RNCOS, an India-based market research firm, estimated that China’s cosmetics and toiletry market rose to an estimated $16.9 billion in 2008, as the country’s GDP soared. With such growth in consideration, the firm expects the market’s value to surpass $28 billion by 2012.

Color cosmetics and men’s fragrances have all taken off in China over the past year. Increased spending, driven by more disposable income and awareness of such products, have in turn called the attention of many major companies. As Estee Lauder sells to over 30 cities in the country, L’Oreal manages 16 brands total.

“Chinese people now like to try new things and advance products, and are more brand-conscious and more receptive to foreign ideas,” said Paolo Gasparrini, president and managing director of L’Oreal China, to the World Advertising Research Center.

China’s personal care market is second only to Japan’s, and is now the seventh largest in the world. But if it continues to report double-digit sales increases, China’s market could easily place within the top three within the next three years, as CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com reports. Paul Mak, president of Mary Kay’s Chinese division, even predicts that it will surpass the United States value in five.

“In this current retail climate, thoughtful and creative uses of color are that much more important,” said Laura Pressman, vice president of fashion, home and interiors, in a statement.

These colors palettes are meant for women’s wear, menswear, active wear, cosmetics, lifestyle, industrial design and graphics.

Furthermore the colors featured in its View Colour Planner should look really familiar. Inspiration stems from surrounding environments, be it the ground below or the sky above, if not ourselves:

• To create an Urban Field as described, natural hues should be used: “macrobiotic tones, dehydrated and preserved greens, and toasted nuances.”
• What Mimetic is imitating is a mosaic itself. Colors presented in small doses collectively make sense once analyzed from a distance.
• Keep mosaics in mind also for recreating Pantone’s Byzantine theme. The rest of it draws from old architecture and imperial palaces.
• Its Deconstructing/Reconstructing theme also revolves around the past, though this strictly deals with basic colors: traditional navy, bottle green, pillar box red, mid grey, ecru.
• “Deep, deep darks” serve as the Molecular foundation, as they are meant to bring together the other facets of the palette.
• In Pantone’s Universe, black also serves as the backdrop for saturated, layered colors “studded with starry accents.”
• To create an Urban Field as described, natural hues should be used: “macrobiotic tones, dehydrated and preserved greens.”
• Multiple Identity plays off of human bodies rather than celestial ones. Consider the “physical changes in skin” and “eye color after tears or no sleep” as suggested.
• The colors of Neuro Networks include benevolent greys, transparent blues, skin beiges, aura mauve and immaterial yellow. In this case, human bodies only serve as half of the inspiration, while the spirituality within provides the rest. Both can be unified with either “subtle high-tech or elegant raw aspects.”

For more information about Pantone’s latest View Colour Planner, visit its Web site.