Can AI transform the skincare buying experience?

This article on skincare technology is part of our Vogue Business Membership package. To enjoy unlimited access to Member-only reporting and insights, our NFT Tracker and TikTok Trend Tracker, weekly Technology and Sustainability Edits and exclusive event invitations, sign up for Membership here. While virtual try-on has become standard for makeup brands, skincare presents a challenge because customers’ needs aren’t always visible on the surface. Now, technological advancements are enabling companies to get more creative with the at-home solutions they offer to help consumers pick the best products for their skin. Skincare companies such as Skin Dossier, Revea and Pavise are combining AI and other frontier technologies — some of which were previously only available at dermatologists and in medical settings — to provide customers with the right tools to care for their skin at home, usually via an app. The developments come amid an ongoing uptick in consumer interest: searches for “skincare” spiked during the first Covid lockdown in early 2020 and have remained high since, according to Google Trends. As wellness culture continues to pervade, consumers are seeking to optimise their skincare routines with products proven to be suited to their individual skin type. Still, consumer buy-in of at-home tech is not assured: the human element of going into a consultation with a certified expert is one that could prove tricky — if not impossible — to mimic via a phone screen. Developments in AI have been game-changing for the beauty industry. Facial imaging technology on its own can be great for trying on makeup, but it falls short for skincare as it doesn’t explain ‘the why’. “If a consumer is exhibiting rosacea or hyper-pigmentation or dry skin patches, we don’t know why from just a quiz and imaging,” says Sindhya Valloppillil, co-founder and CEO of AI-powered skin health startup Skin Dossier. It’s a consequential knowledge gap, because it’s the biological cause (not the skin condition that manifests) that dictates what ingredients are needed to treat it, adds Chaz Giles, founder of AI-based skincare brand Revea. These types of product recommendation-generators also tend to fail to account for the diversity of skin types. “To think that four skin types accurately classifies how our skin reacts to ingredients doesn’t make sense,” Giles says. AI can provide the missing piece of the puzzle. Skin Dossier, which formally launched in March, collates data from a range of sources in addition to facial imaging, such as DNA analysis, blood test analysis and passive tracking of geolocation for weather-related and external metrics (pollution, humidity, UV, pollen and weather). It also passively tracks health app data such as precise activity and workout information, period cycles and fertility and sleep, and utilises medical information on the app, such as allergies and medicine taken. AI is used to process the anonymised data to enable product recommendations. Co-founder Raj Chhibber has been granted 15 patents for Skin Dossier's technology, which has been used for research by medical schools and clinical trials. Revea, which was founded in 2019 and has raised $6 million in seed funding, uses what it describes as “Nasa-grade” imaging to see what’s going on below the surface of the skin. Using measurements taken at its San Francisco studio over the last three years, Revea has trained its AI models to use data gathered from a phone face scan to reconstruct a 3D picture of the consumer’s skin biology. Revea can develop in-house formulae based on the results, but consumers can also use their scan results to select products from any third-party brand, either instead of or as well as Revea’s own. Accessibility and trust Experienced dermatologists are the top influencer in consumers’ decisions to have a cosmetic procedure, according to the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. However, Sophie Bai, founder of suncare brand Pavise, argues that dermatologists are expensive — and waiting times can be long. Her goal is to bring the tech one might find in a dermatologist’s office to people’s homes with an iPhone-attachable UV camera that shows sun damage and UV protection. Pavise incorporates AI on the backend and is now developing AI imaging for personalised skincare advice and product recommendations. “We want to provide accessibility for an exclusive thing to the masses,” Bai explains. “Understanding your skin and being able to be comfortable, healthy and happy isn’t and shouldn’t be a function of how much you can spend at that moment,” agrees Revea’s Giles. He points out that consumers don’t always have time to educate themselves on their skin’s needs and how to choose from a vast array of available products to meet these needs. “We all want the things that work, but we don’t necessarily want to do the weeks and months worth of research every time we have to go and buy a product.” Like Pavise, Revea’s goal is “to bring the technology out of the dermatologist’s office and into consumers’ hands”, says Giles, which is why the company offers its technology through an app. “We want to give everyone the ability to understand what’s happening with [their] skin — and why — [so they] don’t have to guess.” Consumers will continue to seek out more personalisation in wellness products, according to consultancy McKinsey. Skincare startups say this will underpin greater buy-in to using tech at home. “There’s a lot of interest in being able to understand what’s happening with your skin and your body,” Giles says. Valloppillil adds that this new wave of tech is a departure from the “gimmicks” personalisation was historically associated with. It presents an interesting use case for AI, given the hype surrounding generative AI at present. “There’s a lot of noise,” Giles says. “The challenge that the companies doing real science in the space have is cutting through the bullshit. There are so many claims and there’s so much hyperbole.” The proof will be in the pudding. Revea is offering its scanning technology for free; whether or not consumers purchase a product from there is up to them. “That the technology is able to confirm the things you knew and give you insights into the areas you didn’t is a massive trust build,” Giles says, recognising that, nonetheless, it will take time to get people on board because of the novelty of the tech. Experts caution that people with skincare complaints should still seek professional advice. “AI technology should be used as a supplement to enhance in-person visits,” says New York-based dermatologist Michele S Green. “A board-certified dermatologist is an expert regarding skincare and to make the best recommendations for your care will evaluate not only your skin condition and demographics, but also your medical and family history, previous cosmetic treatments you may have had, and lifestyle behaviours that may impact your plan.” Green, who is optimistic about integrating AI into her own practice, makes this distinction: “Consulting in person with a knowledgeable and compassionate board-certified dermatologist allows patients to feel their concerns are empathised with, connecting them to their treatment plans in a way that AI technology cannot fully achieve.” Those developing the tech don’t disagree — it’s why Revea offers a “skin concierge” chat service with human experts. “Technology is never going to be the singular answer,” Giles says. “Skincare is emotional, it’s personal, and humans are an important piece of that.” Update: Updated to include more information on Skin Dossier's data collection and patents. To receive the Vogue Business newsletter, sign up here. Comments, questions or feedback? Email us at feedback@voguebusiness.com. More on this topic: With skincare launch, a biotech startup raises the bar for clean beauty How technology is transforming fashion and beauty Where are beauty founders raising capital now?

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