Comfort and warmth were key impressions Pantone sought to convey with its 2025 color choice of the year Mocha Mousse. The company succinctly described the emotional cues and experiences inspiring this choice across industries; not surprisingly, they parallel drivers we see in beauty and personal care.
For example, Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute, wrote that Mocha Mousse’s “inherent richness” and “sensorial and comforting warmth” extends further into “our desire for comfort and the indulgence of simple pleasures.”1 The institute also points to the “sophisticated and earthy elegance” of Mocha Mousse, which it explains can stand alone or serve as a foundation to “enhance a wide range of palettes and applications — from minimalist to richly detailed designs.”1
These descriptions echo the beauty trends of self-care, simplicity, diversity and customization, and while they may not be new, technical advances are pushing them to new limits. Take AI for example, which enables customization to individualized levels and supports more accurate shade matching for diverse skin tones. I would add another element to the mix: sensory indulgence. This is apparent from the name Mocha Mousse alone. Indeed, indulgent fun was highlighted by Global Cosmetic Industry as a force shaping color cosmetics in 2025;2 examples include new product forms and food-inspired beauty.
Our latest edition explores innovations and challenges in developing color cosmetics and novel product formats. The report from our editors navigates trends in makeup including serums, sticks, jellies, balms, tints, etc., and claims like creaseless, in addition to advances in pigments and colorant technologies; it also provides expert insights. Karabiyik and Guo demonstrate the benefits of customizable silicone adhesives for transdermal patches, while Poulet, et al., examine the unique microbial challenges posed by refillable bulk cosmetics.
Contrarily (or perhaps complementary?) to cosmetics, Yuechuan describes makeup removers and explains their smart design by employing diagrams and tools to leverage the intrinsic properties of polyols. As a bonus, Meredith provides an update on cosmetic regulations in the UK.
We hope our latest issue merges form with function to indulge your product development efforts.
References
1. https://www.pantone.com/color-of-the-year/2025?srsltid=AfmBOoqCFYrZBX8DpXHcKP2zD6Td24zEssZ3VHjmcx5hL89cEvI6aGDd
2. https://www.gcimagazine.com/brands-products/color-cosmetics/news/22933515/makeup-2025-skin-care-indulgent-fun-2024-sales
