Shiseido Develops Its First Unique Suncare Product Using the AI-Powered Formulation Development Platform VOYAGER

Shiseido has developed a mist-type suncare product using VOYAGER*, an advanced AI-powered platform for formulation development. This AI platform integrates over 100 years of accumulated expertise and more than 500,000 formulation data points, including technologies that were difficult to digitize. This incorporates a unique formulation development AI function, created in collaboration with Accenture using proprietary algorithms and has been fully operational since 2024. This is the first time AI trained in formulation has been used to develop a product that brings together fragrance and color tone with the functional benefits of SPF. The new product is scheduled for launch in summer 2026 under fibona**, Shiseido R＆D’s open innovation program.

* The platform was developed by ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation.
** Shiseido Begins Collaboration with Startup Companies Under its New Research Center’s Open Innovation Program ”fibona” (2019)
https://corp.shiseido.com/en/newsimg/2739_y9s79_en.pdf

Figure 1 Newly implemented formulation recommendation AI function for the VOYAGER platform

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Based on consumer needs and the value that Shiseido’s researchers aimed to deliver, Shiseido has implemented a new AI-powered formulation recommendation function (Figure 1) that consolidates accumulated research insights to generate and evaluate tens of thousands of potential formulations. Previously, the formulation and similar formulation search function announced in 2024 mainly focused on manual searching of past data. The newly added AI functionality can now autonomously propose formulations that incorporate multiple technical approaches. The system learns cosmetic specific knowledge that had been challenging to digitize, such as emulsification mechanisms, interactions between ingredients, and the expertise of veteran researchers, and organizes Shiseido’s proprietary formulation technologies in the upgraded system. This enables technical information across different categories to be combined. The AI generates tens of thousands of candidate formulations and narrows them down to several dozen for researchers to evaluate. Beyond gains in efficiency, this creative AI provides new perspectives and inspiration, further elevating the quality of research. Furthermore, less experienced junior researchers can now develop commercially ready formulations based on AI-generated recommendations. By drawing out the creativity of its researchers, this AI platform has started a new phase in Shiseido’s research and development.

Through the AI-based recommendations, researchers identified a key consumer insight: people want to enjoy UV protection without feeling like it’s a chore. In response, the researchers set out to create added value that delivers UV protection while offering fresh, water like lightness, a pleasant sensory experience, and uplifting emotions inspired by fragrance and color. In designing a formulation that feels simple, intuitive, and enjoyable to use, the AI proposed one closer to that of a facial toner, starting from a biphasic beauty oil. Shiseido then incorporated its extensive research on how sensory stimuli affect the mind and skin, adding fragrance and color to create an entirely new way to enjoy suncare. This co creation between humans and AI suggests the potential to establish completely new categories that combine functionality with sensory delight. The upcoming suncare product demonstrates such possibilities. Going forward, AI is expected to break conventional boundaries, combining diverse technical elements from different research domains to broaden human imagination and spark continuous innovation.

Through co creation between humans and AI, Shiseido will continue to deliver beauty solutions that meet the increasingly diverse needs of consumers, accelerating the creation of new value to realize its corporate mission, “BEAUTY INNOVATIONS FOR A BETTER WORLD.”