Unlocking Radiance: The Cutting-Edge Science of L’Oréal’s Latest Skincare Innovation

Las Vegas is extremely arid. The dry winter atmosphere resulted in me awakening on Day 3 of CES 2025 with a nosebleed, chapped lips, and dry skin. This occurred despite the fact that I coated myself with two pumps of a fermented bean essence, an eye cream, moisturizing lotion, and a lip treatment. Gazing at my reflection in the hotel mirror, I ponder if any of those items were achieving their intended effects — and if perhaps, I should consider an alternative.

This is the reason I was particularly enthusiastic about trying L’Oréal’s Cell BioPrint.

For anyone who has faced challenges with their complexion, the Cell BioPrint appears to be a dream appliance. This gadget functions as a mini-laboratory that evaluates a skin sample to produce a report detailing your skin’s present condition. It will also “evaluate” your skin regarding oiliness, wrinkles, skin barrier capability, pore dimensions, and inconsistent skin tone. Depending on the proteins present in your skin, it will indicate whether you might be more prone to these issues in the future — even if they aren’t currently problems. The test will also reveal your responsiveness to retinol, a widely used and researched skincare component that often leads to much confusion online.

The process of using the Cell BioPrint during my demonstration was straightforward. Mainly because I didn’t have to do anything myself. While L’Oréal aims to eventually make the Cell BioPrint an at-home device, its primary focus initially will be on retail, dermatological offices, and skincare clinics. Essentially, the procedure will be conducted by a professional to guarantee precision. A L’Oréal representative gathered samples from my cheeks using a specialized sticker. I observed as he then dissolved it in a buffer solution, injected the resultant liquid into a cartridge, and inserted that cartridge into a machine. I also had my cheeks and forehead scanned with an imaging wand prior to responding to a couple of questions regarding my age and demographic information.

After a few moments, I was able to view my results. Evidently, I am doing something correctly because the report indicated that my chronological and biological ages were in sync. However, it also noted that while my skin barrier function is currently functioning well, I am biologically inclined to encounter issues with it as I age. Furthermore, my report indicated that pore size is not a concern — either presently or in the future, and that I am highly receptive to retinol, suggesting my skin is likely to handle it well.

There were multiple other insights that I won’t bore you with, but after reviewing my results, I have a clearer understanding of what I need to prioritize. For instance, I should keep using moisturizers that contain ceramides, enhance my sun protection practices beyond just sunscreen, introduce a vitamin C to help with my skin tone, and incorporate a retinol. Also, I now know what I don’t need or can eliminate from my regimen. For instance, I don’t need to invest in products aimed at reducing pore size.

Most of this was expected. My findings aligned with the issues I’ve observed and where I typically focus my skincare routine. For instance, on the rare occasions I’ve tried retinol, I have never experienced the sensitivities that others seem to report.

Indeed, this type of customized suggestion is only as reliable as the research underlying it. After all, numerous health and beauty technology firms promise the world, yet are deliberately vague when it comes to justifying why their claims should be trusted. Without regulatory approval (which is typically not mandatory for wellness and beauty technologies), it falls upon the consumer to attempt to determine if the explanation holds up to scrutiny.

With this in consideration, I prompted L’Oréal to thoroughly explore the science — which Guive Balooch, global vice president of L’Oréal’s Technology Incubator, gladly accepted.

According to Balooch, the organization enlisted 800 biologists who were working (and conducting clinical research) to identify whether specific proteins in skin cells could indicate your susceptibility to particular skin ailments. The difficulty, he explains, lies in the vast number of proteins that the body produces. Identifying the few among thousands capable of providing actionable skincare insights is akin to locating a few needles in a massive haystack. This necessitated that L’Oréal’s researchers sequence all proteins and then locate the pertinent biomarkers.

This specific area of research, Balooch mentions, is known as proteomics — or the examination of how proteins are manifested in the body. “It’s about recognizing that our cells produce proteins every day. Depending on our lifestyle, location, and genetics, they may create more or fewer of these proteins. It evolves with time and can also be influenced by habits.”

Balooch states that L’Oréal evaluated 4,000 individuals over a decade across the US, Europe, South America, and Asia, discovering five proteins associated with skin health, including two linked to how well a person’s skin reacts to retinol. While the Cell BioPrint can currently assess responsiveness only to retinol, other ingredients like niacinamide and hyaluronic acid are also being developed.

Cynically, one may view a device like this as a pseudoscientific approach to market more products to those already inclined to reach for their credit cards. However, Balooch posits that the Cell BioPrint’s purpose is not to drive additional purchases.

“In some respects, it’s designed to inform individuals what not to purchase,” he mentions. “Naturally, we would love to market more products, but not at the cost of overconsumption. That’s not truly beneficial for the skin. It’s about assisting individuals in discovering the appropriate products rooted in science.”

To that extent, Balooch has a valid argument. The skincare industry at present is saturated with false information and influencers promoting costly 10-step regimens that occasionally cause more harm than good. I’m aware of this, yet I’m as susceptible as any other skincare enthusiast. (I still bear the regret of the entire bottle of snail mucin that influencers insisted would resolve all my issues. Instead, it caused breakouts.) Even now, I recognize that I’ll likely be influenced yet again. The distinction is that I can at least make a choice to be swayed toward a retinol cream or vitamin C serum — items that have a greater likelihood of being beneficial to me — rather than squandering my money indiscriminately.