3D printed Neutrogena MaskiD face mask now in beta testing*

Neutrogena Global Marketing Director Logan McGill has revealed that the long-awaited 3D printed sheet mask, MaskiD, is taking one step closer to launch and that it is now entering a beta test phase. According to the WWD website, Neutrogena will draw on social media for participants — specifically the “A Look Behind the Bar” Facebook group. Interested parties are encouraged to join the group, where members will be able to sign up. Every week for six weeks, 100 passcodes will be given out to members who register on a first-come, first-served basis.

“Skincare is ever-evolving and Neutrogena is leading the charge to educate consumers about the next generation of skin health, which is personalization,” said Logan McGill. “With just one scan Neutrogena Skin360 analyzes over 2,000 facial attributes and with that information can identify the user’s personalized needs through Neutrogena MaskiD.”

The tech processes over 100,000 “skin pixels” to analyze the skin’s needs, and then recommends the ingredients that will be most beneficial and where they should apply across six facial zones — forehead, eye orbital, nose, cheeks, chin and nasolabial folds.

J&J bioprinting in the ma(s)king

Through various partnerships with Universities around the world, the Johnson & Johnson 3D Printing Center of Excellence program has been advancing 3D printing and bioprinting technologies on many different levels. The Group’s top skincare brand unveiled the most personalized skincare product ever, the Neutrogena MaskiD at the Consumer Electronics Showcase (CES) in Las Vegas in 2019. This patent-pending 3D printed sheet mask is powered by user data to deliver the highest clinical efficacy.

“Women who embraced our Neutrogena Skin 360 personal skin analysis tool told us how excited they were to finally understand the unique aspects of their own skin—and they told us they want more,” said Sebastien Guillon, Global President of Beauty, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. “They wish they could find personalized skin care solutions that address their skin’s unique needs, and we believe that sheet masks are the perfect opportunity to deliver on this unmet need.”

Using biomaterials such as hyaluronic acid to 3D print the mask, marks the first time bioprinting technologies are used to produce a commercially available consumer product and could represent the beginning of an even more massive shift toward personalized medicine at a more widespread consumer level. This CES is expected to show a never-before-seen number of customized consumer applications made possible by 3D printing: mass customization has been on the horizon for some time now and it is really starting to look like it was not just a mirage. Not only 3D printing but also more widely available 3D capturing technologies are enabling this momentous shift.

A 3-step 3D process

Sheet masks are a particularly effective vehicle for potent skincare ingredients because they create a physical barrier that locks them in and maximizes efficacy. Personalization with the Neutrogena MaskiD happens in three ways – first with the shape of the mask itself. Using a smartphone 3D camera, the user simply snaps a selfie to create a precise, multi-dimensional map of her face and the exact measurements and shape of her nose, space between the eyes, lips, and other unique physical characteristics.

Next, personalized data from the Neutrogena Skin 360™ system creates the virtual equivalent of a knowledgeable dermatologist and analyzes the skin’s needs, making a recommendation for what ingredients will be most beneficial and where. Finally, using a proprietary 3D printing process, high-efficacy ingredients are printed onto the custom-fit hydrogel mask on the exact zones of the mask where they will deliver the greatest benefit for that individual.

“Neutrogena is already globally recognized for delivering topical skincare solutions at the nexus of science and technology,” said Dr. Michael Southall, Global R&D Lead at Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. “Neutrogena MaskiD marks one step towards a new model of product development where we find innovative uses for the latest technology, such as digital imaging, skin analysis, and 3D printing, to give consumers new ways to achieve their best skin ever.”

As a further confirmation of how important technology is becoming in the personalization of consumer health products, 2019 marks the third consecutive year Neutrogena has debuted innovative new beauty technology at CES that transforms how consumers analyze, treat and track their skin. In 2017, the brand introduced the Neutrogena Light Therapy Acne Mask and in 2018 debuted Neutrogena Skin 360.

Hydrogel for beauty

The new Neutrogena MaskiD forms a translucent, flexible layer that conforms to every contour of the face. The hydrogel mask, created from cellulose sourced from locust beans and red seaweed, is custom 3D printed with a unique combination of five powerhouse ingredients from the Neutrogena® library of clinically-tested skincare solutions.

The ingredients, chosen based on information about each user’s unique skin needs and infused into the six zones of the mask (forehead, eye orbital, nose, cheeks, chin and nasolabial folds), include purified hyaluronic acid helps improve skin’s moisture barrier, resulting in smooth, hydrated skin. Vitamin B3 helps boost skin’s ability to improve its appearance of discoloration, dull skin and helps to diffuse the look of dark spots. Feverfew delivers high antioxidant benefits to help reduce the appearance of facial redness. Stabilized Glucosamine helps exfoliate the skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines. Vitamin C delivers healthier and brighter-looking skin and improved the overall radiance of the skin.

Neutrogena MaskiD will be available exclusively on Neutrogena.com at a price consistent with the rest of the brand’s skincare portfolio. It will be sold exclusively to consumers in the United States beginning in Q3 of this year. Anyone interested in joining the waiting list to be the first to try the brand’s first-ever personalized skincare product can sign up now at Neutrogena.com/MaskiD.

*This article was originally published in January 2019 and was updated in March 2021 to reflect the fact that Neutrogena’s 3D printed MaskID is entering beta testing