17 july 2025
Cosmax develops skin diagnostic tool after 15 years of microbiome research
Korean cosmetic manufacturing giant Cosmax announced it has successfully developed a proprietary algorithmic diagnostic platform based on a 15-year-long study on the Korean skin microbiome. The company is now planning to expand its research worldwide, beginning with the U.S. and China.
Cosmax’s landmark skin microbiome study
Cosmax has been at the forefront of microbiome research since it became the first company in the world to commercialise cosmetic products based on skin microbiome technology in 2019. So far, the company has identified over 3,000 microbial species and has filed 204 microbiome-related patents, 110 of which have been granted, and 30 more are expected to be filed this year.
Over the past five years, Cosmax has partnered with Dankook University (단국대학교) and microbiome analysis specialist HuEnBiome to investigate the intricate relationship between skin conditions and the skin microbiome within a sample group of 1,000 Korean individuals.
The findings of this research were recently published in the international journal “Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology” in a paper detailing the methodology and results of analysing Korean skin types and aging patterns through microbiome profiling.
Key findings and demographic insights
In the study, Cosmax categorised Korean skin into 12 major groups based on characteristics like skin type and age. Among the 1,000 participants, 25% reported suffering from from skin dryness and poor oil–water balance, 15% had concerns related to skin elasticity and tone, while 30% experienced both issues.
Breaking it down by age groups, the study found that only 4% of teenagers suffered from multiple skin concerns. Among participants in their 20s and 30s, 35% had generally healthy skin, 27% struggled with poor oil–water balance, 18% had problems related to skin elasticity and tone and 20% had more widespread skin concerns. Older age groups showed a different pattern, with 38% of participants in their 40s and 50s mentioning declining skin elasticity as a major skin concern, and 69% of participants over 60 experiencing widespread skin concerns, including wrinkles.
FACE-LINK™, a ground-breaking skin diagnostic tool
During the course of the study, Cosmax also developed FACE-LINK™, a proprietary algorithmic platform designed to analyse skin based on microbiome data. Originally launched in 2022, FACE-LINK™ has been refined over time as more data became available, and is now able to analyse the Korean skin microbiome with over 96% accuracy.
Cosmax is now looking to develop a global version of the FACE-LINK™ platform. For this reason, last year the company signed collaborative research agreements with prestigious institutions such as Harvard Medical School (Massachusetts General Hospital) in the U.S. and Huashan Hospital of Fudan University in China, and has already begun microbiome sample collection in the U.S.
A spokesperson from Cosmax stated:
“The results of this study will support the development of personalised microbiome-based skincare and various related technologies. Since the skin microbiome is crucial for supporting the skin’s ability to manage itself and resolve its own issues, we will keep focusing on strengthening our leadership in this area.”
Source: Cosmax.
Words: © 2025 Odile Monod.
Visuals: Cosmax.
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