Colour has always been one of the most powerful tools in beauty, but in today’s increasingly saturated climate, it has become something more – a strategic lever.
From product discovery to purchase intent, colour shapes how consumers connect with brands emotionally, culturally and commercially.
As beauty brands plan for 2026, getting colour right has never been more critical, and in 2026, ‘Cool Blue’, ‘Wasabi’, ‘Persimmon’, ‘Jade’ and ‘Plum Noir’ will all come to the fore.
Our latest colour forecast report, Pinterest Palette, provides beauty brands with just that – an early view into the colours consumers are already planning to embrace.
Based on searches and saves from more than 600 million global Pinterest users, it identifies the shades people will want next.
This year’s five-shade line-up offers a roadmap for innovation, storytelling and growth.
At its best, colour becomes a brand asset – a shortcut to recognition that travels across product, packaging and campaign worlds.
From chilled minimalism to decadent drama, this year’s palette balances emotion, experimentation and self-expression
It can signal efficacy cues in skin care, create instant ‘drop’ energy in colour cosmetics, and build visual consistency that improves recall at shelf and online.
That is why the smartest colour decisions are not aesthetic finishing touches – they are strategic choices that can accelerate attention and, crucially, intent.
You can see this in the way major brands are building colour into their launch systems.
Gucci Beauty’s reds and pinks appear consistently across lipstick formulas, packaging and cinematic campaigns.
Maybelline New York, meanwhile, has leaned into bold, shade-first storytelling for Super Stay Matte Ink.
In both cases, colour acts as cultural shorthand – instantly communicating attitude, confidence and relevance.
The five strategic hues shaping the beauty industry in 2026:
From chilled minimalism to decadent drama, this year’s palette balances emotion, experimentation and self-expression.
Cool Blue
Pinterest's 'Cool Blue' hue
This frosty, glacial blue signals calm, clarity and control, with searches rising for
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