diff --git a/scss/_forms.scss b/scss/_forms.scss
index d7a3a07c..40593a7a 100644
--- a/scss/_forms.scss
+++ b/scss/_forms.scss
@@ -27,9 +27,8 @@
   &::after {
     position: absolute;
     width: 0;
-    height: $input-btn-border-width;
+    height: $input-btn-border-width + 1;
     content: "";
-    @include gradient-vertical($brand-primary, $input-border-color);
     transition: 0.3s ease all;
 
     // focused state - it transitions the width of each (before and after) to 50% creating the center out effect
diff --git a/scss/_variables.scss b/scss/_variables.scss
index 6450910d..351f5487 100644
--- a/scss/_variables.scss
+++ b/scss/_variables.scss
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 // redefine ? TODO: do we need this mdb variant?  This is used as $body-color
 $gray-light: rgba($black, 0.26) !default;
-$gray: rgba($black, .54) !default;
+$gray: rgba($black, .68) !default;  // rgba($black, .54)
 $gray-dark: rgba($black, 0.87) !default;
 
 // wondering if any of these could still be refactored out, but are definitely in use.
diff --git a/scss/mixins/_forms.scss b/scss/mixins/_forms.scss
index f249c149..15e984f6 100644
--- a/scss/mixins/_forms.scss
+++ b/scss/mixins/_forms.scss
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@
     .mdb-form-control-decorator {
       &::before,
       &::after {
-        @include gradient-vertical($label-color-focus, $input-border-color);
+        //@include gradient-vertical($label-color-focus, $input-border-color);
+        background-color: $label-color-focus;
       }
     }
 
@@ -68,6 +69,13 @@
 
   @debug "font-size: #{$font-size} static-font-size: #{$static-font-size} help-font-size: #{$help-font-size} form-group-context: #{$form-group-context} ";
 
+  //Label height: 72dp
+  //Padding above label text: 16dp
+  //Padding between label and input text: 8dp
+  //Padding below input text (including divider): 16dp
+  //Padding below text divider: 8dp
+
+
   // this may be inside or outside a form-group, may be .mdb-form-group.mdb-form-group-sm or .mdb-form-group.mdb-form-group-lg
   //@include label-size-variant($font-size, $vertical-padding, $line-height, $static-font-size, $static-line-height, $help-font-size);
   .form-control {
diff --git a/scss/variables/bootstrap/_forms.scss b/scss/variables/bootstrap/_forms.scss
index f73039d8..6613d74c 100644
--- a/scss/variables/bootstrap/_forms.scss
+++ b/scss/variables/bootstrap/_forms.scss
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ $input-bg:                       rgba($black, 0) !default; // #fff !default;
 $input-bg-disabled:              rgba($black, 0) !default; // $gray-lighter !default;
 //
 //$input-color:                    $gray !default;
-$input-border-color:             #d2d2d2 !default; // #ccc !default;
+$input-border-color:             $gray-light !default; // #ccc !default;
 //$input-btn-border-width:         $border-width !default; // For form controls and buttons
 $input-box-shadow:               none !default; //inset 0 1px 1px rgba(0,0,0,.075) !default;
 //