My Home DNA Skincare Analysis Results

There are so many skincare products on the market that it is hard to commit to something to see if it will actually work. Sometimes I feel like I am accepting someone’s skincare opinion when I have no idea if we have similar skin types.

The truth is, individual beauty routines and anti-aging products only work for specific skin types. I decided to get some answers by having my skin DNA tested.

I took the HomeDNA Skin Care test, which examines 28 genetic markers in seven categories associated with skin aging. The categories are:

• fine lines & wrinkles;
• collagen quality;
• skin sensitivity;
• pigmentation;
• sun protection;
• skin elasticity; and
• skin antioxidants

The test:

I read the easy directions in the box and swabbed the inside of my cheek. I put it in the designated envelope and mailed to to lab for processing and analysis. The kit is $24.99 with a $79 lab fee. You can pick one up in the Home Diagnostics section at CVS or online at HomeDNA.com. You can also find a store that carries it by searching “find a store” on the HomeDNA website. Within two weeks of sending my cheek swab, I received a full report via email!

The Report:

My report is an 11 page, easy to read document that gives my results for each of the 7 categories tested. The results for each category is on a sliding scale ranging from non-ideal to optimal genetics. There is also a marker on the scale indicating the “global average” so you can understand whether you are high risk compared to the rest of the world.

I like that the report explains the categories and gives specific recommendations that will help me age gracefully. They recommend topical ingredients, supplements, and treatments that you can look into.

My Results:

Since the test is a long saga, I think it is most interesting to talk about the genetic indicators that I am high risk for. If you have more questions about the other groups then please feel free to comment and I’ll answer the best I can!

A+ Skin Genes:

Pigmentation – optimal and above global average.

Sun protection – optimal! My skin is able to defend against the sun’s rays quite well. That makes sense because I am half middle-eastern.

Skin antioxidants – standard/optimal

Kind of In The Middle:

Fine lines & wrinkles – standard/optimal, although my anti-wrinkle promotion gene is not too strong.

Skin sensitivity – standard/optimal, although below the global average. Home DNA recommends grape seed extracts, hyaluronic acid, resveratrol, fish oil, spirulina, and LED light therapy (oh wow I wrote a post about this!)

Skin Struggles:

Skin elasticity – OUCH. I am waaaay below average on this one and super high risk. Once my skin stretches, it ain’t going back due to my faulty collagen structure. I included a screenshot of this page so you can see the hot mess.

The recommendations are various topical ingredients I’ve never heard of such as beta glucan and lipoic acid, some supplements I should probably be taking, and skincare treatments. I already partake in skin needling and LED light therapy, so perhaps I will look into radio frequency treatments as well.

Collagen quality – below average. My body doesn’t produce collagen efficiently. I do put collagen peptides in my coffee every morning (read this post to learn more about that) so hopefully that will help.

I’m thrilled that I got the chance to try this Skincare DNA kit because I think it is such a enlightening moment. While I didn’t necessarily want to hear about my weaknesses (who wants to talk about what they are bad at?!), having the knowledge is a game changer to helping me focus on the products that are truly right for me. Now, when I purchase skincare I will know which ingredients to look for, because they really do matter to each individual.