You can buy cosmetics to fix almost any skin complaint, but how do you know which ones you actually need? Neutrogena wants to help with its new SkinScanner.
This iPhone attachment packs clever sensors that can provide you with a better understanding of your skin. Its companion app keeps track of changes over time, and helps you find products that can help you in your pursuit of a better complexion.
The SkinScanner clips onto the top end of your iPhone to take advantage of its rear-facing camera. It packs LED lights and a 30x magnification lens that captures detailed close-ups of your face. There’s also a sensor that can measure moisture.
Combined with the Skin360 app, the gadget then helps you get a better understanding of the condition of your skin. It provides ratings for moisture levels, pore size, and wrinkles — plus an average score for the overall condition of your skin.
SkinScanner wants to help make you prettier
Once you have your skin ratings, you can tap the “Improve” button, which redirects you to the Neutrogena store where you’ll find a host of cosmetics that could help you fix any issues. It might recommend a new moisturizer, sunscreen, or cleanser.
As you might expect, the gadget was built to boost Neutrogena sales, so you won’t see products from other brands — not even those also owned by Johnson & Johnson. It’s also focused entirely on aesthetics for now, so it can’t help you treat acne or identify signs of melanoma.
Photo: Neutrogena
The Skin360 app will offer more holistic health tips in the future, however. Molly Garris, senior manager of digital marketing at Neutrogena, said it will provide helpful tips on improving skin condition — like reminding you to remove makeup at night or not touch your face.
SkinScanner launches this summer
If you want a better understanding of your skin, and you don’t mind purchasing cosmetics exclusively from Neutrogena, you can get your hands on the SkinScanner this summer. It will launch in the U.S. initially, where it will be priced at $50.
Neutrogena is taking the SkinScanner to CES later this month and we hope to find out more about it then.
