Lipshots Case Study: color cosmetics, diversity, and color theory
Banana Beauty’s strongest product has always been their color cosmetics. But as an online-first brand, the physical experience of the colors greatly differed from what could be seen online on their simulated “lipshots”, creating dissatisfaction among customers and eroding trust.
This was not only due to how different screens show color, but more importantly because color is highly relative: the perception of a lipstick color will be different depending on the skin tone (and undertone) surrounding it. One photo will only cover one single perception of the color, and everyone else not represented there will be frustrated.
The solution was to embrace this variation. By showing all products in at least 4 different skin tones, the customer could better envision what the color might look like on them too. The result is not only a more truthful representation of color but also a wider representation in diversity, as shown here in the first product launch with this approach, the matte lip butters.