Colour matched cosmetic foundations for black skin tones

Foundations are the most commonly used decorative cosmetics on the market, and a natural-looking finish is one of their most preferred performance attributes. This puts the pressure on product developers to better match consumer skin tones;1-3 and the process of color-matching foundations true to skin is a challenge. This is due, in part, to the different biological factors defining skin color. These must be transposed into the correct blend of cosmetic pigments, which defines the color of the foundation.

Internal market research has demonstrated that in the United Kingdom, the range of cosmetic foundations available for dark skin tones, i.e., Fitzpatrick types V and VI, is considerably disproportionate to the range of products available for lighter skin tones, i.e., Fitzpatrick types I and II. In fact, of a total of 343 foundation shades observed in mainstream retailers, only 9% were suitable for consumers with dark skin. This compared with 67% for lighter skin tones.

Furthermore, consumers having darker skin tones report being dissatisfied with commercially available foundations, meaning their needs are not being met by the cosmetics industry. In relation, this study focused on the development of a foundation to effectively match a range of black skin tones. New pigments were tested in varying ratios and in vivo color measurements were made, as described here.

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