#TheBrand | Duolab - How to make your own face creams
If you have ever dreamed of making your own skincare products that are personalised to your specific skin needs, a new innovative beauty gadget could well enable you to.
Called Duolab, the device, from the company behind the French beauty brand L’Occitane, allows you to create your own targeted face cream, thus customising your beauty routine specifically to you.
The technology is certainly impressive – it holds 23 patents and is the result of five years innovation (with competitors rumoured to be hot on its heels) – but what really caught our eye was its pre-launch trials.
The brand revealed that 100 per cent of the 1,300 female participants believed that there was “a significant improvement in their skin appearance after just one use” and they all felt that the system “outperformed their usual skincare product”.
So, we tested the device to see whether the results of the high-tech hyper-personalised skincare system are worth investing in…
What is it?
Envision a device not dissimilar to a futuristic Nespresso machine. You even insert pods into it.
The pods or ‘capsules’ are separated into bases and treatments and it is necessary to choose one of each to be combined in the machine, to create your face cream.
There are currently three moisturising bases to choose from (a light and rich day cream and the night cream). Then, there are five targeted treatments (available in brightening, energising, refining, soothing comfort and firming variations).
The capsules are designed to be mixed-and-matched, with 15 different combinations available. For example, the refining formula uses cranberry AHAs for gentle exfoliation to tackle days where skin feels congested, while the soothing solution uses ingredients to help solve irritation.
“Everything from stress and hormonal fluctuations to changing weather and pollution has an effect on how the skin operates and looks,” explains the brand's managing director, Alain Harfouche. “Our environment is constantly changing, so should our skincare. Rather than having to stick to the same tub of moisturiser until you’ve scooped out the last dollop, Duolab gives you the flexibility to switch formulas — and therefore, target different concerns — day in, day out.”
That said, as with any skincare routine, consistency can be key, so you’ll see the best results following the recommended monthly plans, especially if you want to use the device to tackle issues such as skin ageing and pigmentation.
Getting started
Luckily, you don’t need a degree in cosmetic formulation to use Duolab because it does all the hard work for you. Although, it has to be said, it is not quite as straightforward as applying your normal pot of face cream on auto-pilot.
The first step involves downloading the Duolab app, which, like the device’s appearance, is suitably futuristic. It uses two types of AI technology to power its skin diagnostic tools, using photos of your skin and answers to specific questions, for example, “does your skin lack firmness?” and “do you suffer from imperfections?,” to generate your skin profile.
Your skin profile generates your 28-day skincare regime and the appropriate capsules can then be purchased for a one-off payment or as a monthly subscription. The idea is to then repeat the diagnostic process monthly to reassess your skin concerns, although you can do so more often if you wish.
That said, as with any skincare routine, consistency can be keyUsing the device
Once you have your recommended capsules, you create your face cream by placing one base and one treatment pod into the dispenser (there’s a handy video on the website that shows you how to do it). Then, in the machine the capsules are heated and put under pressure so that the two formulas emulsify together.
The process takes just 90 seconds (the time it takes to make your morning coffee), and it is especially impressive considering that on an industrial scale it would take hours. During this time, the mixture is heated then cooled to just above skin temperature (37-42 degrees celsius), to help the formula absorb most effectively into the skin.
You access your creation by taking out the disc and squeezing, to reveal a monodose of face cream, enough for one application for your face and neck. That's invaluable for ensuring you are applying the perfect amount of product too.
Why is it preservative-free?
Duolab is proudly preservative-free (as well as not containing silicones, mineral oil derivatives, synthetic colourants or fragrances), which might at first be confusing.
Preservatives, as defined by Paula Begoun’s rather brilliant beauty 'Ingredient Dictionary', are “substances used in cosmetics to prevent contamination of products, particularly water-based formulas", so their main purpose is to stop products going off (something we certainly need).
Yet, while it might seem unusual for a brand to want to formulate without them, preservatives do pose some risk of irritation (although not as high as the effects of contamination) and they don’t have a direct role in improving the skin.
“Preservatives are there to keep bacteria at bay and ensure the formula is safe to use, but does your skin need them? No,” explains Harfouche. “Removing preservatives avoids overloading the skin and disrupting it’s microbiome and a strong and balanced skin microbiome has been proven to contribute to healthier skin.”
While many brands cannot remove them (to keep the integrity of the product, Duolab’s sterile, airtight capsules means it can, all the way from production to emulsification at home.
Good for your skin, good for the planet?
On the surface, there’s certainly more packaging involved when using Duolab (because the pods must be individually sealed) than purchasing a single pot of face cream. The outer sleeves, for example, do feel a little unnecessary, even if they can be recycled.
That said, the brand has partnered with Terracycle – the global leader in recycling hard-to-recycle materials – to ensure that its capsules are all 100 per cent recyclable. The scheme allows customers to return their empty capsules for free to avoid landfill.
The emphasis remains on the customer to return the capsules (you can’t just pop them in your recycling bin), but it is easy enough to do. A pre-paid envelope and a chic bathroom ceramic pot (for keeping finished capsules until there are enough to return) are all included in the price and there are loyalty points on offer to incentivise the process.
Is it worth it?
Anyone who gets excited by beauty technology, feels stuck in a skincare rut or needs guidance about their skin could find the device helpful. As each dose is created individually, the formulations are not only fresh but can be changed to suit what your skin needs, so you can say goodbye to the limitations of a traditional, fixed skincare routine and be proactive in tackling your concerns.
One other feature not to be overlooked is that cleaning the device between uses is not required because the blended cream remains airtight until you apply it on your skin. That means that unlike your attempts at homemade face masks, there is no mess and the technology is ready to be reused immediately, so continuous use (as is necessary with a skincare routine) is much easier.
Any limitations?
As with any completely new skincare routine, the device takes a little getting used to, so we'd recommend keeping the device set up and ready to use, so you avoid reverting to habit by reaching for your traditional moisturiser.
There's also currently no SPF included in the creams, so you'll need to purchase a stand-alone formula if you were relying on your moisturiser for your daily sun protection.
Moreover, it is certainly not a replacement for face-to-face consultations (where possible) for certain skin conditions that might need a dermatologist's advice. That's why it would be beneficial to have the option for a digital consultation with a skin expert, while addressing your skin concerns, as the 'yes' / 'no' options leave little room for the uncertainty many consumers feel when choosing their skincare.
The future
Excitingly, the company is already working on expanding its skincare offering. First on the table is the launch of a serum to accompany the day and night creams, as well as advancements in the app that will take personal and environmental factors into account, such as the weather or hormonal variations, by syncing (should you wish) with your existing lifestyle apps.
There's even discussions about introducing other brands into the concept, so in the future we could be mixing our own versions of our favourite ever skincare creams.
The final word
The device costs £250 with a 10 year warranty, although it is currently being offered for £100 off until the end of May.
The individual capsules are sold separately for £1.25 each, with a full day and night treatment (four capsules in total) costing £5. That’s the equivalent of £155 per month, with discounts for committing to your targeted routine for longer.
Luxury skincare that puts the consumer in charge? The future (and our skin) looks bright.
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