Beiersdorf unveils radical skincare innovation with AI-powered O.W.N

Personal care giant Beiersdorf has launched an artificial intelligence (AI) powered vegan-skincare range, which offers shoppers a cutting-edge way to buy custom-made products that target their specific skin needs.

Tapping in to the growing trend towards ultra-personalised skin-care, the new Only What’s Needed (O.W.N) brand offers shoppers tailor-made formulas with which to create their own daily cleansing and care routines.

Shoppers simply fill out an online scientifically evaluated questionnaire via the website www.ownskincare.eu before the brand’s proprietary algorithm selects the single best unique product offering out of 380,000 formula combinations.

Product packaging is also personalized so that consumers’ first names are included on jars and bottles – for example “MARY’S O.W.N”.

Naturally derived and biodegradable ingredients are widely used in the products’ vegan formulations and the brand also uses refillable jars and bottles as well as outer packaging made from organic materials to reduce plastic waste.

Products are bought directly through the site in line with Beiersdorf’s strategic focus of advancing digital transformation.

Beiersdorf chief executive Stefan De Loecker said: “The launch of O.W.N strengthens our focus on personalized skin care innovations – based on individual needs and scientific findings.”

“The whole project is an internal start-up: a few dedicated entrepreneurial people and a ton of passion and hard work managed to drum up support from all functions to make this happen.”

“The product range of O.W.N is based on the particular combination of the consumer’s skin condition and the consumer’s specific wish to improve their skin.

“Our point of difference is that the products evolve automatically with every new order – including criteria such as lifestyle, people’s personal circumstances, or seasonal changes.

“With this holistic approach, we not only maintain a direct digital connection with consumers, but we also enhance our knowledge regarding consumers and their skin. This will help us to offer even better personalized solutions in the future.”

The algorithm was based on insights and data from a survey of more than 4,000 consumers conducted in the run-up to the brand launch.

The brand also used key data from the large-scale “Skinly” study of more than 10,000 women across Europe and Asia, who together have contributed more than 2.5 million skin measurements to date.

“The data obtained in this way is continuously helping scientists to better understand external influences on the skin, such as those caused by UV radiation or air pollution, and to counteract negative effects more effectively,” De Loecker added.