Boots rolls-out colour matching skin tones from X-Rite January 28, 2013 (Switzerland) Boots UK has begun offering in 668 stores a new service that accurately measures colour values of customers’ skin with a specially designed X-Rite instrument, then identifies the closest colour match amongst the No7 Foundation collection. More than 1,000 No7 advisors have been trained to carry out the No7 Foundation Match Made Service, which uses a handheld X-Rite spectro colourimeter to identify the colour of a customer's skin, then precisely targets the closest matches among 17 colours of No7 foundations across a number of formats.  Boots is the UK’s leading pharmacy-led health and beauty retailer with close to 2,500 stores across the UK, and X-Rite Incorporated is the world's leading designer and manufacturer of colour management solutions and parent company of Pantone LLC. The No7 Foundation Match Made Service is the result of more than three years of research and development by Boots UK.  The research included the measurement of skin tones of over 2,000 British women to create a whole new shade palette of skin-true foundation shades unique to No7. "Our researchers found that 78 percent of women in the UK said they would change their foundation if they could find a better match," said Joanne Watson, Innovation Technologist, Boots UK.  "Our customers who have used the No7 Foundation Match Made Service say it delivers on providing accurate, better matches.  They are very, very satisfied with the results." Watson said that early trials of the system showed that women appreciated the experience of having their skin tones measured with a sensitive instrument that could give more accurate and objective colour readings, no longer relying on in-store lighting conditions.  The device shows a digital photo of a person's skin, and the foundation colour that is the closest match. Boots UK selected the device from X-Rite because it provided a robust method of colour measurement and was easy for advisors to use and keep on their person, Watson said. Matthew Adby, Product/Market Manager for X-Rite, who oversaw the European introduction of the device, said X-Rite engineers customised aspects of the device's firmware to handle some of the unique challenges of measuring a person's skin accurately.  He said they had to take into consideration the translucent nature of skin, its texture and variations in colour in a small measurement area. The device employs proprietary camera technology that illuminates the skin from three different directions while simultaneously recording 27 colour-accurate images within 2 seconds, eliminating the shadows and interference inherent to textured surfaces.  With 8 different visible illuminations and 1 ultraviolet illumination, the instrument is able to more accurately define the location of a skin tone in colour space than traditional colourimeters that typically have only three illuminations of red, green and blue light. "Using an instrument of this quality really resonates with our customers," Watson said.  "It takes the guesswork out of trying to find a shade since there is so much choice in the market now.  They particularly like that the Match Made device has its own internal light source, so the lighting in the store doesn't impact the way the shade is selected." Sales advisors like the Match Made device's compact size and the fact that it is light weight too allows them to wear the instrument around their necks if they wish.  The device is powered by a lithium ion battery that lasts through a whole day of measuring customers before it needs recharging. "Personalization is the future of cosmetics," Adby said.  "People are embracing the use of technology to help them to decide easily what cosmetic they want from today's many choices."  Some cosmetics manufacturers have used instrumentation on a large scale to check person's skin hydration, but this is the largest single rollout of a system checking skin tones, he said. Vijay Subramaniam, Head of Marketing for X-Rite South Asia said ‘’This could be a huge opportunity for the domestic cosmetics brands vying for significant product differentiation for their brands in a crowded market place. Ánd X-Rite Pantone would now bring this solution to India as well About X-Rite X-Rite, Incorporated, is the global leader in colour science and technology. The company, which now includes colour industry leader Pantone, develops, manufactures, markets and supports innovative colour solutions through measurement systems, software, colour standards and services. X-Rite’s expertise in inspiring, selecting, measuring, formulating, communicating and matching colour helps users get colour right the first time and every time, which translates to better quality and reduced costs. X-Rite serves a range of industries, including printing, packaging, photography, graphic design, video, automotive, paints, plastics, textiles, dental and medical. About Pantone Pantone LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of X-Rite, Incorporated, has been the world’s colour authority for nearly 50 years, providing design professionals with products and services for the colourful exploration and expression of creativity. Always a source for colour inspiration, Pantone also offers paint and designer-inspired products and services for consumers.