diff --git a/src/styles/base/variables.css b/src/styles/base/variables.css
index 64e18a4c..d70415f1 100644
--- a/src/styles/base/variables.css
+++ b/src/styles/base/variables.css
@@ -74,10 +74,10 @@
   --color-primary: #4f46e5;      /* indigo-600 */
   --color-primary-hover: #4338ca; /* indigo-700 */
   
-  /* Darker highlight colors for light theme - better contrast */
-  --highlight-color-mine: #facc15;      /* yellow-400 - darker than yellow-300 */
-  --highlight-color-friends: #ea580c;   /* orange-600 - darker than orange-500 */
-  --highlight-color-nostrverse: #7c3aed; /* purple-600 - same as dark */
+  /* Highlight colors for light theme - use same Tailwind colors */
+  --highlight-color-mine: #fde047;      /* yellow-300 */
+  --highlight-color-friends: #f97316;   /* orange-500 */
+  --highlight-color-nostrverse: #9333ea; /* purple-600 */
 }
 
 /* System theme - follow OS preference */
@@ -113,10 +113,10 @@
     --color-primary: #4f46e5;
     --color-primary-hover: #4338ca;
     
-    /* Darker highlight colors for light theme */
-    --highlight-color-mine: #facc15;
-    --highlight-color-friends: #ea580c;
-    --highlight-color-nostrverse: #7c3aed;
+    /* Standard highlight colors */
+    --highlight-color-mine: #fde047;
+    --highlight-color-friends: #f97316;
+    --highlight-color-nostrverse: #9333ea;
   }
 }
 
@@ -166,10 +166,10 @@
   --color-border: #e5e7eb;       /* gray-200 */
   --color-border-subtle: #d1d5db; /* gray-300 */
   
-  /* Darker highlights for better contrast */
-  --highlight-color-mine: #facc15;
-  --highlight-color-friends: #ea580c;
-  --highlight-color-nostrverse: #7c3aed;
+  /* Standard highlight colors */
+  --highlight-color-mine: #fde047;
+  --highlight-color-friends: #f97316;
+  --highlight-color-nostrverse: #9333ea;
 }
 
 /* Sepia - warm, reading-friendly */
@@ -183,10 +183,10 @@
   --color-text-secondary: #5d5a54;
   --color-text-muted: #8d8a84;
   
-  /* Darker highlights for better contrast on warm bg */
-  --highlight-color-mine: #eab308;      /* yellow-500 - even darker for sepia */
-  --highlight-color-friends: #dc2626;   /* red-600 - darker for warm bg */
-  --highlight-color-nostrverse: #7c3aed; /* purple-600 */
+  /* Standard highlight colors */
+  --highlight-color-mine: #fde047;      /* yellow-300 */
+  --highlight-color-friends: #f97316;   /* orange-500 */
+  --highlight-color-nostrverse: #9333ea; /* purple-600 */
 }
 
 /* Ivory - soft, creamy */
@@ -200,10 +200,10 @@
   --color-text-secondary: #4a4a48;
   --color-text-muted: #7a7a78;
   
-  /* Darker highlights for better contrast on ivory */
-  --highlight-color-mine: #facc15;
-  --highlight-color-friends: #ea580c;
-  --highlight-color-nostrverse: #7c3aed;
+  /* Standard highlight colors */
+  --highlight-color-mine: #fde047;
+  --highlight-color-friends: #f97316;
+  --highlight-color-nostrverse: #9333ea;
 }
 
 /* System theme color variants */
@@ -250,9 +250,9 @@
     --color-border: #e5e7eb;
     --color-border-subtle: #d1d5db;
     
-    --highlight-color-mine: #facc15;
-    --highlight-color-friends: #ea580c;
-    --highlight-color-nostrverse: #7c3aed;
+    --highlight-color-mine: #fde047;
+    --highlight-color-friends: #f97316;
+    --highlight-color-nostrverse: #9333ea;
   }
   
   :root.theme-system.light-sepia {
@@ -265,9 +265,9 @@
     --color-text-secondary: #5d5a54;
     --color-text-muted: #8d8a84;
     
-    --highlight-color-mine: #eab308;
-    --highlight-color-friends: #dc2626;
-    --highlight-color-nostrverse: #7c3aed;
+    --highlight-color-mine: #fde047;
+    --highlight-color-friends: #f97316;
+    --highlight-color-nostrverse: #9333ea;
   }
   
   :root.theme-system.light-ivory {
@@ -280,9 +280,9 @@
     --color-text-secondary: #4a4a48;
     --color-text-muted: #7a7a78;
     
-    --highlight-color-mine: #facc15;
-    --highlight-color-friends: #ea580c;
-    --highlight-color-nostrverse: #7c3aed;
+    --highlight-color-mine: #fde047;
+    --highlight-color-friends: #f97316;
+    --highlight-color-nostrverse: #9333ea;
   }
 }