# How Apps Can Help You Tweak Your Custom Makeup Colors > A system that uses smartphone camera calibration and color-mapping software to let users adjust the formula of their custom cosmetic products. - **Patent:** US 12073418 - **Original title:** System and method for adjusting custom topical agents - **Owner:** Shiseido Co Ltd - **Granted:** 2024 - **Status:** Active - **Times cited:** 0 - **Field:** consumer_electronics, software ## What it does The patent describes a method for creating and then modifying custom makeup products, such as foundation. It starts by using a smartphone app to calibrate the camera and scan the user's skin, creating a 'known search key' that maps the user's skin tone to a specific point on a complex color chart (the complexion color map). Once the user has an initial product, the app provides an interface where they can manually select a different location on that map to adjust the product's color or properties. The system then uses this new selection to generate updated manufacturing instructions for a modified version of the cosmetic. ## What it does NOT cover - Does not cover cosmetic products that are not based on a digital complexion color map. - Does not cover manual, non-digital methods of mixing or adjusting cosmetic formulas. - Does not cover general image processing that lacks the specific step of creating a 'modified search key' for manufacturing instructions. - Does not cover skin analysis that is not linked to a specific, pre-defined search key for product manufacturing. ## The clever bit The system treats a physical cosmetic product as a data-driven 'search key' that can be manipulated in a digital space, effectively turning a makeup bottle into a software variable that the user can tune. ## Real-world examples 1. Personalized foundation matching apps 2. Smart beauty kiosks in retail stores 3. Direct-to-consumer custom makeup subscription services ## Why it matters As the beauty industry moves toward hyper-personalization, companies like Shiseido are looking for ways to bridge the gap between digital skin analysis and physical product fulfillment. This patent provides a framework for 'iterative' personalization, allowing a customer to refine their product after an initial purchase rather than starting the process from scratch. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does How Apps Can Help You Tweak Your Custom Makeup Colors cover? A system that uses smartphone camera calibration and color-mapping software to let users adjust the formula of their custom cosmetic products. ### Who owns patent US 12073418? Shiseido Co Ltd owns this patent, granted in 2024. ### When does this patent expire? This patent is expected to expire on August 27, 2044, when the invention enters the public domain. ### What problem does this patent solve? As the beauty industry moves toward hyper-personalization, companies like Shiseido are looking for ways to bridge the gap between digital skin analysis and physical product fulfillment. This patent provides a framework for 'iterative' personalization, allowing a customer to refine their product after an initial purchase rather than starting the process from scratch. ### What does this patent NOT cover? Does not cover cosmetic products that are not based on a digital complexion color map. **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12073418/starship-cargo-configuration **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US12073418 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [How to Fix Color Uniformity in Digital Screens Using Math](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12277890/kestrel-engine) — A method for smoothing out color and brightness inconsistencies across a display screen by mathematically adjusting pixels based on their distance from a reference point. - [How Speakers Auto-Adjust Sound for Any Room](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12737152/playback-device-calibration-based-on-representative-spectral-characteristics) — This patent describes a system where a computing device measures a room's sound characteristics, finds a matching sound profile in a database, and then tells a speaker how to adjust its sound for that specific room and speaker type. - [How Light-Activated Polymers Deliver Skin Care Ingredients](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12178901/dragon-xl) — A chemical structure that holds onto skin-care ingredients like fragrances or cooling agents and releases them only when triggered by specific light conditions. - [How Video Apps Add Special Effects and Frame People](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12737049/video-application-graphical-effects) — This patent describes ways for video applications to show special visual effects, like filters or backgrounds, during live video calls or when recording, and how to automatically frame a person. - [How Remote Servers Automatically Adjust Your TV Settings](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8689253/netflix-recommendation-engine) — A method for a remote server to automatically configure a TV's picture and sound settings by analyzing what other users with similar viewing habits prefer.