Last updated: March 2026
What Is Pantone Color of the Year?
Pantone Color of the Year is the annual color selection by the Pantone Color Institute that influences fashion, design, and beauty trends — shaping which shades dominate makeup collections, packaging, and runway looks each year.
Every December, Pantone announces a color that reflects the cultural mood and aesthetic direction for the coming year. The beauty industry pays close attention: major brands reformulate and re-shade their collections to align with the selection. In 2025, the Pantone Color of the Year was Mocha Mousse (PANTONE 17-1230), a warm, rich brown that perfectly aligned with the latte makeup, espresso, and warm-brown aesthetic already trending in beauty. The influence is real — you'll see it in limited-edition palettes, lipstick launches, and the overall color story of spring and fall collections. For consumers, it's useful as a signal of what shades will be widely available and easy to find at every price point.
Tips
- The Pantone Color of the Year signals which shades will be widely available — a good time to stock up on that color in drugstore dupes.
- Warm-toned Pantone picks (like Mocha Mousse) are easiest to incorporate into everyday makeup as lip or eye color.
- Don't feel obligated to follow the trend — use it as inspiration, not a mandate.
See it in action
Tutorials that use or demonstrate this technique: