I got my skin genetically tested to make sure I no longer waste money on useless face creams – here’s what happened
ROAMING around the huge beauty hall of a department store recently, I felt totally overwhelmed.
What’s the difference between a BB, a CC and a DD cream?
Was the jar of moisturiser that cost £75 really that different from the stuff that cost less than a tenner?
If the ingredients list looked long and complicated, would that make it more effective?
And, crucially, how could I tell which products would work best on my skin?
What would have helped greatly was DnaNudge, a new service which uses genetic profiling to take all the guesswork out of buying skincare.
This super-personalised process, currently being trialled in Holland & Barrett and also available online, uses a swab test to take a reading of your DNA.
It then uses the results to “unlock your skin-related genetic pre-disposition” and recommend products which have the right ingredients and correct formulation for your unique skin type.
It’s “here comes the science bit” and then some.
Signature skincare has come a long way from just picking a product based on whether you fall into the dry, oily or combination category.
We now have “Face Mapping” and “Multi-Masking”, but it probably doesn’t get more bespoke than a DNA test, so I’m curious to try it.
Although I have clear skin, I’m 38 and I worry about wrinkles and sagging as I hit my forties.
Like many women, I spend a small fortune on skincare.
If I added up the contents of my bathroom shelves it would total well into the hundreds of pounds, so DnaNudge could well be a good investment.
The service costs £100 for the test and the app can then be used to scan over 40,000 skincare products in any store.
The DnaNudge section at Holland & Barrett, Marble Arch feels more like a fancy gym than a concession in a health food store.
The process starts with you filling in a quick lifestyle questionnaire on an iPad.
My responses will be taken into consideration along with my genetic results, so I try to be honest about my skincare sins.
Questions focus on sleep, stress, alcohol, smoking and spending time in the sun.
I’ve given up the fags but I often skip the SPF.
I’m surprised that none of the questions ask about having kids as I feel like having my daughter, Blake, two years ago has aged me about a decade.
The swab test is much less invasive than a Covid test as I only have to rub it on the inside of my cheek.
While I wait 70 minutes for my results, I download the app to my phone and catch up with Chris Toumazou, co-founder of DnaNudge and Regius Professor of Engineering at Imperial College, London.
He explains: “DnaNudge enables the consumer to shop for products which play to the advantages of their genetic make-up and mutations. We’ll be scanning your swab for things like collagen degradation, anti-oxidant protection and the ability to resist UV.
“With those results you can scan the products you want to buy and see if they’re the best match for you based on your DNA.
“It’s demystifying genetics and bringing it to the consumer in a practical way.”
Prof Toumazou says that the service has been popular with men and women among all age groups, from teenagers to over-70s.
DnaNudge also offers a nutrition test, which reveals your genetic risk of obesity or Type 2 diabetes and suggests the foods to avoid, but today I’m focusing on my skincare.
Shopping for new products feels much more strategic
When my DNA report is ready, I feel strangely nervous.
Will I have won the genetic lottery and be blessed with good skin genes, or will I be doomed to a wrinkly future?
I’ve never had any kind of DNA testing done before, I’d rather not know if I’m likely to get an incurable disease, but finding out about my skin feels non-threatening and useful.
The app clearly sets out the results in colour coded sections: red for high risk, amber for medium and green for low.
My profile is split between green and amber which Prof Chris says is a really good result.
I have a medium risk of collagen degradation, fine lines, loss of hydration and oxidative stress.
And I have a low risk of deep wrinkles, photo-ageing, skin irritation and eyelid sagging.
I’m not really that surprised that I only have a 15 per cent risk of photoageing (the skin’s response to UV light) as although I went on lots of sunbeds as a teenager (whoops), I’m often told I look young for my age.
I’ve always suspected that I’ve been quite jammy with my genes as a lot of my family look younger than they are.
But I’m shocked to find that I’m one of only 21 per cent of people who don’t have the gene that causes dermatochalasis AKA eyelid sagging.
My droopy lids are one of my biggest skin concerns and I’ve even looked into getting surgery on them. Maybe they’re not as bad as I think they are.
Now it’s time to use the app to go shopping and it’s really fun to scan products to see if they flash up green or red on my app. I get some unexpected results, too.
The Dr Weleda Skin Food moisturiser, £14.95, which I have used on and off since I was a teenager, gets a big red thumbs down from the app for me.
It doesn’t have enough anti-ageing agents for my skin, and instead I should be using the Skin Food Light version, also £14.95, which has more of these ingredients.
It’s helpful that the app suggests alternative products which would be better and explains which formulations you should look out for in future and why.
It’s interesting that two products which appear almost identical, such as Q+A Ceramide Day Cream and Q+A Collagen Face Cream, both £12, get different results on the app for me.
Apparently I should steer clear of the former, as it doesn’t have enough moisturisers for my genetic profile.
The app also lets you input your own ingredients which you want to avoid, such as fragrance, parabens or sulphates, meaning I no longer need to squint at a label to check the small print.
Now that I know the genetic profile of my skin, shopping for new skincare feels much more strategic, less of a lucky dip.
I often fall for gimmicks or nice packaging, so I think the app will be really useful in keeping me focused on what my skin actually needs.
A DNA swab to help you shop sounds like sci-fi, but it’s so simple I think it will soon be how we buy everything, from food to shampoo to supplements.
AN EIGHT-STEP ANALYSIS
By Joel Cooper
THESE are the factors the app analyses for you . . .
EYELID SAGGING: If you are more likely than most to have sagging eyelids, it’s important to pick up skincare which includes anti-ageing and sun defence ingredients.
HYDRATION LOSS: If you are predisposed to hydration loss through the skin, use moisturising products.
PHOTOAGEING: All of us need to use SPF, but for those of us with a higher genetic risk of photoageing, it is even more important to use products which include sun defence ingredients.
SKIN IRRITATION: People who have a family history of hay fever, asthma or eczema often have sensitive skin and it’s important to pick products accordingly.
COLLAGEN DEGRADATION: If you have a genetic disposition to collagen degradation, counteract this by choosing products that include anti-ageing ingredients.
DEEP WRINKLES: We all develop wrinkles, but whether they become deep set will depend on our DNA. Choose products that contain SPF, as these help prevent the formation of deep wrinkles.
FINE LINES: Like wrinkles, fine lines can appear around our mouths and eyes, appearing due to the movement of our facial muscles. Tackle these by using anti-ageing skincare products.
OXIDATIVE STRESS: Indicates skin’s ability to produce antioxidants, which declines as we age. Choose products with antioxidant properties and eat a healthy diet.