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Personalized cosmetics: how genes shape the formula
At Novogenia, personalized cosmetics means that the result of a genetic analysis changes which ingredients go into the day serum, night serum and body lotion, and how high they are dosed. The starting point is a saliva sample or genetic data that a partner already holds. A rule set drawn from more than 30 genetic tests translates genes for collagen, UV protection, hydration, antioxidant defense and inflammation tendency into a genetic skin profile; each gene included is backed by at least three independent studies. The formula derived from it is a logical conclusion – skincare, not a promise of cure.
Ten genetic skin groups instead of one standard cream
Dry, oily, combination or normal: many skincare products sort skin into these few boxes. A research team in Barcelona wanted to know whether genes could provide a finer picture. They selected 13 gene variants linked to skin properties such as hydration, elasticity and antioxidant capacity and used them to study 120 women. The result: based on their genetic signature, the women could be divided into ten groups with different skin properties. The researchers conclude that a person’s skincare needs can be described on the basis of their genetic signature (Naval et al., Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2014).
Other teams arrive at similar genes. After a literature search, a research group in Lithuania selected 15 gene variants associated with skin aging, assigned them to skin functions and studied 370 participants. Their list includes six genes that also feed into our Beauty analysis: MMP1, SOD2, GPX1, NQO1, IL6 and TNF-α (Sepetiene et al., Journal of Personalized Medicine, 2023).
For you as a brand, studio or pharmacy, this means: a standard cream is made for the average. But your client is not an average. This is exactly where personalized cosmetics comes in.
What genes change in the formula: selection and dosage
At Novogenia, the result of the genetic analysis changes two things: which ingredients go into the formula and how high they are dosed. Picture a mixing desk. Each fader stands for a care topic, such as collagen, hydration or protection against free radicals. In a standard cream, all faders sit in the same fixed position – the same for everyone. In a personalized formula, your genetic profile moves the faders up or down and decides which channels are switched on at all.
Turning genes into a formula takes clear rules. We translate the genetic results into a genetic skin profile using a rule set drawn from more than 30 genetic tests. Each gene we include is backed by at least three independent studies. The skin profile then becomes the formula – mixed for one person, not for a target group.
The care topics behind the formula
The Beauty analysis reads genes for care topics that matter for the appearance and condition of the skin. The table shows what the genes do and which logical conclusion follows for skincare:
| Care topic | What the genes do | What follows for skincare |
|---|---|---|
| Collagen | Collagen is the skin’s scaffold. MMP1 breaks down old collagen like a pair of scissors; some gene versions work more actively, especially under UV light. Other genes shape how the skin builds new collagen. | Care that supports firmness and elasticity gets more weight. |
| UV protection | MC1R is the switch in the pigment cells that decides on dark, protective pigment. Reduced-function gene versions mean less natural self-protection. | Protection moves to the forefront – with consistent sunscreen, because a serum does not replace it. |
| Hydration | Genes influence how well the skin binds and holds water. | Care that protects against moisture loss gets more weight. |
| Oxidative stress | SOD2, GPX1 and NQO1 build the body’s own fire brigade against free radicals. If part of it works less effectively, the defense is weaker. | More antioxidant care where the body’s own defense is weaker. |
| Coenzyme Q10 | NQO1 keeps Q10 in its active, protective form. | If NQO1 is impaired, the choice falls on a different antioxidant. |
| Selenium | The protective enzyme that GPX1 builds needs selenium as a building block. | Selenium is taken into account when selecting the antioxidant care. |
| Inflammation tendency | TNF-α and IL6 are messengers that help determine how strongly the skin reacts to irritants. | Soothing care that supports the skin barrier. |
The rule set determines which ingredients we choose in detail and how high we dose them. One example shows why selection matters so much: coenzyme Q10 protects as an antioxidant in its reduced form. In laboratory experiments, the enzyme built from the NQO1 gene kept Q10 in exactly this protective form and thereby slowed the attack of free radicals on membranes (Beyer et al., PNAS, 1996). From this we can conclude: if NQO1 works only to a limited extent in a person, a different antioxidant is the more logical choice. That is how a genetic result becomes a concrete decision for the formula. What research knows about the individual genes is explained in Skin and genes.
From saliva sample to personal serum
The path from the saliva sample to the finished product stays entirely under one roof. This is how it works:
- Saliva sample: your client provides a saliva sample – at the studio, at the spa or with a kit at home. Collecting the sample takes only a few minutes.
- Analysis: our own lab in Austria analyzes the sample in 4 days.
- Skin profile and report: the rule set translates the genetic results into a genetic skin profile. The report is available in up to 18 languages.
- Formula: the skin profile determines the selection and dosage of the ingredients for the day serum, night serum and body lotion.
- Manufacturing: in our cosmetics factory in Eugendorf near Salzburg, we formulate and fill the products – in the same building as the lab. The saliva sample becomes a finished product without ever leaving the company or the EU.
- Handover: the finished products go to your studio, where you hand them over, or directly to your client.
Because genes do not change during a lifetime, an analysis stays valid for life. For every reorder, the existing skin profile is enough – no new saliva sample is needed. For your studio, this means: a one-time analysis turns into a lasting skincare routine.
Already have genetic data? Then go straight to the formula
Some partners have already analyzed their clients’ genes: genetic testing companies, genetic labs without their own production, or beauty and longevity platforms. For them, there is a shortcut. If the existing raw data are usable, we interpret them directly and move straight to the formula. No new saliva sample is needed.
The data and the customer relationship stay with the partner. Formula, packaging, inserts and design carry the partner’s brand; Novogenia never appears to the outside. If a fresh analysis is needed after all, we supply branded saliva collection kits and analyze the samples in our own lab. More on the page Personalized cosmetics from genetic data.
Staying honest: documented genes, logical conclusions
Personalized cosmetics lives on trust. That is why we draw a clear line between two levels. The first level is the genetic traits: they are well documented, each gene in the analysis backed by at least three independent studies. The second level is the step from gene to formula. It is a logical conclusion from the genetic profile and has not been proven in studies for every single effect. That is exactly how you can explain it to your clients – this openness builds trust.
A second honest sentence belongs here too: genes are one factor among many. Sun, smoking and daily skincare shape the skin as well. And that is precisely the good news: if you know your genes, you can care for your skin in a more targeted way.
Finally, the legal line. The Beauty analysis is a lifestyle analysis, not a medical diagnosis. BeautyMe products are cosmetic products. Under Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, their purposes include cleaning the skin, protecting it, changing its appearance or keeping it in good condition – healing is not among them. For your communication, this means:
- Suitable: “cares for,” “protects against moisture loss,” “matched to your genetic skin profile” – provided the claim is substantiated.
- Off limits: “heals,” “treats,” “repairs,” “fights inflammation” or “anti-aging” as a promise.
Which claims are allowed and how to substantiate them is covered in Advertising cosmetics.
Switzerland: who may order the genetic analysis
In Switzerland, the cosmetic product itself is governed by the Ordinance on Cosmetic Products (VKos). The genetic analysis behind it, however, is subject to stricter rules than in the EU. Analyses of physiological traits whose knowledge can influence a person’s lifestyle may only be ordered by certain health professionals, and the sample is taken in their presence (Art. 34 GUMG). Analyses that provide information on diseases, allergies or inflammation count as medical (Art. 37(2) GUMV) and belong in a physician’s hands. Because our lab is in Austria, the client’s written consent is also required (Art. 36 in conjunction with Art. 29 GUMG).
For a Beauty analysis, this means: in Switzerland, plan with an authorized professional and clarify in advance which topics the analysis covers – for example, whether inflammation tendency is included. Details are in Who may offer genetic tests?.
Checklist: offering personalized cosmetics
- Partner model chosen: resell BeautyMe, white label under your brand or your own formula.
- Sample collection planned: at the studio, at the spa or with a kit at home – in Switzerland in the presence of the ordering professional.
- Consent and data protection settled: under the GDPR, genetic data belong to the specially protected categories of data (Genetic data and the GDPR).
- Team prepared: it can explain the skin profile in everyday language, for example after the course on the genetics of skin in the NOVO Academy.
- Communication checked: care instead of cure, logical conclusions instead of promises.
- Reorders organized: the skin profile stays valid, and the client reorders without a new sample.
Which three products come out of the skin profile and how they fit into a skincare routine is shown in Day serum, night serum, body lotion.
Frequently asked questions
Is every BeautyMe product really individual?
Which genes feed into the formula?
Do we need our own lab or our own production?
Is the Beauty analysis a medical test?
Does the analysis have to be repeated for every reorder?
Related: Skin and genes: what research shows · Day serum, night serum, body lotion: the products · Personalized cosmetics from genetic data
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Request a project →Discover BeautyMeNote: This guide is general information for businesses and professionals and does not replace legal advice. BeautyMe products are cosmetic products; statements in this guide are not promises of cure. The genetic traits determined in a genetic analysis are well documented (each gene included is backed by at least three independent studies); recommendations for skincare and formulation derived from them are logical conclusions, not scientifically proven. Regulations can change; errors and changes excepted.