140 FORMULATING 50 40 30 20 10 0 Not important Somewhat important Very important
Figure 1: Importance of colour when choosing a skincare product. Respondents=1007; p=0
prioritising whiteness as the aesthetic norm or embrace naturally coloured formulations as a more authentic and scientifically grounded alternative.
Methods A total of 1,310 volunteers were recruited for this one-day market research questionnaire study from eight countries. Volunteers were recruited online through search engine optimisation and referrals. They were selected based on positive data matches against the profile criteria held. Ten questions were provided in English, as
well as in the native language of each country: the UK, Japan, Germany, Spain, Australia, Portugal, South Africa, and the USA. The recruited volunteers comprised 25% males and 75% females, with an age range of 16 to 60 years. The study protocol was developed and
executed in accordance with Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and the Code of Conduct for Ethical Market Research Practices.12
The data was analysed for statistical significance using the Chi-Squared Test.
Overview of study questions ■ How important is the colour of a skin cream when choosing a product? (Not important, Somewhat important, Very important) (Figure 1) ■ What colour do you typically expect skin creams to be? (White, Off-White, Beige, Green, Yellow, Transparent, Other) ■ Do you associate the colour white with purity or effectiveness in skin care products? (Yes, No, Not Sure) (Figure 2) ■ Would you be willing to try a skin cream that is not white if it had visible natural ingredients, e.g. green from aloe vera or brown from honey? ■ Do you believe that the colour of a skin cream affects its quality in terms of how it works on your skin? (Figure 3) ■ Would you prefer a skin cream with a natural, earthy colour if it reflected natural ingredients (e.g. green, brown, or yellow)? ■ If a skin cream’s colour is different from white, would you feel concerned about its safety or effectiveness? (Figure 4)
PERSONAL CARE MAGAZINE April 2026 50 40 30 20 10 0 Yes No
Figure 2: White colour expectation of skincare products. Respondents=1007; p=0
■ Do you believe that the ingredients of a skin cream should be visibly reflected in the product’s colour? ■ Would you prefer a skin cream to have a more natural or synthetic look and feel? ■ If a skin cream were a different colour but still made with natural, effective ingredients, would you be open to using it, or would you expect a white cream for better results? (Figure 5)
Results A total of 1,002 out of 1,310 respondents were included in the study analysis. The 308 volunteers omitted were excluded for failing to fulfil contractual obligations. Overall, the importance of product colour
(Figure 1) to volunteers varied, with 30.39% responding that it was not important at all, 41% that it was somewhat important, and only 26.6% that it was very important. The volunteers provided no other comments. The expectation (Figure 2) that skin creams
should be white (60%) or off-white (23%) was high, with less than half of respondents (46.5%) associating white with purity and effectiveness, 39% not associating the colour white with these traits, and 14% unsure. However, almost all respondents (97%) are
willing to try a non-white product if it is natural, with less than 1% saying ‘no’. Fewer than 14% of volunteers (Figure 3)
believed the colour of the product affected its performance or quality. Preference for a naturally coloured product was high at 51.94%, with 42.7% not minding, and only 5% not preferring. If a skin cream were not white, only 6% of
respondents would be concerned about its safety or effectiveness, while 84% would not be concerned at all and 9% would not know (Figure 4). Most respondents preferred a skin cream with a natural look and feel (76.5%), 21% had no preference, and less than 2% preferred a synthetic look and feel. Fewer than 2% believed that white products
would perform better than non-white products, while nearly 82% were open to using a naturally
coloured product if it proved effective (Figure 5). Some 17% wanted to know the ingredients and effectiveness before making a decision.
Discussion The results of this international study reveal a significant shift in consumer expectations about the colour of skin care products and offer empirical support for re-examining the long-standing convention that ‹skin care should be white’. While respondents overwhelmingly reported
expecting creams to appear white or off- white—a reflection of decades of marketing and manufacturing practices—this expectation did not lead to functional assumptions or purchasing barriers. Instead, willingness to use non-white skin care
products was notably high (97%), and concerns about safety or performance were minimal. These findings suggest that the aesthetic norm
of whiteness, although still culturally familiar, is no longer a decisive criterion for product acceptance, especially when consumers recognise that colour comes from natural, beneficial ingredients. The data directly support the scientific rationale outlined earlier in the paper: many bioactive botanicals and minimally processed ingredients naturally contain colour, and consumers seem increasingly receptive to these natural hues. This shift is particularly relevant at a time when sustainability, ingredient authenticity, and transparent formulation practices are becoming key pillars of product development. Traditionally, achieving a white or colourless
appearance involved additional processing—such as activated carbon treatment, bleaching, intensive filtration, or adding opacifying agents—all of which raise energy consumption and may diminish the integrity of delicate phytonutrients. The present findings indicate that consumers
may not only accept but actively prefer formulations that avoid such extensive refinement, especially when this preference is clearly communicated. Notably, more than half of participants
expressed a preference for skin care that appears ‹natural’, and only a very small minority preferred
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Percent Response
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