Special thanks to Geologie for teaming up with us on this to offer Primer readers an additional 30% off their already discounted trial! Click here and use code PRIMER.
Algorithms have come for your face.
From finance to self-driving cars to dating, algorithms are taking over the world and unless you’re paranoid about Skynet becoming self-aware you might as well enjoy the benefits to your skincare routine.
One Size Fits Nobody
How are algorithms going to improve your skincare routine? The way data-driven brands have evolved menswear gives us a glimpse.
Brands like Stantt and Proper Cloth use body scans, questionnaires, and algorithms to create custom or semi-custom menswear that makes the traditional “small-medium-large” system a thing of the past.
The same thing is happening with skin care. Gone are the days of everyone using the same moisturizer or acne wash. It’s time to meet personalized skin care.
What Is Personalized Skin Care?
What happens if you have a serious concern about your skin? You go to a dermatologist, who does tests and prescribes the best bespoke treatment for your face.
That’s great if you have a substantial skin issue … but what about the dozens of day-to-day skin issues that most of us choose to treat ourselves? Things like dry skin, oily skin, wrinkles, dark spots, and mild acne?
Wouldn’t it be great if there was a custom solution – formulated just for your face – for all that stuff?
Now there is.
Skin care brand Geologie has created a system that uses data from your skin to make targeted product recommendations. Think of it like a bespoke suit. You get measured and an expert tailor does the rest. The result: something that fits you – not 85 million other guys.
What Your Facial Skin Diagnostic Can Tell You
The personalized Geologie system works like this: they’ve created 4 fundamental products: Everyday Face Wash, Vital Morning Face Cream, Repairing Night Cream, and Nourishing Eye Cream. Pretty standard stuff, right? Not even close – those are just the base of the pyramid.
Using your responses to a diagnostic questionnaire, the algorithm then matches your skin type and condition to one of nearly 40 different biochemical profiles.
Each of those profiles has their very own, custom formulated combination of the 4 base products, and each of the products has a unique ratio of active ingredients.
Confused? Don’t be. Here’s how it looks when you take the diagnostic questionnaire:
According to the results, my face most closely matches regimen #07. But what does that mean? According to Geologie, regimen #07 is for guys with sensitive skin and no acne that want help with dark under-eye areas. Only 2% of their customers share the same combination of skin traits as I do.
To address my dark under-eye areas without flaring up my sensitive skin, each of the four products is tailored to my particular facial chemistry. My Everyday Face Wash doesn't contain salicylic acid (used to treat acne) and the Repairing Night Cream has minimal retinol levels because retinol can irritate sensitive skin.
Whether you’re looking to soothe dark or puffy eyes, fight acne or oily skin, or protect your skin against wrinkles for the long haul, the Geologie diagnostic will detect and recommend a specific regimen for your skin.
Transparency Empowers You
Honestly, Geologie’s system goes a level deeper than anything I’ve seen before.
Alongside each product recommendation is a breakdown of what each product does and exactly what’s in it. That’s a level of transparency you don’t often see, especially in other “big skin” subscription services that are more marketing than science.
It reminds me of a giant mixing board in a professional music studio. Using the same basic sounds, they dial up (or dial down) the key ingredients to create something truly unique for your skin.
It also enables you – as a consumer – to educate yourself on what you’re putting on your skin and why. For instance, I noticed “niacinamide” was in nearly every product the algorithm recommended for my skin.
Niacinamide sounds kind of … sinister, so I googled it. Turns out, it’s a form of vitamin B3 used to treat red or inflamed skin – a key to help prevent irritation in sensitive users.
Do You Need Personalized Skin Care?
What makes your body unique? Actually, less than you might think.
Most of our bodies are remarkably, improbably consistent. We all have basically the same heart, lungs, and guts.
Our skin is different. In addition to your fingerprints, your ears, lips, tongue, and toes are totally unique to you. The same goes for the micro-environment known as your face, which begs the question: would you use a one-size-fits-all skincare approach if you didn’t have to?
Are you ready to launch a more mature skin care process?
For the first two and half decades of my life I was a skin care skeptic. My acne went away in college. The array of products at the drugstore felt overcomplicated and misleading.
Reading and writing for Primer has changed my mind. Your skin is the largest organ of your body and just like other organs it needs hydration, rest, and nourishment.
Now, just because I know better and want to take care of my skin doesn’t mean I want to become an expert. That’s why I like systems like Geologie. They take the guesswork out of getting quality, research-validated products. And with the algorithm I know I’m getting products that make sense for my skin needs.
Another area of transparency is Geologie’s pricing and promotion. Right now they’re offering Primer readers an additional 30% off a 30-day trial of all 4 products making it under $1 per day with code PRIMER. If you like the results, you have two options: subscribe to a 90 day supply and save or go a la carte. No pressure. No gimmicks.
How have you noticed your skin changing as you've gotten older? Let us know in the comments below!