Recognising skin problems before they become visible? L'Oréal's "Cell BioPrint" is said to have it all
Skin care is becoming increasingly individualised. If L'Oréal has its way, it could soon be customised thanks to "Cell BioPrint".
On average, people try seven different facial cleansers before they find the best product for them. This is the result of a survey of 2,000 skincare users in the USA (conducted on behalf of CeraVe, part of the L'Oréal Group). But what if there was a shortcut that would save us all that trial and error?
According to L'Oréal, this could soon be possible for the masses with the help of technology. At CES 2025, the world's largest trade fair for consumer electronics, L'Oréal presented the "Cell BioPrint". This is a small device that is designed to enable personalised skin analysis in just five minutes. The basis for this is proteomics, the study of protein composition in the body and its effects on skin ageing. The "Cell BioPrint" was developed in collaboration with the Korean start-up NanoEnTek.
What can the "Cell BioPrint" do?
The individual skin analysis should ...
- ... recognise the biological age of the skin, i.e. determine how quickly the skin ages. Including advice on how to slow down the ageing process.
- ... predict how someone will react to a particular ingredient to minimise uncertainty and the risk of skin reactions
- ... make recommendations for proactive rather than reactive skincare. This means that the device could anticipate potential cosmetic problems, such as dark spots, even before they become visible. These could then be prevented with the right products.
How it works
A few steps are required for this non-invasive procedure: first, a face strip is stuck to the cheek and placed in a buffer solution. This solution is then placed in a cartridge, which is inserted into the device for analysis, where the sample is examined for protein biomarkers. These are intended to serve as key indicators of healthy skin. During this time, the device takes several photos of the face. In addition, the person whose skin is being analysed must complete a short questionnaire.
The "Cell BioPrint" is set to be launched with a L'Oréal brand in Asia in the course of 2025.
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