Shiseido unveils skin bacteria testing method to advance personalized skincare solutions

16 Mar 2022 --- Shiseido Company is creating a testing method that cuts down the amount of time it takes to measure indigenous skin bacteria. This testing method is being developed with oral bacteria detection equipment providers Yamato-Esulon and Orcoa.

The procedure is combined with the counseling services of Shiseido beauty advisors who work closely with customers to examine their skin health.

Shiseido’s testing method will create a high-value-added in-store experience and a new beauty service. It will provide consumers with personalized skincare solutions based on their skin conditions.

Now users can have their indigenous skin bacteria test results in about 40 minutes using the simplified PCR testing instrument, compared to one month – the average time taken for these results to be analyzed and processed by a specialist.

Shiseido currently plans to trial a “skin bacteria” monitoring service utilizing this testing technology for visitors to the Shiseido Global Innovation Center, a Japanese research and innovation hub in Yokohama’s Minato Mirai neighborhood.

Potential impact of the device
Shiseido is aiming to create new skincare solutions by looking at the skin as an ecosystem where skin cells and bacteria live in harmony.

Indigenous skin bacteria varies between individuals and it plays a significant role in skin appearance and health.

The characteristics of indigenous skin bacteria differ from strain to strain, even within the same species and their properties fluctuate based on the commensal bacteria’s surrounding environment.The stratum corneum – the skin’s outermost layer – is collected and tested (Credit: Shiseido).

To ensure consumers would have their results quickly (within 40 minutes as compared to one month), Shiseido downsized the device and developed a simple testing method that could be handled by non-specialized staff.

The results of this test can be delivered while the customer is in the store.

Developing the skin analysis method
The method was developed using the vast amount of data accumulated over the years from Shiseido’s research on indigenous skin bacteria.

Using the gadgets provided by Yamato-Esulon and Orcoa, Shiseido detected the types and numbers of indigenous skin bacteria. The company found that the periodontal disease bacteria analyzers owned by Yamato-Esulon and Orcoa were compact and small enough to be placed in a clinic, allowing staff to perform tests on-site.

The researchers measured two types of bacteria linked with skin health: Staphylococcus epidermidis and Propionibacterium acnes.

The analysis confirmed that the measurements of bacteria are comparable to those outcomes from the conventional analysis method.

Shiseido will continue to analyze the types and numbers of bacteria and conduct more in-depth research to develop new personalized skincare, introducing future skincare solutions that will help people achieve their “ideal” skin.

Previously, a University of Nottingham study highlighted that creation of new peptide-based skin products and treatments may be possible due to a better understanding of skin biology, particularly the stratum corneum.

Edited by Nicole Kerr