SkinGenie Is a Finalist in the J&J Quickfire Challenge

Personalized skin care startup SkinGenie is a finalist in the Johnson & Johnson Innovation  Digital Beauty Quickfire Challenge. The challenge is designed to identify, recognize and support the most innovative and future-forward digital beauty solutions. One of the key innovation areas that the challenge focuses on is personalization tools to simplify product selection and build regimen in a way that empowers consumers.
 
  
SkinGenie executives insist they have created the world’s first AI- and DNA-based tech platform for diagnostics and personalization. There are three components to its business: 
 
• it is a direct to chat consumer app (hello SkinGenie.com), 
• SkinGenie Enterptise Services offers diagnostics and personalization services for brands, retailers, spas and media companies,
• It launched a truly customized brand with AI & DNA personalization called KODE 
 
 

According to company executives, analyzing genes is important for skincare and haircare since 60% of aging is based on genes according to a recent JAMA Dermatology study. (See: Katheryn J. Martires, BA, Pingfu Fu, PhD; Amy Polster, MD; et al., “Factors That Affect Skin Aging: A Cohort-Based Survey on Twins” JAMA Dermatology, December 2009).


“Additionally, compared to other companies in the genomics space that offer DNA reports for skincare (no one else offers one for haircare), we cover more traits than any other co. Also, our analysis is based on doing a multi-genetic variant analysis versus the single genetic variant analysis which makes our reports more reliable since many traits depend on multiple genetic variants rather than just one,” explained Sindhya Valloppillil, CEO, SkinGenie. “Another important difference between our tech platform and others is that our API is very flexible since we can integrate complementary technologies such as 3D imaging, selfie analysis or even moisture meters to perfect the experience. We also plan to add microbiome and RNA analysis since RNA is one of Dr. Raya Khanin's specialties also.


The SkinGenie SkinCare Advisor app (helloskingenie.com) can curate products for consumers without DNA testing based on the lifestyle quiz, but the system is more powerful with the addition of a DNA profile, according to company executives who say that SkinGenie’s SkinNome DNA Report explores 20 skin care traits and 12 skin nutrition traits—which goes beyond all of its competitors’ models by offering a more precise evaluation.

 
SkinGenie generates a skin care DNA report after analyzing a user’s raw DNA via a saliva test. A test can be ordered via SkinGenie. According to company executives, those who already have DNA testing from 23andMe, Ancestry.com or FamilyTreeDNA can simply upload their raw DNA data. SkinGenie even has a seamless 23andMe login integration. Next, SkinGenie’s algorithm combines a customer’s DNA profile with answers from a lifestyle questionnaire to focus on the best products for the user’s skin type. Beyond learning their own skin care roadmap, users are recommended products which are scored on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being the best) depending on how well they match a user’s needs. 




“Another important thing to note is that there are already 12M+ people in North America who have done genetic testing. One in 25 American adults now have access to personal genetic data,” observed Valloppillil. “SkinGenie is planning to retarget those customers since they don't even need to do a test again. SkinGenie can process the raw DNA data from any of the mainstream DNA test and even has a seamless login for 23andMe users. This makes it easier for us to scale the business.” 

 
SkinGenie’s report ranks each product’s active ingredients and how they interact with client’s skin attributes based on clinical studies. The process is enhanced by artificial intelligence that “gets smarter” as the report addresses more traits.
 

The beauty world has taken note; in addition to being selected as a finalist in the JLabs Digital Beauty Quickfire Challenge, SkinGenie has been:
 
• selected to be featured at the NRF Big Show’s Innovation Lab in the Emerging Technology Showcase 
• selected by Innocos Ventures to present at the Innocos Future of Beauty Summit in Miami in the Startup Showcase 
• Nominated for the CEW 2018 Product Awards in the Best Beauty App category.
 
 
 
Smarter skin care; nearly everyone agrees that the future of skin care is personalization.