Vibrating mascaras, one sweep eyeshadows, BB creams for hair… Beauty brands are always coming up with some crazy ideas to attract our attention and make us spend our hard-earned cash.
The most ridiculous one? Blushes that match your skintones and moods… How can that even happen?
Yet, these blushes do change colour sightly upon application and look slightly different on everyone. Magic? Nah, just chemistry. 😉
Here’s how they work:
1. Red 27 changes colour with PH
Red 27 is a red dye that’s colourless in a waterless base. But, when it comes in contact with moisture, the change in pH turns it into a bright pink hue. When you apply it on your cheeks, the dye re.acts with the moisture in your skin (or even in the air, especially in humid environments), changing colour.
2. Encapsulated colourants
Another trick is to coat colourants with waxy or gel-like ingredients, encapsulating them into small beads. Then, these beads are suspended in an uncoloured base. When you rub the usually colourless products into the skin, these beads break, releasing the colourant trapped inside them. The more you rub the product, the more colour is released. This gives the illusion that the product is able to detect your skintone, when, in reality, you just stop rubbing when the colour has become dark enough to match your colouring exactly. This technology is mostly used in powders and foundations.
The Bottom Line
No cosmetic product is able to magically figure out what your skintone or mood is, but they can, with the right technology, slightly change colour, thus appearing to react with your personal chemistry.
Have you ever tried any makeup products that promised to change colour to match your skintone or mood? Share your experience in the comments below.
Gio, back in the 80s, mood lipsticks were all the rage. I can’t believe that I succumbed again, but I just ordered the green lipstick with Red 27 that is supposed to stay on for 24 hours. Altho it’s coming from the UK, it wasn’t expensive so hopefully I won’t have wasted too much money on it. I am a big believer in the foundations and BB/CC creams that change color to match skin. I use Almay, Studio Gear and Dr. Jart Premium that do the trick color wise.
Allison, these products are gimmicky, but they’re fun to try every now and then, especially if the price is low, aren’t they? And it’s only a waste of money if you never use it. 😉
I haven’t tried these foundations yet cos I have never seen them anywhere in my little town, but I’m glad to hear they’re working well.