For most indie beauty founders, there’s an experience that leads to them take the plunge and become an entrepreneur.  For Anu Thubagere, it was a rock-your-world health diagnosis.  After her recovery, this bioengineer left a high-profile innovation lab to create a skincare brand that infuses scientific methodologies like proteomics testing with artificial intelligence (AI) and customized formulations to deliver healthier skin.

At the age of 27 while pursuing a doctorate degree at CalTech, Thubagere was diagnosed with leukemia. ¬¬

“My treatment was difficult and confronting, but something I really didn’t expect was the way my treatment affected my skin—when I looked in the mirror I saw delicate, sensitive and chemically damaged skin, a real shock when I’d previously had very low maintenance skin with the occasional pimple,” she told Happi.

That experience stayed with her as she completed her PhD in bioengineering and went on to work at Google’s innovation lab known as  X -The Moonshot Factory. There, she explored what she called “ big problems pertaining to health and the role that data could play in predictability and prevention.”

This, too, would shape the direction of her beauty brand, Iuno.

“From my own experiences, I have learned the hard way that internal health and lifestyle changes are as important as external factors when it comes to skin health,” she told Happi.

“My partner and co-founder is a professor at MIT and when we saw firsthand the progress and innovation in the field of proteomics, the study of the proteins in our blood, alongside AI, and realized that truly customized skincare, tailored completely to the individual, was possible,” Thubagere noted.

The Iuno protocol is a skincare program that follows what Thubagere calls the 3Es: Evaluate, Execute, Evolve.

“Our approach is comprehensive, customized, and makes the most of science and innovation every step of the way,” she told Happi.

Iuno evaluates skin through a proprietary protein panel of uniquely created biomarkers using data science. Then, it creates daily skincare formulations to execute and address specific concerns. Finally, the brand uses an AI app to monitor daily progress.

Every 28 days, users start a new regimen.

“Your skin cells regenerate every 28 days, so your skincare should evolve with it too. So you see, AI is an underlying part of our technology that accelerates the personalization protocol,” Thubagere said.

The skin evaluation is completed by a finger-prick test done at home. The user’s blood is analyzed, “presenting biomarkers which tell us what is causing your skin concern, your hormone levels, your metabolic concerns and your inflammation levels,” she said.

Consumers receive a personal report that helps them understand more about their skin.

Iuno structures a treatment as a three-month plan for customers in which it introduces “relevant actives” in “systematic way so as to not irritate your skin,” Thubagere asserted.

“Our formulations have been created specifically to build skin resilience for even the most sensitive skin types,” she said.

Proteomics in Skincare

Thubagere told Happi she’s looking forward to more people to learning about the power of proteomics.

“The proteins in our blood tell us so much about our health and our skin. Proteomics are already being used in the medical field, and I believe this can be applied to everyday routines as well. Once people see the benefits for themselves, they can be more proactive about their health,” she said.

The kit comes with a misting device which apply the products. Each formulation in the kits is stowed in an ampoule, Users snap one open, insert it into the mister, and apply the fine mist to their face nightly.

“The mister breaks up the actives into nano-sized droplets, so it gets the ingredients deeper into your skin for even more effective results. The combination of your customized formulation, delivered via the mister, is the key—the right ingredients get to the right place, targeting your specific skin concerns,” she said.

The routine’s last step each evening is a hydrator.

The hero ingredients in Iuno’s skincare formulas are plant and microbial exosomes. Exosomes are proven to repair, strengthen and improve skin by telling the skin cells to renew and regenerate. It’s as if inactive or older skin cells are being told to wake up and get back to work, Thubagere insists.

“Right now, many people have either never heard of exosomes, or have only known of them in the context of treatments applied in clinics by dermatologists, but I think that will change quickly,” she said.

The finger-prick test is done once every three months. In between, Thubagere contends adjustments can be made to the 28-day program based on the selfies captured on the app.

“Since Iuno’s protocol is completely personalized and includes end-to-end feedback with our AI-assisted app, we’re able to deliver scientifically created products with extreme precision that you can use conveniently at home.”

At press time, Inuo had just opened its beta program to the public.