Shiseido Launches Full-Scale IoT*1 Skincare Service Brand “Optune”

Shiseido Company, Limited (“Shiseido”) announced the full-scale launch of IoT skincare service brand “Optune” starting from July 1, 2019.

About Optune

◆Optune is an IoT personalized skincare system that offers 80,000 skincare patterns matched with individual user’s daily skin conditions and living environments which change day to day.
◆A dedicated application (hereinafter, the “app”) for iPhone*2 uses an original algorithm to analyze skin condition data and environmental data (temperature, humidity, etc.) as well as sleep data to detect biological rhythm disruption. The results of analysis are sent to a dedicated machine which provides optimal skincare fitting one’s current conditions.
◆This is Shiseido’s first subscription service, with a monthly charge of 10,000 yen (tax excluded). Users can sign up for the service on Shiseido’s dedicated website.

*1 An abbreviation for Internet of Things.
*2 Download available only to consumers who purchase Optune. iPhone is a trademark of Apple Inc.
*3 A calculation method that leads to a personalized skincare pattern suitable for the consumer’s skin condition in real time.

Download Small Image[52.3KB]

Background of Development

In recent years, there are more and more women seeking a balance between work and home life, and an increasing number of them cannot spend time on daily skincare.

Meanwhile, skin conditions can vary each day due to external factors such as weather and fine particulates in the air, as well as internal factors including sleep, stress/mood, and menstrual cycle.
Based on the above, leveraging skin data collected for many years and research results of aroma and product usability and combining IoT-based digital technology, Shiseido presents the new skincare brand “Optune”.

Optune’s test “βversion*4” was released to market from March 2018 to limited numbers of users. The system has been in a process of improvement since then, reflecting users’ feedback and numerous verification tests of the machine, app and CRM.

Initially 1,000 patterns of skincare were provided in the βversion; the new Optune provides 80,000 patterns. The variety of solutions the new Optune provides is also reinforced and enabled with new analysis of external factors including pollen and PM2.5. Furthermore, Optune can sense the users’ sleep condition and provide a one-week solution*5 to prevent rough skin which may result from biological rhythm disruption.

*4 A term for versions of software, etc. before official release.
*5 Results derived through analysis.

Optune System

1. Sensing —Measures ever-changing skin conditions via dedicated app—

The dedicated “Optune App” (hereinafter, the “app”) allows users to learn their skin conditions (e.g. amount of moisture, skin texture, oil, pores) just by taking a picture of the skin with a smartphone camera. This skin condition data is stored together with skincare records.
This new version has added the function of sensing biological rhythm disruption. When users set the sleep measurement function provided, the app detects movement during sleep, identifies the disruption of the users’ biological rhythm caused by such movement, and reflects results in the skincare solution provided the next day.

2. Analyzing —Analyzes skin conditions and environmental factors and determines skincare—

Besides skin conditions, the app automatically collects data on external environmental factors (e.g. temperature, humidity, pollen, etc.) each day. Together with data input by users (e.g. menstrual cycle, mood, etc.), after analysis, the new Optune’s original algorithm determines the skincare required that day and sends the necessary data to the dedicated machine.

3. Personalizing —Provides optimal skincare via dedicated machine—

Five skincare cartridges called an “Optune Shot” are selected based on skin conditions input by users when they apply for the service, and the cartridges are delivered to the users’ home along with the dedicated machine. Simply putting their hand in the dispenser, users can enjoy simple two-step skincare selected from 80,000 patterns that fits to current conditions.
Shiseido focuses uncompromisingly on providing “ease and comfort of use” as an important part of skincare. The algorithm and Optune Shot have been developed to enable comfortable use for all skincare patterns based on knowledge derived from the research and development of cosmetics products and beauty care.

For more details, please refer to the PDF version.

Download Small Image[91.8KB]