diff --git a/src/colors.less b/src/colors.less
index bef74b68b..9bfea6327 100644
--- a/src/colors.less
+++ b/src/colors.less
@@ -1,15 +1,13 @@
-@hue-gray: 208;
-
-@color-gray-10: hsl(@hue-gray, 20%, 100%);
-@color-gray-9: hsl(@hue-gray, 20%, 98%);
-@color-gray-8: hsl(@hue-gray, 25%, 96%);
-@color-gray-7: hsl(@hue-gray, 25%, 90%);
-@color-gray-6: hsl(@hue-gray, 25%, 82%);
-@color-gray-5: hsl(@hue-gray, 25%, 62%);
-@color-gray-4: hsl(@hue-gray, 25%, 52%);
-@color-gray-3: hsl(@hue-gray, 25%, 35%);
-@color-gray-2: hsl(@hue-gray, 25%, 25%);
-@color-gray-1: hsl(@hue-gray, 25%, 16%);
+@color-gray-10: hsl(0, 0%, 100%);
+@color-gray-9: hsl(0, 0%, 98%);
+@color-gray-8: hsl(0, 0%, 96%);
+@color-gray-7: hsl(0, 0%, 90%);
+@color-gray-6: hsl(0, 0%, 82%);
+@color-gray-5: hsl(0, 0%, 62%);
+@color-gray-4: hsl(0, 0%, 52%);
+@color-gray-3: hsl(0, 0%, 35%);
+@color-gray-2: hsl(0, 0%, 25%);
+@color-gray-1: hsl(0, 0%, 16%);
 
 @color-white: @color-gray-10;
 @color-black: @color-gray-1;
diff --git a/src/utilities/backgrounds.less b/src/utilities/backgrounds.less
index 68f725b62..2aefe9e65 100644
--- a/src/utilities/backgrounds.less
+++ b/src/utilities/backgrounds.less
@@ -1,14 +1,10 @@
-@bg-light-hue: @hue-gray;
-@bg-light: hsl(@bg-light-hue, 0%, 100%);
-@bg-light-soft: hsl(@bg-light-hue, 20%, 98%);
-@bg-light-softer: hsl(@bg-light-hue, 20%, 96%);
+@bg-light: hsl(0, 0%, 100%);
+@bg-light-soft: hsl(0, 0%, 98%);
+@bg-light-softer: hsl(0, 0%, 96%);
 
-@bg-dark-hue: @hue-gray;
-@bg-dark: hsl(@bg-dark-hue, 14%, 33%);
-@bg-dark-soft: hsl(@bg-dark-hue, 14%, 42%);
-@bg-dark-softer: hsl(@bg-dark-hue, 14%, 52%);
-
-@bg-highlight: hsl(215, 99%, 63%);
+@bg-dark: hsl(0, 0%, 33%);
+@bg-dark-soft: hsl(0, 0%, 42%);
+@bg-dark-softer: hsl(0, 0%, 52%);
 
 .bg-light { background-color: @bg-light; }
 .bg-light-soft { background-color: @bg-light-soft; }
@@ -26,9 +22,6 @@
 .bg-overlay-soft { background-color: rgba(0,0,0,0.5); }
 .bg-overlay-dark { background-color: rgba(0,0,0,0.75); }
 
-.bg-highlight { background-color: @bg-highlight; }
-.hover-bg-highlight { &:hover { .bg-highlight; } }
-
 .generate-responsive-versions({
   &bg-light { .bg-light; }
   &bg-light-soft { .bg-light-soft; }
diff --git a/src/utilities/borders.less b/src/utilities/borders.less
index 1c77bc328..6f5dafec2 100644
--- a/src/utilities/borders.less
+++ b/src/utilities/borders.less
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
-@border-dark-hue: @hue-gray;
-@border-dark: hsl(@border-dark-hue, 25%, 82%);
-@border-dark-soft: hsl(@border-dark-hue, 25%, 90%);
-@border-dark-softer: hsl(@border-dark-hue, 25%, 96%);
+@border-dark: hsl(0, 0%, 82%);
+@border-dark-soft: hsl(0, 0%, 90%);
+@border-dark-softer: hsl(0, 0%, 96%);
 
-@border-light: @color-white;
-@border-light-soft: fade(@color-white, 60%);
-@border-light-softer: fade(@color-white, 35%);
+@border-light: hsl(0, 0%, 100%);
+@border-light-soft: hsl(0, 0%, 60%);
+@border-light-softer: hsl(0, 0%, 35%);
 
 @border-default-color: @border-dark-soft;
 
diff --git a/src/utilities/text.less b/src/utilities/text.less
index 697d59c83..1c51e1ba5 100644
--- a/src/utilities/text.less
+++ b/src/utilities/text.less
@@ -23,16 +23,15 @@
 @font-weight-bold: 700;
 
 // Colors
-@text-light: @color-white;
-@text-light-soft: fade(@color-white, 60%);
-@text-light-softer: fade(@color-white, 45%);
-@text-light-softest: fade(@color-white, 35%);
+@text-light: hsl(0, 0%, 100%);
+@text-light-soft: hsl(0, 0%, 60%);
+@text-light-softer: hsl(0, 0%, 45%);
+@text-light-softest: hsl(0, 0%, 35%);
 
-@text-dark-hue: @hue-gray;
-@text-dark: hsl(@text-dark-hue, 0%, 25%);
-@text-dark-soft: hsl(@text-dark-hue, 0%, 50%);
-@text-dark-softer: hsl(@text-dark-hue, 0%, 65%);
-@text-dark-softest: hsl(@text-dark-hue, 0%, 75%);
+@text-dark: hsl(0, 0%, 25%);
+@text-dark-soft: hsl(0, 0%, 50%);
+@text-dark-softer: hsl(0, 0%, 65%);
+@text-dark-softest: hsl(0, 0%, 75%);
 
 
 // Sizes