Skincare made in the lab just for you: The future of personalisation

In a new survey, Canadean investigates the market potential of personal skincare in the UK.

Canadean values the global market for personal skincare to be worth $12.2 billion today. Many skincare brands have already responded to the need for individualism by offering their customers in-store skin consultancies to detect their skin type and match them with the right product. Now the first movers in skincare are taking personalisation to a new level when they offer a more scientific attitude towards skincare with laboratory tests and individually labelled products.

UK consumers are ready for the laboratory approach to skincare

A new survey from Canadean finds that many customers are prepared to go far to find their personal skin cream match: 45% of UK adults say that they are interested in the laboratory approach to personal skincare, and many of these say that they are prepared to go to a specialised laboratory, and would even prefer this compared to getting their personal product from other channels such as department stores or filling out online questionnaires. Of those interested in personalised care products, 54% say they are ready to provide blood, skin and hair samples to be tested in a laboratory, 51% would be interested in giving a DNA swab samples, and 52% would like to go to a medical dermatologist consultation.

A great potential for the beauty industry

Preparing skincare products according to individual recipes takes time, and consumers will most likely have to wait to get their products made. According to the survey, consumers are prepared to wait for up to a month to receive their product. 59% of consumers are also prepared to pay a premium for such products, indicating a great potential for the beauty industry.

According to Veronika Zhupanova, analyst at Canadean: "Over 22 % of skincare consumption by volume globally is driven by individualism, and with the development of new technologies, manufacturers have opportunities to take it to a whole new level. Factors such as allergies, genetic predisposal, nutrition, climate and exposure to the sun are all individual needs perfect for tailoring."

So how does this actually work in practice?

When we are talking about personalisation in skincare, there are two ways, Zhupanova explains: "Companies such as Dermalogica, Clinique and Nivea have a set of products and then guide their customers on which one will suit them best. However, I think that we will see more brands taking this trend even further with more niche products made one-to-one in a lab where the cost and waiting time is higher."

In Russia, I.C. Lab offers consumers individually-made skincare products, produced with personal skin characteristics in mind. The customers are invited to the laboratory, where their skin is tested, and in a few weeks they can collect the product made specifically for them that not only satisfy the needs of the skin, but it also features their surname on the package. At the moment, the brand is presented in Russia and the Ukraine. The cream is set at a premium price: Costs 3000 RUB for 15ml eye-cream (around 50 pounds).

The trend is also picking up slowly in the UK. In July the UK’s fastest growing skincare company, Nivea, launched its ‘Face Facts Boutique’ for the new Cellular Anti-Age range. The rolling booth was set up in a number of UK shopping centres providing skin consultations using a new skin technology to analyse the customers’ skin, advise on the best skincare routine and answer any skin-aging questions.