Sephora and Pantone Pair Up For Perfection

Sephora and color expert Pantone are rolling out Sephora + Pantone Color IQ, a new foundation matching service.

Using Pantone’s color capture and measuring technology, the system scans the surface of the skin, assigns an official Pantone SkinTone number, and matches a scientifically precise foundation shade from Sephora’s 1,000 foundations, brands and formulas.

“Sephora + Pantone Color IQ is an incredible process that delivers a real benefit to our clients,” said Margarita Arriagada, SVP of merchandising at Sephora. “We see this as the first application of this exclusive Sephora technology, and are excited to expand its capabilities for other uses in the color world.”

“Skin tones are comprised of many distinct shades so developing this particular application for our color measuring technology was an exciting challenge for us,” explained Lisa Herbert, VP of consumer licensing at Pantone. “Even within the broader range of fairest ivory to deepest ebony, there are nuances that need to be calibrated correctly to determine the right match, and this solution eliminates many of the variables that can affect shade selection.”

This exclusive service is currently available at Sephora 5 in New York CIty’s Times Square and will be offered at the Powell Street shop in San Francisco beginning Aug. 2.