New Gadget Finds Perfect Shade Of Foundation

It all starts with a good foundation and if you're anything like the average woman, you may feel overwhelmed with hundreds of products and beauty lines to choose from. Enter the SEPHORA + PANTONE COLOR IQ, the most advanced foundation-matching solution in beauty retail to date. A hand-held "color capture" device scans the surface of your skin, assigning it a SkinTone number and then sorts through more than 1,500 foundation products to find your perfect match. This advanced technology system recently launched in only 24 Sephora locations across the country.

Even the SEPHORA make-up pros are excited to use this new technology and see which product recommendations the program makes, which often differ from the suggestions they would have made without it. Many variables are eliminated with the COLOR IQ that can affect shade, pigment and skin undertones. "As an artist, I know the right foundation is essential to a great makeup look so this is an amazing resource to have for my consultations. It allows me to pull the best matches across all our brand offerings for my client's personalized consultation," says SEPHORA Pro Gilbert Soliz.

Get Your Color

 
Visit a nearby Sephora store for a free consultation with the handheld SEPHORA + PANTONE COLOR IQ device, which takes images of your skin to find your complexion's official SkinTone number. A Sephora cast member will gently place he device to touch a few different points on your skin and neck to get an average reading of your complexion.

Plug In Your Pantone SkinTone Number

 
After only a few minutes your SkinTone number will result. This number is then inputted into SEPHORA's Universal SkinTone Library on an iPad where it sorts through 1,500 skin foundation products to find your perfect match. This is where the magic happens, as you await your individual recommendations.

Narrow It All Down

 
Voila! You will be shown your list of results on the iPad, where you can then expand or decrease the number of products by applying filters, such as formulation, skin type, finish and SPF. Note, your list can be emailed to you for easy reference on your next shopping trip, whether it be in person or on-line.

Test Out Products

 
Work with a Sephora cast member to test any of these products to see which work best with your skin before buying. This is where the real test begins. We can't rely on technology alone and it's always a good idea to try a product in person and see if we like it before we buy it.

Find The Perfect Foundation

 
Choose your perfect foundation, purchase (or take home a sample!) and use daily or whenever you like. Personally, I rarely used foundation before because I couldn't find one I loved or that matched my skin perfectly. Ever since I tried the COLOR IQ, I've been happy using one of the foundation products from my personal list of recommendations.

This instant list of foundation matches and product recommendations is a welcome convenience for most women. We no longer have to hold up the bottle or look at the swatch of nude color on the package to guess whether the shade will be a good match.

The SEPHORA + PANTONE COLOR IQ is currently available in the following SEPHORA stores in the Los Angeles area: Beverly Center, Century City, Hollywood & Highland, Santa Monica, Fashion Square and Pasadena.

Liz Laing is a writer, web designer and photographer who lives in Los Angeles. Her latest projects may be followed on Liz Laing.