carry a clear secondary tint or aged character. Antique White (#FAEBD7), Old Lace (#FDF5E6), Parchment (#F8F4E3), and Bone Cream (#E8E0CC) read as soft, vintage, and paper-like, ideal for heritage and editorial work. Almond (#EFDECD), Seashell (#FFF5EE), and Cream Pink (#FDEEF4) lean gently pink, which warms them further and suits beauty, bridal, and soft lifestyle palettes. Beige Cream (#F5F5DC) sits at the cooler, grayer edge, bridging cream and beige. These tinted creams let you match the off-white to the temperature of a palette rather than defaulting to a neutral.
Most popular shades of cream
The creams most people name and use are Cream (#FFFDD0) as the soft yellow baseline, Ivory (#FFFFF0) for a pale near-white, Vanilla (#F3E5AB) for a warmer golden tone, Eggshell (#F0EAD6) for a matte off-white, and Almond (#EFDECD) for a soft pinkish cream. Together they cover near-white through soft to golden and pink-tinted, which is why they anchor most gentle, elegant palettes.
How to use shades of cream in design
Cream is the warm, gentle alternative to white, so it softens layouts that would feel stark or clinical in pure #FFFFFF. Use near-white creams like ivory and floral white as page and product backgrounds, soft creams like eggshell and pearl for cards and supporting blocks, and golden or pink-tinted creams as warm accents. Cream pairs beautifully with navy, sage green, terracotta, gold, and warm wood, evoking elegance, comfort, and timeless calm. The main consideration is contrast: cream backgrounds need a clear darker tone — a navy, charcoal, or deep brown — for legible text and hierarchy, since cream-on-cream quickly turns muddy. A reliable approach uses cream as the canvas, a single warm mid-tone for accents, and a deep neutral for text. Because cream signals softness, quality, and heritage, it suits wedding, beauty, and luxury lifestyle brands far better than a cold white would. For the psychology that makes cream read as calm and inviting, see color psychology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hex code for cream?
A common hex code for cream is #FFFDD0 (RGB 255, 253, 208), a soft yellow-tinted off-white. For a paler, near-white option use Ivory (#FFFFF0), for a warmer golden cream use Vanilla (#F3E5AB), and for a matte off-white use Eggshell (#F0EAD6).
What is the difference between cream and beige?
Cream (#FFFDD0) is a soft off-white with a clear yellow tint, while beige (#F5F5DC) is a paler, more neutral tone that can lean slightly gray or sandy. Cream feels warmer and richer; beige feels more muted and earthy. Cream sits closer to white, beige closer to tan.
What is the difference between cream, ivory, and white?
White (#FFFFFF) is pure with no tint, ivory (#FFFFF0) is a near-white with just a faint warm cast, and cream (#FFFDD0) is a clearly yellow-tinted off-white. In order of warmth: white is coolest, ivory sits in between, and cream is the warmest and most yellow of the three.
How many shades of cream are there?
Cream variations are effectively limitless because cream spans the narrow band of warm off-whites, but designers typically reference 20 to 30 named shades. This list includes 25 of the most recognized, from near-white ivory and floral white through soft eggshell and pearl to golden vanilla and pinkish almond.
