UK company develops ‘Fitbit for skin care’
Called CutiTron, the company says that the technology is still in the development and testing stages, but could be on store shelves within the next two years.
The technology allows the wearer to measure their skin in real-time, then gives feedback indicating what skin care issues need treating, ultimately advising on the product that is best suited to those needs.
Croda invests in the technology
Cosmetic and personal care ingredients supplier Croda is keen to see the further development of the technology and has invested an undisclosed sum with the aim of helping Cutitronics get the technology to market.
The investment will help to get CutiTron to the pre-market stage within the next 12 months, with a further 12 months ramp up time expected before it goes to retailers’ shelves.
This is the first time Croda has invested in this type of technology and the company has given the Cutitronics development team full access to its formulation expertise as an integral part of the development process.
Taking the guess work out of skin care
The Cutitronics development team is working around the idea that, whereas the vast majority of skin care products are developed to treat specific conditions, those products are not being tailored to individual requirements, which are invariably varied and unique.
“Your skin is a living organism and it changes constantly,” said Dr David Heath, who is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cutitronics.
“For instance, the amount of moisture in your skin could change when you’re at home in Scotland, compared to when you’re holidaying in the Caribbean. This affects your body’s ability to absorb skincare products.”
Gathering data allows a more targeted approach
The device gathers data about the wearer’s skin that can be used to ‘coach’ them on what are the best products to use and how to apply them in order to treat the changes needs of their skin.
The technology works in a very similar way to a FitBit, but instead of giving the consumer feedback about their fitness levels and suggesting optimal exercise regimes, it gives advise on the best individual skin care regimes.
“I am delighted to be personally involved in this partnership, which will not only allow us at Croda to be part of this intelligent application platform, but it will also enable us to utilise the very latest digital technology to gain greater insight of consumer behaviour,” said Sandra Breene, Croda president of personal care & North America
