In beauty, few elements speak louder—or more intimately—than color. Lip color, in particular, has evolved from a simple cosmetic into a powerful medium of self-expression, cultural signaling, and brand identity. Recognizing this shift, L’ORÉAL partnered with Labbrand to create a global strategy that goes beyond seasonal trends, aiming to deeply understand the evolving meanings of color across cultures.
Since 2021, Labbrand has worked closely with L’ORÉAL to build a robust and future-ready color strategy for beauty brands. Spanning three strategic markets—China, the U.S., and France—the initiative analyzed over 300 communication assets across more than 30 beauty brands, both luxury and mass-market. The goal: to track, interpret, and anticipate color movements that shape consumer preferences and influence brand relevance.
By blending cultural semiotics with quantitative research, Labbrand’s approach reveals how lip color codes are created, perceived, and reinterpreted across different cultural contexts. Drawing from local aesthetics, identity values, and emerging socio-cultural shifts, the framework maps out evolving color narratives—uncovering hidden tensions, rising preferences, and cross-market patterns.
This methodology captures not just what’s trending, but why it resonates—unlocking the emotional and symbolic meanings behind each hue. From the resurgence of bold reds in the West to the rise of soft neutrals in Asia, the framework demonstrates how lip color becomes both a personal expression and a cultural dialogue, further reflecting the cultural impacts in cosmetics globally.
These insights empower L’ORÉAL’s brand and innovation teams to identify new opportunities, close market gaps, and refine product development strategies. Whether optimizing a signature lipstick shade for global resonance or crafting region-specific storytelling, the framework enables more intentional and impactful color decisions, reinforcing an effective color strategy for beauty brands.
More than a one-time trend study, this initiative delivers a scalable system to continuously monitor the evolution of color in beauty. It helps L’ORÉAL stay attuned to cultural shifts and proactively guide its brand narratives, ensuring the portfolio remains emotionally compelling, culturally relevant, and strategically distinct.
Together, Labbrand and L’ORÉAL are redefining how the beauty industry approaches color, not merely as a product feature, but as a universal language of beauty, identity, and cultural meaning.
Labbrand is the leading China-originated global brand consultancy with regional operations in APAC (Shanghai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur), Europe (Paris), and North America (New York). We drive forward the positive power of branding. Leading brands on impactful journeys, we create meaningful brand experiences by bringing together excellence in research, strategy, design, and verbal identity.
L’Oréal is a global leader in the cosmetics and beauty industry, renowned for its extensive portfolio of brands and commitment to innovation and quality. Founded in 1909 by Eugène Schueller, the company has grown into a massive international corporation with a presence in over 150 countries. L’Oréal operates across four main divisions: Consumer Products, Professional Products, Luxe (luxury beauty), and Dermatological Beauty.
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