Vanessa Hudgens and Madison Beer have teamed up to launch Know Beauty, a skincare brand with a twist.
Unlike other beauty brands, where you choose the product you think is best for your skin type, Know Beauty uses DNA testing so that you know you have the exact product you need. (Hence the name.)
After grappling to find the very best skincare products for them for some time, Hudgens and Beer (who have both struggled with acne) created Know Beauty to help others find formulas that are tailored to their skin type and lifestyle.
All of the celeb-founded skincare brand’s products, including serums, cleansers, and masks, are certified cruelty-free and many are vegan. The brand has also taken sustainability into account; all of its boxes (and the tape used for closing them) are recyclable and printed on with water-based ink.
What Is DNA-Based Skincare?
How it works: first, order a DNA kit from Know Beauty. Then take a cheek swab, and send it off to be analyzed. Next, take a short lifestyle and skin health quiz. The end result is a personalized skin care regime that is unique to you.
Dermatologist Karen Kagha is serving as Know Beauty’s chief medical officer. She explained to Harper’s Bazaar: “We’re looking at 46 chromosomes and specifically analyzing seven skin categories. Their results give them information on what their skin is more prone to develop and areas they need to be focusing on in the future.”
Hudgens and Beer’s new brand isn’t the first to offer DNA-based skincare. The idea has been around for some time. Swedish brand Allél, which launched in 2017, offers a very similar service.
With its quiz element, Know Beauty also takes into account crucial epigenetic factors that impact the skin.
“Epigenetics is the study of how your behavior and environment, like how your diet or how much sun you are exposed to, can cause changes in the way your genes work,” explains cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos. “These indicators are used to customize a skin care regimen by matching your particular profile with products containing efficacious ingredients like retinol, niacinamide, or vitamin C that have the ability to impact skin health and appearance.”
The DNA kit will find out if you’re prone to issues like pigmentation or sensitivity. But if you don’t want to take the test, it isn’t compulsory. All of Know Beauty’s products can be bought independently from the brand’s website.
