In this exclusive interview, we caught up with, Sindhya Valloppillil, co-founder & CEO of SkinGenie, one such company looking to offer platforms and services that maximise AI (artificial intelligence) for the skin care market.
“AI & DNA will personalize everything from fitness to nutrition, not just beauty,” she asserts. “We are already seeing it happen in medicine. It isn’t a trend. It is here to stay.”
What’s exciting about the potential of AI and DNA-based beauty?
DNA personalization solves the pain points of shopping for skincare and haircare products.
Most people don’t understand their skin’s issues and how to read ingredient labels to decide whether a product is right for them.
Moreover, user-generated content on social media and editorial picks don’t work well for skin care, since even two siblings can have very different skin and hair.
By adding genomics science and AI to the equation, we can personalize products based on how active ingredients address a particular person’s unique genetic skin and hair traits.
This is important because 60% of aging can be attributed to our genes, as noted by a JAMA Dermatology study, “Factors That Affect Skin Aging: A Cohort-Based Survey on Twins”.
Can you give us an overview of how SkinGenie is leveraging AI and DNA-based beauty?
With SkinGenie, a customer’s DNA results are combined with a lifestyle assessment to produce comprehensive and unique skincare profiles.
Powered by LifeNome’s revolutionary genomics technology and rigorous science, it explores a network of genetic variations influencing your potential predisposition, using an aggregate analysis of more than 2400 scientific studies that is enhanced through our artificial intelligence algorithms.
We compute a risk predisposition score for each trait using multiple genetic markers, not a single association. In order to explore potential predispositions of over 30 skincare traits, SkinGenie uses 140 genetic variants for accurate assessment of predisposition likelihood risks for skin attributes and 95 genetic biomarkers for skin nutritional needs. Its reports are reviewed and certified by dermatologists.
Our technology curates and ranks products for you based a product’s active ingredients, taking into account thousands of research studies on how each ingredient works on a specific skin attribute.
Products are also ranked according to allergies and average customer rating in addition to filtering for organic, natural, gluten-free or fragrance-free products.
Where have you launched, what products are available and by which retail channels?
SkinGenie has three components (which use the same core technology):
- HelloSkinGenie direct-to-consumer app
- The SkinGenie Enterprise Services that offers diagnostics and personalization services for retailers, brands and spas
- KODE, our AI & DNA-based bespoke beauty brand.
So far, we have launched our direct-to-consumer web-based app, SkinGenie.
We were selected to be featured at the Innovation Lab in the Emerging Technology Showcase so we chose to debut at that conference on January 14, 2018.
The app is a shoppable with all the skincare products from Sephora, but soon we are adding products from other retailers such as Violet Grey, Blue Mercury and SkinStore as well as hair care products.
We also launched our SkinGenie Services platform for retailers, brands and spas, and we already have several contracts from international retailers and brands and lots of interest from several of the beauty conglomerates.
Do you have plans to expand? Can you give us any details?
Hopefully we can become as relevant in skincare and haircare as the AR/VR companies, like Modiface and Perfect Corp, have become for the world of color cosmetics.
We also plan to launch KODE, our bespoke, made-to-order beauty brand with AI & DNA based personalization. For KODE, we are currently exploring partnerships with a leading beauty company.