Hue Are You? Exploring Beauty, Brand, and Identity Through Color
By: Faith Huddleston
The world around us is an ever-changing tapestry of colors. We observe the colors in nature, in the interior spaces where we live and work, in fashion, and even in the cosmetics we wear. Color has the power to calm or inspire us. The colors we see most every day may be a product of the cultures we live in, but color is universal, a shared language that connects us all. As the artist and painter Wassily Kandinsky once said, “Color provokes a psychic vibration. Color hides a power still unknown but real, which acts on every part of the human body.”
In a recent collaboration with Benjamin Moore, we explored the role of color in retail spaces, analyzing how color palettes evoke moods and reflect brand energy. This led us to dive into how beauty brands, like people, have distinct personalities, each communicated via brand color and each influencing the overall customer in-store experience.
Here are some examples from the retail spaces we analyzed with Benjamin Moore:
If you bumped into Levi’s on the street, you’d meet someone who exudes an urban chic style, clearly not influenced by gender norms. They’d give off a low-maintenance, easygoing vibe. Their fragrance, meeting you as they strolled by, clean and fresh, like Maison Margiela Replica Lazy Sunday Morning, Ouai Dean Street, or Le Labo Baie 19. No doubt, they’d showcase some of the genderless beauty trends, wearing makeup by Fenty Skin Eaze Drop Blurring skin tint, Freck Beauty Shadow Slide in Lid Drip (warm champagne), and Milk Makeup Lip + Cheek in dusty rose shimmer. As a signature element of their style, they’d wear a bold red lip color, like Dior Rouge 999, a nod to the iconic red Levi’s tag. In the retail space, Levi’s exudes a ray of indigo shades, referencing the many lifecycles of denim.
Meeting American Girl at Sunday brunch, she has a youthful, dewy glow, favoring vibrant pinks, yellows, and purples. Her signature fragrance is Lost Cherry by Tom Ford, Prada Candy, or Dior J’adore Dior, evoking her sweet, innocent nature . Her makeup would include the K-beauty “Glass Skin” effects, Too Faced Cloud Crush Blush or NYX Buttermelt powder blush, a touch of glitter with e.l.f. liquid metallic eyeshadow gel in Little Dipper, and Nature Republic honey melting lip plumping soft lip stick in 11 Pink. But the global retail trend would be smart mirror enhancements and AI technology to help contour, highlight and shimmer. Forever young, her complexion is enhanced with a peach- colored outfit, which naturally boosts the vibrancy all skin tones.
Sitting next to Harley-Davidson at the pub, she’d rock black leather, Doc Martens black boots, and silver David Yurman jewelry. Her hair is styled practically, either pixie short, or in long braids. Her fragrance of choice skews masculine, such as Yves Saint Laurent Libre, Byredo Slow Dance, or Nars Audacious. Thinking like a road warrior, her makeup is waterproof, featuring a smoky eye by NYX Ultimate Shadow Palette Smokey and Highlight, NARS Narsissist Eyeshadow Palette, or Laura Mericer Editorial Eye Palette Intense Clays, with a nude cheek and lip. Of course, her polish would be Harley orange, as a defining brand touch.
Checking in with Tiffany at the spa, her classically elegant look is timeless, in staples like cool grey wool slacks and a cashmere sweater and accent jewelry in diamonds and pearls. She’s sensible, yet stylish in Tiffany blue flats, allowing her to move about the city effortlessly. Her perfume would layer scents or lean toward the classics, such as Chanel No. 5, Yves Saint Laurent Opium, or Guerlain L’Heure Bleue Eau de Toilette. Her makeup is understated: Ilia Skin Tint foundation in Formosa ST4, Jones Road miracle balm in Miami Beach, and Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Matte Revolution Lipstick.
Beauty trends will continue to evolve, with current favorites replaced by new products and color combinations. What remains constant is our ability to harness the power of color to express our personalities, to tell our stories, to lift our spirits, to give us confidence, and to make our mark on our world.
Faith Huddleston,
Faith has extensive experience in activating brands of all sizes with immersive design in retail environments. Her passion is building creative teams around brand and experience strategy, environmental design, and visual merchandising for all retail channels. Reach out to her at fhuddleston@nelsonww.com.
