diff --git a/esphome/components/light/light_call.cpp b/esphome/components/light/light_call.cpp
index 3b4e136ba51..0291b2c3c6a 100644
--- a/esphome/components/light/light_call.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/light/light_call.cpp
@@ -270,22 +270,23 @@ LightColorValues LightCall::validate_() {
   if (this->has_state())
     v.set_state(this->state_);
 
-#define VALIDATE_AND_APPLY(field, setter, name_str, ...) \
+    // clamp_and_log_if_invalid already clamps in-place, so assign directly
+    // to avoid redundant clamp code from the setter being inlined.
+#define VALIDATE_AND_APPLY(field, name_str, ...) \
   if (this->has_##field()) { \
     clamp_and_log_if_invalid(name, this->field##_, LOG_STR(name_str), ##__VA_ARGS__); \
-    v.setter(this->field##_); \
+    v.field##_ = this->field##_; \
   }
 
-  VALIDATE_AND_APPLY(brightness, set_brightness, "Brightness")
-  VALIDATE_AND_APPLY(color_brightness, set_color_brightness, "Color brightness")
-  VALIDATE_AND_APPLY(red, set_red, "Red")
-  VALIDATE_AND_APPLY(green, set_green, "Green")
-  VALIDATE_AND_APPLY(blue, set_blue, "Blue")
-  VALIDATE_AND_APPLY(white, set_white, "White")
-  VALIDATE_AND_APPLY(cold_white, set_cold_white, "Cold white")
-  VALIDATE_AND_APPLY(warm_white, set_warm_white, "Warm white")
-  VALIDATE_AND_APPLY(color_temperature, set_color_temperature, "Color temperature", traits.get_min_mireds(),
-                     traits.get_max_mireds())
+  VALIDATE_AND_APPLY(brightness, "Brightness")
+  VALIDATE_AND_APPLY(color_brightness, "Color brightness")
+  VALIDATE_AND_APPLY(red, "Red")
+  VALIDATE_AND_APPLY(green, "Green")
+  VALIDATE_AND_APPLY(blue, "Blue")
+  VALIDATE_AND_APPLY(white, "White")
+  VALIDATE_AND_APPLY(cold_white, "Cold white")
+  VALIDATE_AND_APPLY(warm_white, "Warm white")
+  VALIDATE_AND_APPLY(color_temperature, "Color temperature", traits.get_min_mireds(), traits.get_max_mireds())
 
 #undef VALIDATE_AND_APPLY
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/light/light_color_values.h b/esphome/components/light/light_color_values.h
index 97756b9f26a..dc232633124 100644
--- a/esphome/components/light/light_color_values.h
+++ b/esphome/components/light/light_color_values.h
@@ -95,15 +95,18 @@ class LightColorValues {
    */
   void normalize_color() {
     if (this->color_mode_ & ColorCapability::RGB) {
-      float max_value = fmaxf(this->get_red(), fmaxf(this->get_green(), this->get_blue()));
+      float max_value = fmaxf(this->red_, fmaxf(this->green_, this->blue_));
+      // Assign directly to avoid redundant clamp in set_red/green/blue.
+      // Values are guaranteed in [0,1]: inputs are already clamped to [0,1],
+      // and dividing by max_value (the largest) keeps results in [0,1].
       if (max_value == 0.0f) {
-        this->set_red(1.0f);
-        this->set_green(1.0f);
-        this->set_blue(1.0f);
+        this->red_ = 1.0f;
+        this->green_ = 1.0f;
+        this->blue_ = 1.0f;
       } else {
-        this->set_red(this->get_red() / max_value);
-        this->set_green(this->get_green() / max_value);
-        this->set_blue(this->get_blue() / max_value);
+        this->red_ /= max_value;
+        this->green_ /= max_value;
+        this->blue_ /= max_value;
       }
     }
   }
@@ -276,6 +279,8 @@ class LightColorValues {
   /// Set the warm white property of these light color values. In range 0.0 to 1.0.
   void set_warm_white(float warm_white) { this->warm_white_ = clamp(warm_white, 0.0f, 1.0f); }
 
+  friend class LightCall;
+
  protected:
   float state_;  ///< ON / OFF, float for transition
   float brightness_;