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In:Progress in Colour Studies: Colour Expression and Cognition
Edited by Carole P. Biggam, Domicele Jonauskaite, Mari Uusküla and Dimitris Mylonas
[Not in series 244] 2026
► pp. 127–146

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Drop-red gorgeous

Romance-related colour names for cosmetics

 | University of Alicante
Published online: 20 February 2026
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https://doi.org/10.1075/z.244.07esp
Abstract
This study examines sex- and romance-themed non-transparent English lipstick colour names in online shopping. A sample of lipstick colour names was manually collected from twelve brand websites and categorised semantically. The study focuses on a subset of 148 lipstick colour names in the sex and romance category, discussing their symbolic associations and naming conventions. The analysis reveals that while non-transparent colour names referencing sex and romance often evoke associations with red and pink, they lack the precision of both basic colour terms and non-basic terms. The findings suggest that obscure names prioritise connotations over denotations, aiming to evoke consumer desire or enhance perceptions of attractiveness. While these naming conventions appeal to consumers, adding supplementary descriptions could improve clarity without compromising their intended allure.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Red: Denotation, connotations, symbolism and associations
  • 3.Metonymic colour terms in marketing
  • 4.Sex and romance: A domain description
  • 5.Conclusions and final remarks
  • Acknowledgements
  • References
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