BASF effect pigments deliver great looking skin – for ethnic skin types too. Women all over the world want a flawless, even complexion – but finding a foundation formulated exactly to meet the skin's needs has been difficult until now, especially for women with ethnic skin types. BASF chemists at the Ossining site, New York, USA, designed and performed a study to investigate the problem and have now been chosen to receive an award for the achieved results. Leila Song, Ph.D., Gabriel Uzunian, Betty Aucar and James Carroll Jr., Ph.D., have been presented with the Society of Cosmetic Chemists' (SCC) prestigious Allan B. Black Award for their paper titled "Complex Effect Pigments: Innovative Solutions for Ethnic Color Cosmetics".

"Conventional foundation is supposed to add color to the skin. But skin that already has plenty of color actually doesn't need that" says Song, a polymer chemist with BASF. "Our studies show how our effect pigments enhance the natural skin tone while at the same time concealing any blemishes." BASF's effect pigments enhance the individual skin tone of very different skin types through their interference effect, resulting in a radiant, healthy appearance. Because of their special layered structure, these pigments also reflect different colors upon exposure to light. The BASF experts have now discovered that the color reflection response differs between darker and lighter skin types. To counteract redness on light skin tones, it is best to add green-reflecting pigments. For darker skins, the desired effect is achieved by adding red-reflecting pigments. The award has been presented in New York City on 11th December.