If you’ve looked for the perfect neutral paint in recent months, it’s likely you’ve come across the Egyptian Cotton shade by Dulux which has been going viral on TikTok over the course of the past year. But why, you might ask.
It’s not uncommon for a particular colour to quickly become a sought-after paint trend – butter yellow and olive green being some of the most recent examples. But it doesn’t happen often for a specific paint shade from a particular brand to reach a viral status to the point that its sales rise 33% in the space of a single year. And no, Egyptian Cotton’s sudden fame is not tied to its novelty factor as it’s been part of the Dulux range for a while now.
Dulux's Egyptian Cotton paint shade is the perfect neutral that goes with everything in our books. And having watched several TikTok videos of its application, the coverage is phenomenal too.
It’s rather down to its perfect neutral shade as neutrals go with pretty much everything. But also, as many have discovered, the shade’s almost magical ability to seemingly change colour with some customers ending up disappointed because the colour turns to something close to sage green or grey on their walls.
This has started a debate in many TikTok comment sections: some love it, while others feel let down. Some TikTokers like @danispeaks have addressed this in their videos. So we asked Dulux why that is and how you should use Egyptian Cotton to avoid disappointment.
@danispeaks ♬ original sound - Dani Speaks
Why is Egyptian Cotton by Dulux going viral?
‘It is a pale, visually “kitten soft” neutral that captures the essence of natural undyed cotton,’ describes Marianne Shillingford, creative director and colour expert at Dulux.
‘Egyptian Cotton is one of our longest running, most popular colours and it’s earned a top spot for a good reason. It simply is the perfect neutral colour that makes everything you have in your home look coordinated no matter what your style is. It's visually smooth and comforting, perfect for small and north-facing rooms that need a bit of warming up but even in a large open plan space.’
Marianne continues to explain what makes this neutral change colour depending on the lighting in a room. ‘Egyptian Cotton is a foundation neutral which means it’s one of the essential building block colours in design. It reflects and enhances the much loved and familiar raw materials that we build and furnish our homes with like stone, pale woods, clay and plaster.
'As light conditions change throughout the day and evening, Egyptian Cotton changes too. In warm natural and artificial light it takes on a hint of luxurious raw cashmere and in cool north-facing rooms or daylight bulbs, its whispered soft grey undertones are more obvious.’
Where should you use Egyptian Cotton?
Egyptian Cotton by Dulux is a great colour to go for in almost any room as it is a very versatile shade if you want to decorate with neutrals. But there are certain spaces that will benefit from a neutral colour like this one more than others.
‘Egyptian Cotton does really work anywhere in the house but one of the best places to use it is in the entrance hallway, stairs and landing as a colour that links every room seamlessly,’ Marianne says.
But no matter what room you paint it with, just remember that different levels of warmth in artificial lighting and the changing light during the day will slightly alter its appearance. So whatever you do, just go into it prepared for that. Then you’ll be sure to love it.
