Bioprinting meets face masks for the first time

Johnson & Johnson launches what it calls «the most personalized skin care product» at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Neutrogena MaskiD is a 3D printed mask powered by user data.

Johnson & Johnson, the American pharmaceutical company, has launched a 3D printed paper mask, which it claims is the most personalized skincare product of all time. The patent-pending mask was developed by the Johnson&Johnson 3D Center of Excellence program, working in collaboration with several universities around the world.

Using data from the wearer, the paper mask can provide high clinical efficacy. Sebastien Guillon, president of the company, explains how the mask was conceived: “Women who have adopted our Neutrogena Skin 360 skin analysis tool have told us how excited they are that someone finally understands the unique aspects of their skin and told us they want more… They want personalized skin care solutions for each unique need, and we believe masks are the best opportunity to address this unmet need.”

With this mask, Johnson & Johnson will be the first company to use bioprinting technologies to produce a commercially available consumer product. There are three stages in the process of developing this custom mask:

1. First, a consumer uses a 3D camera to photograph their face, so they can create a precise map of their face and capture the necessary information and data.
2. This information is then used by the Neutrogena Skin 360 system to analyze how to improve the user’s skin. Think of it as a virtual dermatologist! The system will decide which ingredients are most beneficial for the user’s skin and where exactly.
3. The third step in this process is 3D printing the mask. Biomaterials such as hyaluronic acid are used and highly effective ingredients are printed on a hydrogel mask that ensures a personalized fit. The mask creates a physical barrier and keeps the necessary ingredients in the exact places, increasing the effectiveness of the product. The printed mask is then shipped to customers.

Dr. Michael Southall, Global R&D Leader at Johnson&Johnson Consumer Inc., said: “Neutrogena is already recognized around the world for providing topical skin care solutions connected to science and technology. Neutrogena MaskiD marks a step towards a new model of product development, where we find innovative uses for the latest technologies like digital imaging, skin analysis and 3D printing, all with the goal of offering consumers new ways to get their better skin.»

Conclusion

Johnson & Johnson’s launch of the Neutrogena MaskiD at the Consumer Electronics Show marked a seminal moment for the beauty industry, positioning the 3D-printed mask as what the company touts as «the most personalized skin care product» available. Developed by the Johnson & Johnson 3D Center of Excellence program in collaboration with global universities, this patent-pending innovation fundamentally shifts the model from mass-market cosmetics to hyper-individualized treatment.

The personalization is achieved through a critical three-step process powered by user data:

1. Custom Fit: Users utilize a smartphone’s 3D camera to snap a selfie, generating a precise, multi-dimensional map of their face. This step captures the exact measurements and unique physical characteristics, ensuring the mask fits the user’s exact contours (nose, eye alignment, lips, etc.) to maximize skin contact and ingredient absorption.

2. Targeted Analysis: The underlying engine is the existing Neutrogena Skin 360 skin analysis tool. This system analyzes the skin’s needs across six distinct facial zones (forehead, eye orbital, cheeks, nose, chin, nasolabial folds), processing tens of thousands of skin pixels and facial attributes to determine specific skin concerns like dryness, redness, discoloration, or fine lines in each area.

3. Ingredient Micro-Printing: Using a proprietary 3D printing process, high-efficacy, clinically-tested ingredients (such as hyaluronic acid, Vitamin B3, and Feverfew) are precisely micro-printed onto the custom-fit hydrogel mask. Crucially, the ingredients are deposited only on the specific zones where the Skin 360 analysis determined they will deliver the greatest therapeutic benefit.

As Global President Sebastien Guillon stated, this product was a direct response to consumer demand for solutions that finally understood the «unique aspects of their skin». By combining advanced digital imaging, data analytics, and 3D bioprinting technology, the MaskiD addresses a significant unmet need, delivering high clinical efficacy and pushing the cosmetics industry toward a new model of personalized, data-driven wellness.