For lululab’s Founder, Skincare Starts With Data, Not Ingredients

Studying bioengineering at Cornell and later researching genome sequencing at Harvard Medical School, Yongjoon Choe, founder and CEO of lululab, realized something when it came to reading someone’s health: DNA tells only part of what humans need to know.

“Genetics tell us a great deal, but genes are only part of the story,” he says. Other factors such as lifestyle, environment, aging, and behavior constantly change the bigger picture. Choe wanted a signal people could check daily, without the need for clinic visits or lab work. That led him to focus on the face, specifically because skin is one of the body’s largest and most accessible organs.

“Our face is not just what we see in the mirror,” he says. “It contains a great deal of visual information about how our body changes over time.”

Choe took his idea to C-Lab, Samsung Electronics’ internal venture incubator, and partnered with Sangwook Yoo, a medical image-analysis expert and current CTO of lululab. As Choe recounts, together, they developed LUMINI, an skin-analysis system powered by artificial intelligence (AI). In 2017, lululab spun off from C-Lab and became an independent company. 

Skin analysis beyond ‘oily’ or ‘dry’

lululab’s luluTI™ engine analyzes skin four ways: wrinkles and elasticity, acne activity, texture, and pigmentation. Through the combination of these factors, skin types are sorted into 16 patterns, giving a more personalized look into how an individual’s skin truly functions. This is a departure from outdated “oily,” “dry,” or “combination” labels. 

However, Choe says a person’s skin pattern is likely to evolve, which means regular analysis is recommended. 

“Someone may have strong elasticity but active inflammation today. Another person may have clear skin but be beginning to show structural aging,” he says.

Data first, not ingredients

lululab says its dataset now includes more than five million skin data points from more than 60 countries. The data also led to the creation of Ludient, lululab’s skincare line.

What sets Ludient apart, Choe says, is that the brand chose which products to make based on data rather than the latest ingredient trend or skincare fad. He points to the Pore Refining Ampoule as an example: the company says it grew out of a recurring pattern it observed around enlarged pores and uneven texture, not a headline ingredient. From there, lululab says its dermatologists and product developers selected a mix of Tannin Complex, retinol and collagen, each meant to address a different aspect of the concern. 

“For us, the sequence matters,” Choe says. “Skin data first, formulation second, trend third.” 

This is a pattern he feels other founders can apply to their own ventures.

‘Dataceutical’ skincare could be the future

lululab connects with users in three ways: LUSKIN X, a 3D platform for clinics, medical spas and health screenings; 2D LUMINI for aesthetic clinics and beauty stores; and mobile analysis at home. Choe sees these as parts of a single cycle, not separate products. Measure, understand, recommend, act, measure again. He calls the category Dataceutical.

For Choe, the future of skincare is right there in the data. “Data-driven skincare no longer sounds innovative; it just sounds normal.”

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical or dermatological advice. Readers with skin conditions or other health concerns should consult a licensed dermatologist or physician.

Entrepreneur Media was not involved in the creation of this content.