Mapping the skin microbiome in seven hours: Givaudan launches “world’s first” profiling system

02 Oct 2019 --- Givaudan’s personal care arm Givaudan Active Beauty has unveiled the “world’s first” instant microbiome analysis and profiling system, coined i-MAPS. The new technology allows Givaudan’s customers to expand their product offerings to include skincare products that are tailored to the unique microbiome of their consumers. The scientific breakthrough boasts improved speed and personalization capabilities. Moreover, the technology combines microbiome research and technology, which may be a gateway into exploring the tailoring of beauty products involving the skin microbiome, the company says.

Personalization is a crossover trend that is becoming rapidly popular and influences many industries, from food and beverage to health, to personal care and cosmeceuticals. As consumers understand the importance of tailoring products to cater to their specific, individual needs, the trend is expected to grow. “Skincare personalisation is actually the future of beauty,” Pauline Martin, Global Communications & Events Manager, Givaudan Active Beauty, tells NutritionInsight.

Research has shown that the overall balance of the bacteria on a person’s skin, rather than the presence or absence of a particular bacterial strain, appears to be an important factor for acne development and skin health. This is why better understanding the skin microbiome can potentially offer improved skincare solutions.

According to Givaudan, i-Map is a first-of-its-kind profiling system and a major scientific achievement in microbiome research. Using bioinformatics, i-MAPS utilizes a combination of different techniques in a specific sequence to create individual profiles by mapping the skin microbiome in approximately seven hours, compared to seven days for a standardized analysis. Every profile provides exclusive information about the bacteria present on the microbiome and correlates it to the skin types “oily, dry, sensitive or aging.”

i-Map is a first-of-its-kind profiling system and a major scientific achievement in microbiome research.“The creation of i-MAPS is not only an impressive achievement in microbiome research, but it’s also a game-changer for the world of cosmetics. The new cosmetic innovation is supported by a highly experienced team of scientists who continue to advance our research of the microbiome. This technological advancement is the first step into unclaimed territory creating new strategic opportunities for our customers to explore the personalization of beauty products with microbiome data in the future,” says Laurent Bourdeau, Head of Active Beauty.

Responding to consumer demands for more tailored beauty products, the new technology will eventually allow our customers to include the latest microbiome research into their products to help consumers fine-tune their skincare routines. In a 2018 Givaudan global consumer survey on the skin microbiome, 73 percent of people said that they are willing to try cosmetic products with a skin microflora concept and 78 percent recognize that when skin microflora is out of balance, it can result in skin-related issues or diseases.

“Clearly, consumers are demanding more  precise and personalized care. Personalization in skin care is also a key trend for 2020. Firstly, it responds to current consumer needs but also to their future needs, the DNA to define their latent needs. Technology is going to become mainstream. The new generation of consumers have a specific knowledge about cosmetics because of the information available online, in social media and apps. So now, they don’t want cosmetics to try, they want cosmetics to perfectly fit their needs. More than that, they actually know their needs, and loo for specific and personalized beauty care,”  Martin notes.

Exploring the skin microbiome’s potential
Martin says that they see many activities coming from both mainstream and indie brands to offer their consumers personalized beauty solutions around the globe. Brands can stand out from the crowd by providing added value to their customers such as beauty personalization. This means that the product is especially for the consumer, it may give better results and it can be special and fun to consumers. More and more brands will tap into this emerging need, they say.

The skin microbiome is still uncharted territory and many major players are looking to identify its potential for skincare.The skin microbiome is still uncharted territory and many major players are looking to identify its potential for skincare. In February, Symrise and bioengineering company Probi cooperated to deliver probiotic-based cosmetic ingredients. The companies are developing cosmetic products with the Lactobacillus strain which could hold particular potential for the sensitive and dry skin market, with the partnership hoping to spur a finished product within the coming year, a Symrise spokesperson told NutritionInsight. The partnership combines the probiotic expertise of Probi with Symrise’s experience in manufacturing cosmetic raw materials with functional benefits. 

DSM Venturing, the venture investment arm of DSM Nutrition also made an equity investment in skin microbiome company S-Biomedic NV. This investment completes S-Biomedic’s latest Series A financing round. The skin company is a Belgium based life sciences company that is pioneering “a new approach to cosmetic and therapeutic potential of the skin microbiome.”

The personal care industry has also identified ingestible beauty as an important trend and in this area, Givaudan Active Beauty has released several innovative formulations. In May, the company entered into a long-term partnership with South Korean beauty innovation specialist Bio FD&C to combine the R&D know-how of both companies for the creation of anti-aging cosmetic ingredients. 

By Kristiana Lalou