‘SEPHORA’ INSIGHTS

Fat Mango Studios collaborated with a Singapore-based team on the Sephora Insights campaign, delivering production and post-production across three regions: Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand (AUNC), and China.

While the campaign followed a unified concept, each region required thoughtful adaptation, from casting and product selection to subtle shifts in tone and visual direction. At the core of the project was a key challenge: ensuring accuracy and consistency in skin tone representation across a diverse range of models.

Working with talent from different regions meant navigating a wide spectrum of skin tones and undertones. Each individual presented unique characteristics, requiring a highly detailed and intentional approach to colour grading. For a brand like Sephora, where visual precision and representation are central, this process became one of the most critical aspects of the project.

Our team worked closely with the client over several days to refine skin tones, ensuring that the final visuals felt both accurate and true to each individual. Beyond aesthetics, this required research and sensitivity towards undertones, lighting behaviour, and how colour translates across different environments and screens.

The project also highlighted the importance of preparation during production. Lighting decisions, shot composition, and scene planning all played a direct role in how effectively the footage could be refined in post-production.

From a technical perspective, the process became a deep exploration into colour grading workflows. Below are key insights from the project on achieving accurate skin tones in beauty-focused productions.

Colour Grading Insights: Working with Diverse Skin Tones

• Master masking as a foundation
  Precise masking is essential when working with skin tones, especially across multiple subjects within the same frame. Rather than applying global adjustments, isolating skin areas allows for more controlled and accurate grading. Even when the process is time-consuming, building a strong foundation in masking ensures that each adjustment remains intentional and refined.

• Structure your edit to support grading
  Effective colour grading starts before post-production. By organising scenes and shots thoughtfully, editors can group similar lighting conditions and compositions together. This makes masking more efficient and consistent across sequences. Lighting and framing decisions during production also play a key role, as clean separation between subjects and backgrounds allows for more precise control in post.

• Take breaks and revisit with fresh eyes
  Colour work, particularly in beauty content, can be visually demanding. Long hours in front of screens can affect perception and lead to overcorrection. Stepping away and returning with fresh eyes allows for a more accurate evaluation of tones and details. This simple practice often results in more balanced and natural outcomes.