diff --git a/src/components/layout/AppShell/Aurora.tsx b/src/components/layout/AppShell/Aurora.tsx
index 2cf9fec..31e9578 100644
--- a/src/components/layout/AppShell/Aurora.tsx
+++ b/src/components/layout/AppShell/Aurora.tsx
@@ -107,8 +107,23 @@ function hexToRgb(hex: string): [number, number, number] {
   return [r, g, b];
 }
 
+// Reduce lightness of a hex color for subdued background blobs
+function dimAccent(hex: string, factor = 0.45): string {
+  hex = hex.replace('#', '');
+  if (hex.length === 3) {
+    hex = hex
+      .split('')
+      .map((c) => c + c)
+      .join('');
+  }
+  const r = Math.round(parseInt(hex.substring(0, 2), 16) * factor);
+  const g = Math.round(parseInt(hex.substring(2, 4), 16) * factor);
+  const b = Math.round(parseInt(hex.substring(4, 6), 16) * factor);
+  return `#${r.toString(16).padStart(2, '0')}${g.toString(16).padStart(2, '0')}${b.toString(16).padStart(2, '0')}`;
+}
+
 function generateColorStops(background: string, surface: string, accent: string): string[] {
-  return [background, surface, accent];
+  return [background, surface, dimAccent(accent)];
 }
 
 export function Aurora() {
diff --git a/src/styles/globals.css b/src/styles/globals.css
index d1e271c..f9e1881 100644
--- a/src/styles/globals.css
+++ b/src/styles/globals.css
@@ -1436,7 +1436,7 @@ input[type='checkbox']:hover:not(:checked) {
 .wave-blob-1 {
   width: 400px;
   height: 400px;
-  background: radial-gradient(circle, rgba(var(--color-accent-500), 0.6) 0%, transparent 70%);
+  background: radial-gradient(circle, rgba(var(--color-accent-800), 0.6) 0%, transparent 70%);
   top: -15%;
   left: -10%;
   animation: wave1 20s ease-in-out infinite; /* Slower = less CPU */
@@ -1517,7 +1517,7 @@ input[type='checkbox']:hover:not(:checked) {
 }
 
 .light .wave-blob-1 {
-  background: radial-gradient(circle, rgba(var(--color-accent-500), 0.7) 0%, transparent 70%);
+  background: radial-gradient(circle, rgba(var(--color-accent-800), 0.7) 0%, transparent 70%);
 }
 
 /* Mobile: brighter and faster animations */
@@ -1530,7 +1530,7 @@ input[type='checkbox']:hover:not(:checked) {
   .wave-blob-1 {
     width: 300px;
     height: 300px;
-    background: radial-gradient(circle, rgba(var(--color-accent-500), 0.8) 0%, transparent 70%);
+    background: radial-gradient(circle, rgba(var(--color-accent-800), 0.8) 0%, transparent 70%);
     animation: wave1-mobile 12s ease-in-out infinite;
   }