Adorn 3D Makeup Printing Pen Promises to Exactly Match Your Skin Tone

It would be a bit of an understatement to say that I’m pale. Glow in the dark, ghostly, vampire – I’ve been called all of those things. As long as I don’t go out into the sun too much, I’m fine, but I do have a hard time finding the right foundation. Even the lightest shades tend to make me look a bit orange or pink. So I’m intrigued by the new portable 3D makeup printer being released by UK-based Adorn. The scanner-printer combo promises to produce a foundation that perfectly matches your skin tone, no matter the shade.

Last year, we covered the Mink Makeup Printer, which allows you to print your own eyeshadow, lipstick, and even nail polish. The Adorn printer is specifically for foundation, and comes in the form of a compact, lightweight pen pre-loaded with a mix of blue, black and white pigments. A built-in scanner, when placed against your cheek, detects your skin tone and mixes a shade that perfectly matches your complexion. Once it’s done mixing, the push of a button dispenses, or prints, a small amount onto your fingertips, ready to be applied.

“They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” said an Adorn spokesperson. “We like to say it’s in one clever pen. No longer will ladies have to settle for coverage that’s too light or dark. With Adorn, they can print catwalk worthy coverage, at the touch of a button.”

According to the company, the printer is capable of matching about 75,000 different skin shades, and the foundation itself is suitable for any skin type, whether dry, oily or combination. The pen is operated by a rechargeable battery, which, depending on frequency of use, can last a few weeks before needing to be recharged. The longevity of the foundation cartridge obviously also depends on frequency of use, but replacement cartridges can be purchased for only $20 – less than most high-end foundation brands. You’re able to choose the style of pen that appeals most to you, with finishes available in Gold, Space Grey, Cherry Red, Pink and Black, so it will be sure to fit in with the rest of your aesthetic.

The printing pen itself retails for $279, but for a limited time it can be pre-ordered from the website for $139, 50% off. Not a bad deal, if you think about how much money you might spend on foundation in a typical year. My skin tone doesn’t change much throughout the year – I go from scary pale to tomato red right back to scary pale in the summer, with bursts of freckles thrown in (I like to call it “selective tanning”). I know a lot of women whose skin tone dramatically changes as soon as the sun comes out, however, and I can only imagine how many foundation purchases they go through trying to keep up with the seasons.

If you’re one of those women who doesn’t need foundation, well, I don’t want to talk to you, because you’ve obviously sold your soul. If you’re like the rest of us, however, and decide to give the Adorn foundation printer a shot, I’d love to know how it works. I have a lot of useless bottles of foundation lying around the house, and it’d be nice not to have to spend half an hour in the drugstore trying to figure out the stupid difference between “porcelain” and “ivory.”  Discuss this new device in the Adorn 3D Printing Makeup Pen forum on 3DPB.com.