Fans of pink know–there’s something wonderful about putting on the color. Whether it’s a shocking swipe of orchid lipstick or pastel cotton candy colored hair, it’s an instant injection of punchy positivity. “Pink made me happier,” Nicki Minaj recently said on the Vogue podcast ahead of the release of her new album Pink Friday 2, which is out today. “I love looking at pink anything. I started with a little bit of pink in the back of my black hair. Once I realized that, I wanted more. It was like an addiction to constantly looking over the top.”
From Barbie to TikTok s Coquette movement and those who recently took the pink-haired plunge (Emma Corrin and Tracee Ellis Ross), the hue is definitely in its comeback era and speaks volumes about unbridled joy. Powerfully present and ultra-girly–that’s just some of what pink is today. But it s not quiet–it roars with intention and makes a bold statement; whether it’s a little saccharine sweet bow or a deep fuschia blush. For so many, this color represents girlhood and sisterhood and is deeply embraced for its association with nostalgia and happiness. Truly—pink doesn’t have any gender—but many are embracing that it represents the fact that it s former associations with being a girl are actually quite powerful.
Camri Hewie, a model and content creator has been loving the shade since her mother put her in ballet classes at two years old–all dressed up in different shades of pink. She can often be seen wearing the color head-to-toe, in fluffy gowns, corseted mini dresses or slinky slip dresses; the finishing touch being her beauty routine. “If you came into my room you would see that my whole entire vanity is filled with pink beauty products and trinkets; from my Pat McGrath Divine Blush in the color Fleurotique to my favorite perfume Delina Exclusif by Parfums de Marly that is packaged in the most perfect baby pink bottle,” she says. “Wearing the color pink makes me feel happy because I always feel like I’m honoring my inner child and girlhood. I feel the most confident and the most ‘myself’ when I implement the color pink into my wardrobe.”
Likewise, Kitten Kay Sera, dubbed the “Pinkest Person in the World” by Ripley’s Believe It or Not, has been exclusively wearing pink since 1980 and believes that there is no other color that brings as much happiness. With her vibrant hair and matching eyeshadow, she can’t imagine putting on any other hue. She journey started with an all-pink birthday outfit; a pink skirt and off-the-shoulder sweater, and describes having “a spiritual awakening” from the experience. From that day on, she gave away anything that wasn’t pink to her four sisters. “I feel like myself in pink. I don t know how to put it, but that s just me,” she says. She thinks of it as instant serotonin, too. “My whole house is pink, so I wake up in a good mood,” she says. “I really believe that. It s the highest vibration of all the colors, so it just makes you feel good. And I m never depressed or sad. How many people can really say that? I mean, truthfully, and I don t know if you know, but I married the color pink because I love it so much.” Early on, she started dyeing anything she couldn’t find in her favorite color, and wearing pink hats until she decided to fully dye her hair pink in 2013.
There is indeed a science of feeling great about incorporating pink into one’s beauty routine. “The impact of the color pink, particularly when worn as makeup or hair color, extends beyond mere aesthetics; it has psychological and social implications,” says Kim Homan, licensed therapist and clinical director at Tennessee Behavioral Health. “Pink, traditionally associated with qualities of compassion, love, and understanding, can influence both the wearer s mood and the perception of those around them.” If you want to boost your mood–pink is proven to have calming effects. “Socially, pink can convey approachability and warmth,” she adds. “It s a color that often signifies nurturing and kindness, traits that can positively influence social interactions. For instance, someone who wears pink might be perceived as more friendly and approachable, which can facilitate better communication and relationships with others.”
Perhaps it goes beyond that too: Pink is a staple in most people’s beauty arsenals because of the way it makes others perceive them psychologically, dating back thousands of years. “Pink makeup has been used for thousands of years, since ancient Egyptian and Roman cultures, to enhance the natural coloration of cheeks and lips to signal health, youth, and vitality,” says Catherine Franssen, neuroscientist and professor of biology at Longwood University. “Pink cheeks and lips can indicate a healthy cardiovascular system and may also indicate that a person is emotionally excited—such as when we blush in the presence of our desirable crush.”
Research literally proves there’s a reason for all the crushing on pink: “When the person we are attracted to is flushed pink, indicating that they are also attracted to us, we find them even more desirable,” adds Franssen. “So adding a bit of pink to the face should lead to people being more attracted to us. And that’s not just for sexual attraction, but also keeps people’s attention longer, encourages them to make eye contact, and can improve professional as well as personal interactions.”
As someone who changes my hair color on a whim, I can attest that pink really is a powerful color. It’s a hue I always come back to time and time again for comfort and joy. It’s one of the few unnatural hair colors that goes with everything and flatters everyone. It really is the people’s color.
Whether or not you opt for pink as a rule of passion or happiness, it also feels like a reclamation of girlhood at a time when it’s much needed. Hewrie describes remembering a point in her early twenties when she was a bit reluctant to wear pink because she felt that she was infantilizing herself and people wouldn’t take her seriously–especially men. “But now as I’ve grown a bit and gotten over my own internalized misogyny, I realize that people absolutely love my pink looks and I receive compliments from people of many different age groups and demographics. I’ve always felt like a flamingo in a flock of pigeons, especially living in New York City, so it’s nice having people appreciate my looks that incorporate my favorite color,” she says.
“Pink to me, is more than a lifestyle,” adds Sera. “It s more than a color.” Every morning, she gets ready at her old Hollywood style vanity surrounded by feather-trimmed vintage inspired robes (everything is all in pink, of course) before joining her all-girl band, the Pinktastic Plastixx, who each wear a sculpted pink bob. “No other color makes me as happy, or has a personality of its own. That s what pink does. It has personality.”