Cosmetics colour standards such as ISO 11037:2011 will help ensure that roses are rose and violets are violet, says MJ Deschamps
Whether an object is perceived as green rather than yellow or pink rather than red can depend on the time of day, the surrounding environment, the light source or an individual’s particular colour vision. But while skewed colour perception of different products, structures and objects might not be an issue in most situations, it can be quite problematic for the cosmetics industry where a product’s appearance is of the utmost importance.
Because of this, standards and guidelines for the sensory assessment of the colour of products can be extremely useful in the cosmetics industry to help companies ensure that colour assessment is being conducted under similar conditions in each batch of products. Through sensory assessment, companies can ensure that what was meant to be a bright blue eye shadow does not turn out dull under cosmetic counter lights in store, if lighting at a manufacturing facility is significantly different from that in a retail space.