X-Rite Named a Finalist for Best New Technology Award by Cosmetics & Toiletries Magazine for Its VS450 Instrument for Colour Measurement

Online, February 1, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Cosmetics & Toiletries magazine named X-Rite Inc. (NASDAQ:XRIT) as one of the four finalists for an award the publication will give in March for the best new technology introduced to the cosmetics industry in 2010.

A leading publication covering the latest developments in cosmetics and personal care R&D, Cosmetics & Toiletries will present its sixth annual R&D Awards to the winners at the in-cosmetics 2011 show, to be held 29 to 31 March in Milan, Italy.

"We are honored to make the cut to the final four," says Kenneth Phillips, X-Rite product manager for non-contact colour systems. "Some of the world's largest cosmetic companies are now applying this advanced technology in colour measurement to their products. Measuring a cosmetic sample from a distance more closely represents the way the human eye perceives colour, and ultimately how the product will look on the consumer's skin." X-Rite, the world's largest designer and manufacturer of colour measurement systems, will be demonstrating the VS450, other optical instruments and software applications at stand Q-01 of the Fiera Milano Rho at the show.

Cosmetics & Toiletries Editor Rachel L. Grabenhofer says competition was stiff among the 20 companies that submitted their innovations for Best New Technology. Based in Carol Stream, Ill., Cosmetics & Toiletries employed an international panel of 12 experts familiar with all aspects of the cosmetics industry to judge the new technologies.

Grabenhofer says the magazine is the leading source of technical and educational content for cosmetic chemists, formulators, and R&D managers to keep them abreast of new technologies, formulation techniques, research, and international regulations. Cosmetics & Toiletries is published by Allured Business Media, which also owns three other publications that cover the cosmetics business, spa and salon, and fragrance and flavor industries, and one journal focused on essential oils research.

X-Rite's VS450 spectrophotometer technology can take precise colour measurements from a distance of approximately 38 mm. Because it measures from a distance, the VS450 can accurately determine the colour of nondrying, oil-based products including foundations and lip glosses that normally would foul the port of a conventional benchtop spectrophotometer.

In addition to the VS450, X-Rite will demonstrate at the show its family of MA94, 96 and 98 multi-angle spectrophotometers that also can measure cosmetics without contacting test surfaces. The MA98 is designed specifically to accurately measure pearlescent effects in nail varnishes, powders, lipsticks, shimmery foundations or sparkling eye shadows that can confuse conventional spectrophotometers.

X-Rite has developed its X-ColorQC® software to tie the measurements of the VS450, MA98 and other instruments with other data that a cosmetics company may record during production, such as date, time of manufacture, batch, supplier of raw materials and pigments, even process parameters such as particular formulas, mixing times and temperatures.

For more information, please access X-Rite's website at www.xrite.com.

About X-Rite
(NASDAQ: XRIT) X-Rite is the global leader in colour science and technology. The company, which now includes design industry colour leader Pantone, Inc., 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. For further information, please visit www.xrite.com.