Skin Dossier SAAS platform launch uses AI to address consumer skin concerns

Earlier this year, tech company Skin Dossier launched its proprietary SAAS platform with interactive database for consumer skin assessment. The technology, which the company has dubbed its “Precision Skin Health Advisor” offers consumers a six-minute skin care assessment through a Lifestyle Quiz and 3D Facial Imaging through smartphone followed by syncing consumer geolocation, health app and DNA data and optional blood test data to provide users with their Skin Dossier Report and Recommendations.

The technology assesses over 300 skin attributes and references over one million images in its database as well as over 2,500 genomics studies, over 500,000 unique profiles in its proprietary Population DNA + Phenotype database, and over 4,000 research publications to assess the user’s skin and hair profile and match with the best products to address concerns out of 10,000 SKUs.

To learn more about how Skin Dossier is seeking to bridge the diagnostic gap between beauty products and health care, the ways researchers are utilizing AI technology to personalize and better address consumer skin care needs, and how its SAAS product can benefit both retailers and consumers, we interviewed Sindhya Valloppilli, Founder and CEO of Skin Dossier for her insights.

CDU: What is the potential impact that Skin Dossier technology may have on manufacturers and suppliers to the cosmetics and personal beauty care industries? ​ ​

Sindhya Valloppilli (SV): Taking a cue from precision medicine, Skin Dossier is the first tech company to take a multi-diagnostic approach to personalization for skincare, haircare, supplement, aesthetics, and dermatology. We are truly an AI-powered Beauty Health Tech company focused on accuracy, not just a fun experience.  

By we are analyzing each consumer down to their genome with blood test results, the most advanced patented 3D hyperspectral facial imaging, and passive tracking of geolocation and health app data, we can take predictive approach to assessment rather than a reactive approach.  

For years, industry standard for skincare personalization has been based on a quiz and/or facial imaging. That’s a flawed approach because it only literally captures a snapshot of a person's skin at a moment without answering why it's in that condition. Without insight into a person's biology, lifestyle, and environment, the result of using these tools is an inherently reactive diagnostic approach. 

Skin Dossier’s SAAS (software as a service) product allows our retailers and brands to identify their customer’s needs on a biological level so that they can focus on improving their products and services. 

Skin Dossier is also a solution for sustainability and inclusivity. The beauty industry manufactures 122 billion single-use sample sachets annually, very few of which are recyclable. Our tech-enabled personalization is an innovation that provides a more mindful consumer experience, which is key to reducing packaging waste and overconsumption.  

Skin Dossier’s personalization corrects the data & product development biases rampant across the beauty industry since we assess everyone’s unique biological, environmental, and lifestyle data. You can’t get more personal than that.  

CDU: ​How does Skin Dossier leverage AI technology to provide a better experience for cosmetics and personal beauty care consumers? ​ ​

SV: Skin Dossier is an AI-powered platform Skin Dossier is an Advanced AI Diagnostics & Recommendation Engine. We are using Deep Tag Technology for our facial imaging in which over 300 attributes are measured.

We are using AI and Big Data Clustering Technology for our proprietary genomics & bioinformatics reporting. Finally, we are also incorporating AI to passively track health app and geolocation data for dynamic assessments.  

Our AI uses two decades of research and thousands of genome-wide association studies providing a critical understanding of how these variations impact hundreds of genetic traits, including nutrition, health, and well-being. 

Using our advanced computational algorithms and incorporated scientific knowledge about gene-trait interactions, we can assess predispositions related to your skin or hair care needs. The computational AI platform used by Skin Dossier to generate genetics and non-genetic based wellbeing traits assessments is based on the findings from the most rigorous science currently available.

Our engine assesses the cumulative effect of multiple genetic and non-genetic factors that may impact skin health traits and provides you with state-of-the-art predisposition likelihood assessment for that trait. 

Skin Dossier’s proprietary Beauty Health AI technology presents a paradigm shift from simple algorithm based quizzes or considering a simple association between a genetic variant or an image and a trait to context-rich complex risk assessment between multiple genetic variants, non-genetic factors, blood test results assessing hormones, allergies, nutrients and vitamins, lifestyle factors, and geolocation factors (weather, pollution index, UV index, pollen index,  and humidity index with traits.

Our AI-enhanced and population-optimized engine validates risk assessments on over 500K genotype-phenotype data with blood test properties, imaging data, health app data, geolocation data in addition to self-reporting from a quiz. 

Skin Dossier’s 3D hyperspectral facial imaging technology was developed by CoFounder Raj Chhibber, a Silicon Valley physicist who understands the interactions of electromagnetic radiation with skin and Surface metrology (surface characterization) using AI.

Chibber’s imaging technology for 3d skin texture measurement parallel polarized (surface) and 3d skin texture measurement Cross polarized (subsurface) offers the highest resolution in the world and has been granted 15 patents with more pending, far more than any competitor in the industry.  

Chibber’s DeepTag platform uses cutting edge Deep Learning techniques to derive abstract information from images such as user demographics, lifestyle data, and detailed skin measurements. By using human training examples, DeepTag can label and measure images with unprecedented levels of accuracy and continues to learn over time. 

CDU: How can Skin Dossier technology be implemented and scaled by manufacturers and suppliers to the cosmetics and personal beauty care industries? ​ ​

SV: Our tech product can be customized and implemented by our clients for a 360-degree CX experience – in the aisles of stores, online, and in their apps.  

Beyond personalization, we offer our clients reporting for product development since we will be privy to extensive data regarding customer’s lifestyle, environmental data, and biology. Brands and retailers can use our insights for better product development and merchandising.  

CDU: Can you share some information about the development and launch process for Skin Dossier technology? ​ ​

SV: Skin Dossier’s mission is to reinvent retailers, brands, and med spas with our integrative personalization ecosystem. We just launched our SaaS product for retailers, big brands, and med spas.

Next, we are launching a consumer app. We want to guide consumers across the verticals of skincare, haircare, supplements, med spa treatments, and eventually as a supplemental tool for telemedicine and in-person physician visits.  
 
Long term, our proprietary data is the bridge that extends into healthcare. Our platform can help diagnose, treat, and prevent with holistic healthcare assessments. 

CDU: Does Skin Dossier technology offer manufacturers and suppliers to the cosmetics and personal beauty care industries a more cost-effective option for improved consumer experience? If so, how? ​ ​

SV: Yes, we offer manufacturers and retailers a better personalization product since we strive for accuracy. Beyond accuracy, Skin Dossier is a solution for sustainability and inclusivity.