diff --git a/src/components/social-message/social-message.scss b/src/components/social-message/social-message.scss
index 8dfc5db75..b6cdcc871 100644
--- a/src/components/social-message/social-message.scss
+++ b/src/components/social-message/social-message.scss
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 }
 
 .social-message.mod-unread {
-    background-color: lighten($ui-blue, 40);
+    background-color: $ui-blue-10percent;
 }
 
 .social-message.mod-unread .social-message-icon {