This project began as a reflection on how mainstream beauty brands approach “holiday” releases. Seasonal collections are often designed around cold weather, winter palettes, and Eurocentric traditions, even though holidays are experienced differently across cultures, geographies, and climates. As someone from the Caribbean diaspora, I wanted to explore what a holiday product might look like if it were rooted in warmth rather than cold, and in cultural ritual rather than generic seasonal aesthetics.

Coquito and rum cake are not just flavors. They are markers of Caribbean holidays. They signal gathering, preparation, patience, and care. Coquito is often made in batches, shared among family and friends, and adjusted through taste and tradition. Rum cake is baked ahead of time, soaked slowly, and revisited over days. Both are processes, not instant experiences. Translating these flavors into Balm Dotcom allowed me to explore how beauty products can carry narratives of time, memory, and intimacy.

By choosing lip balm as the medium, I intentionally worked within one of Glossier’s most recognizable and accessible products. This made it an ideal vessel for cultural storytelling without requiring users to opt into a completely new product category.

Design Intent

The design prioritizes warmth, comfort, and familiarity. Rather than leaning into novelty or loud holiday visuals, the concept focuses on subtle cues like soft color, gentle gloss, and comforting scent profiles. This approach reflects how Caribbean holiday rituals often live in quiet, domestic spaces: kitchens, living rooms, late-night conversations, and shared meals. The flavors were designed to feel indulgent echoing this balance of sweetness, spice, and warmth found in both coquito and rum cake. The goal was to create a product that feels celebratory and reminiscent of cultural festive treats .

What This Project Explores

• How global beauty brands can engage with culturally specific traditions without flattening them

• How scent and flavor can act as archives of memory and identity

• How everyday beauty products can become vessels for care, nostalgia, and belonging

Reflection

This project sits at the intersection of product design, cultural storytelling, and brand systems. It is not intended as a literal product proposal, but as a speculative exploration of how inclusivity in beauty can extend beyond shade ranges to include ritual, memory, and lived experience.