This week DNA Diagnostic Center announced that its new HomeDNA line of consumer genomics testing kits will be in retail stores this month. According to a media release about the new kits, “this targeted selection of easy at-home genetic tests for skin care, healthy weight, ancestry, and paternity helps consumers make better health and wellness choices, and provides important answers about family relationships both past and present.”
Drugstore DNA
By moving this product / service into the mass market retail space, DNA Diagnostics Center will not only reach more consumers but in doing so help to shift consumer expectations for and perceptions of genetic testing.
“For the first time ever, consumers can choose from an assortment of DNA tests that interest them and buy the kits at their local drugstore” Connie Hallquist, CEO of DDC, tells the press. “It's exciting that cutting-edge science is so accessible and the process is so easy--consumers collect their DNA at home with a simple cheek swab, send to our lab for processing, then receive their custom report online.”
Skin care advice
The skin care test yields a report that is meant to guide consumers in their skin care choices, regarding both products and routines.
“HomeDNA Skin Care Analysis + Report [is] a revolutionary DNA test that examines 28 genes influencing skin's appearance,” explains the company’s media release. “This genetic analysis helps consumers discover effective ingredients and treatments in these key cosmetic areas: collagen quality, skin elasticity, fine lines and wrinkles, sun protection, pigmentation, skin antioxidants, and skin sensitivity.”
Consumer behavior
Genetics help determine infinite properties and features, including skin appearance and aging. But beauty as an industry has been keen to demonstrate the value of skin care above and beyond the influence of DNA.
The P&G brand Olay, for instance, presented data at this year’s America Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting that illustrated “that lifestyle choices supersede genes when it comes to ageless looking skin,” as a press release about the presentation explained.
That study, conducting in partnership with consumer genomics company 23andMe, looked at several lifestyle factors, like sun exposure, diet, exercise, sleep, and attitude. But the key takeaway is that skin care matters.
It seems like DNA Diagnostics Center isn’t disputing that finding but rather the company’s new HomeDNA Skin Care Analysis + Report suggests that genetics and products can work in tandem for even more visible results.