The Inspiration
In the world of headphones, brands are pushing to stand out – bright colors, big logos - but JLab wanted to forge a new path and create a product line that follows a more nuanced approach to earbud aesthetics by showcasing the beauty found in tones of the world. Featuring a series of neutral colors, JLab GO Air Tones are the first earbud collection designed to complement a person rather than draw attention.
Just as some people prefer bold nail polishes and lipstick that stand out, others prefer more understated glosses and colors that blend in with the wearer. The industry is filled with personal audio products that have bold colors, or stand-out from the wearer. Until now, there wasn’t an option for an earbud in a range of nuanced, palette choices.
Color Selection with ORLY Color Labs
To create complementary color options, JLab partnered with ORLY Color Labs to create a series of skin tones based on their experience with customizing nail polish colors. Created by ORLY, a vegan, cruelty-free, nail care line made in Los Angeles, ORLY Color Labs customizes the perfect nail color both in-person and online based on samples, pantone colors, inspiration photos on the brand’s mood boards, or off any photo uploaded by the user. This innovative platform won ELLE Magazine’s 2020 Future of Beauty Awards.
When JLab kicked off the color exploration, the brand had never launched more than a few colors similar to the rest of the headphone industry, which traditionally focused on the best-selling black and white colors only.
Starting with more than 60 shades of earbuds, ORLY Color Labs helped whittle down the shade range to seven skin tones that covered a mix of warm, neutral, and cool tones that were inclusive and representative. Pulling data from existing colors as well as from the team’s experience in mixing shades to flatter customers with a wide range of skin tones, Elina Gitig, ORLY’s Director of Special Projects, and Emma Guy, ORLY Color Labs’ Senior Mixologist, assured that the skin tone shades not only matched actual skin tones, but were also flattering. To ensure that these shades can be replicated on earbuds, the team also matched each shade to a Pantone color.
The lacquer formula features ORLY’s signature 12-free, vegan lacquer that is highly pigmented and chip-resistant.
Check out ORLY's Color Mixing Process below:
Beats Fit Pro x Kim K
We were thrilled to see Beats through endorser Kim Kardashian share this idea in August 2022 when they launched three new Beats Fit Pro colors in different shades. Here's a product comparison:
Customer Feedback and Virtual Try-on
JLab is excited to offer more individuality to the headphone market with the release of the GO Air TONES, offering customers more options to find the color that suits their vibe. People can often wear headphones for hours each day, and they should have the option to select a color that complements them. JLab wanted to provide options that fit with the user’s vibe and offered to further personalize earbuds to complement them.
With the initial release of seven shades, JLab will listen to customer feedback, and explore adding more shades to the line-up. As part of the launch, customers will also be able to request colors either based on a Pantone number or by describing their wishes on its website: jlab.com/TONES.
Additionally, customers can try-on the earbud colors to select the one for them, with JLab’s award-winning virtual try-on at jlab.com/fitting. This unique program allows users to virtually cycle through the colors to find the tone that complements them best.
