Cosmetic Manufacturing Method, Apparatus for Formulating a Customised Cosmetic Product, Cosmetic Product Mixer and Server Configured for Preparing a Cosmetic Product

Abstract

There is described a method of formulating a customised cosmetic product, comprising the steps of: a) dispensing ingredients according to a recipe for the cosmetic product into a vessel (422) containing a mixing component (1201); b) mixing the ingredients with the mixing component to form a mixed intermediate; and c) increasing the viscosity of the intermediate to form the cosmetic product by ceasing mixing and/or adding a further ingredient. An apparatus for formulating a customised cosmetic product comprising an inventory section, a dispensing section and a vessel located in the dispensing section is also described. Furthermore, a method and apparatus for formulating a customised cosmetic product comprising selecting a cosmetic product mixer from a plurality of cosmetic product mixers based on the generation of second data based on first data indicative of a biometric measurement of a user,

Claims

1-35. (canceled)

36. A method for preparing a customised cosmetic product, comprising: receiving first data, the first data indicative of a biometric measurement of the user; generating second data based at least on the first data, the second data indicative of a recipe of a cosmetic product; selecting a cosmetic product mixer from a plurality of cosmetic product mixers, said selection based at least on the second data; and outputting the second data to the selected cosmetic product mixer.

37. A method according to claim 36, further comprising: generating the first data, wherein generating the first data comprises imaging a portion of the user to obtain the first data, wherein the biometric measurement is a measurement of a colour associated with the user.

38. A method according to claim 36, further comprising: mixing a cosmetic product based on the second data and dispensing the cosmetic product.

39. A method according to claim 36, wherein selecting a cosmetic product mixer from a plurality of cosmetic product mixers based on the second data comprises: selecting the cosmetic product mixer based on a determination that the cosmetic product mixer comprises required ingredients of the recipe.

40. A method according to claim 36, wherein selecting a cosmetic product mixer from a plurality of cosmetic product mixers further comprises: receiving third data indicative of a location associated with the user; determining fourth data indicative of locations associated with the plurality of cosmetic product mixers; selecting the cosmetic product mixer based on the third data and fourth data.

41. A method according to claim 36, further comprising: at the cosmetic product mixer; storing in a memory the second data; receiving a command at a user interface; on receiving the command, dispensing and mixing the ingredients of the cosmetic product based on the second data.

42. A method according to claim 36, wherein mixing the cosmetic product comprises the steps of: dispensing ingredients according to a recipe for the cosmetic product into a vessel containing a mixing component; mixing the ingredients with the mixing component to form a mixed intermediate; and increasing the viscosity of the mixed intermediate to form the cosmetic product by: (i) ceasing mixing of the mixed intermediate; (ii) ceasing mixing of, and adding a further ingredient to, the mixed intermediate; or (iii) adding a further ingredient to the mixed intermediate, optionally with continued mixing using the mixing component.

43. A method according to claim 42, wherein the mixing component is a magnetic stirrer bar and mixing is effected by a magnetic stirrer.

44. A method according to claim 42, wherein the mixing component is retained in the vessel.

45. A method according to claim 42, wherein the ingredients are dispensed directly into the vessel.

46. A method according to claim 42, wherein dispensing is effected by pumping the ingredients from one or more reservoirs.

47. A server configured to: receive first data, the first data indicative of a biometric measurement of the user; generate second data based at least on the first data, the second data indicative of a recipe for the cosmetic product; select a cosmetic product mixer from a plurality of cosmetic product mixers, said selection based at least on the second data; output the second data to the selected cosmetic product mixer.

48. A cosmetic product mixer for producing a cosmetic product, the cosmetic product mixer configured to: receive second data, the second data having been generated based at least on first data, the first data indicative of a biometric measurement of a user, the second data indicative of a recipe for the cosmetic product; the cosmetic product mixer having been selected from a plurality of cosmetic product mixers, said selection based at least on the second data; mix a plurality of ingredients to produce a cosmetic product based on the second data; dispense the cosmetic product.

49. The cosmetic product mixer of claim 48, wherein the cosmetic product mixer comprises: a dispensing section configured to house a vessel containing a mixing component; means for activating the mixing component, the means in or proximate to the dispensing section; an inventory section configured to house one or more reservoirs for ingredients; and one or more dispensing tubes configured to provide fluid communication between the or each reservoir and the vessel when the or each reservoir is located in the inventory section and the vessel is located in the dispensing section respectively.

50. The cosmetic product mixer of claim 49, wherein the mixing component comprises a magnetic stirrer bar and the means for activating the mixing component is a magnetic stirrer.

51. The cosmetic product mixer of claim 49, wherein the or each dispensing tube is provided with a peristaltic pump.

52. The cosmetic product mixer of claim 49, wherein the or each reservoir is a sealed reservoir.

53. The cosmetic product mixer of claim 49, wherein the or each reservoir has a predefined volume.

54. The cosmetic product mixer of claim 49, wherein the or each reservoir is a low friction plunger cartridge.

55. The cosmetic product mixer of claim 49, further comprising a sealing apparatus configured to seal the vessel after formation of the cosmetic product.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0116] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0117] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an imaging device according to the present disclosure;

[0118] FIG. 2 shows a sensor surface of the imaging device of FIG. 1;

[0119] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view of a portion of the sensor surface of FIG. 2;

[0120] FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of a user device according to the present disclosure;

[0121] FIG. 5 shows a schematic diagram of a server according to the present disclosure;

[0122] FIG. 6 shows a schematic diagram of a cosmetic product mixer according to the present disclosure;

[0123] FIG. 7 shows a schematic diagram of a formulating apparatus of the cosmetic product mixer of FIG. 6;

[0124] FIG. 8 shows a schematic diagram of a static mixer;

[0125] FIG. 9 shows a schematic diagram of a Venturi mixer;

[0126] FIG. 10 shows a schematic representation of a method according to the present disclosure;

[0127] FIG. 11 shows a flow chart of a method according to the present disclosure; and

[0128] FIG. 12 shows an alternative schematic diagram of a formulating apparatus of the cosmetic product mixer of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0129] The colour of an individual's skin is unique. It is a product of many genetic and environmental factors and changes regularly due to changes in environmental conditions such as sunlight or the seasons. The colour of an individual's skin may be referred to as either skin colour or skin tone. Skin tone is often referred to having two main components, light/darkness (typically described in the Fitzpatrick scale) and undertone, which is the yellow (warm)/red (cool) characteristic of the skin.

[0130] When choosing colour cosmetics, an individual's skin tone is particularly important as users are attempting either to find products to match their skin tone i.e. be the same colour or find cosmetics which complement their tone for example for lipsticks, eyeshadow, blusher and other colour cosmetics.

[0131] Accurately determining a match to a user's skin tone is a difficult task, not only are there many possible colours and therefore a limit to amount of time a user can test by trial and error various products but also the light source with which a user attempts to determine their skin tone can produce inaccurate results. This is primarily due to a phenomenon known as a metamerism whereby colours look different under different lighting conditions.

[0132] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an imaging device 101 which is used to measure a biometric measurement of a user. In an implementation, the imaging device 101 is used to determine data indicative of the colour of a user's skin. Advantageously, the imaging device 101 is able to calculate a user's skin colour with no effect from ambient light. Examples of an imaging device 101 that may be used are the Pico scanner, or Cube scanner, both of which manufactured by Palette Pty.

[0133] The imaging device 101 comprises an activation button 102 which is used by the user to turn on the imaging device 101, and is also used to commence imaging of the user's skin, a charging port 103 which is used to charge a battery (not visible) within the imaging device 101, a sensor surface 104 which is arranged to be pressed against the user's skin during imaging, and a cap 105 for covering the sensor surface 104 when not in use and during calibration of the imaging device 101. The cap 105 features a calibrating surface 105a, located on an inner surface of the cap 105. The calibrating surface 105a will be described in further detail below.

[0134] A front view of the sensor surface 104 is shown in FIG. 2, which shows an aperture 106 which defines a recessed housing in the sensor surface 104. An enlarged view of the aperture 106 is shown in FIG. 3. A light source 107, a light sensor 108 and a processing module 109 are disposed within the recessed housing. In an implementation, such as when using the Pico sensor, the light source 107 comprises three LEDs, where the colour emitted by each of the LEDs may be red, green and blue, and the light sensor 108 comprises four photo-diodes, where each photo-diode is a red photo-diode, green photo-diode, blue photo-diode and multi-colour photo-diode. The processing module 109 may comprise a processor and memory for controlling the imaging device 101.

[0135] The imaging device 101 also comprises a communications module (not shown) configured to connect to an external device, such as a user device 201 or server 301 described below. The communications module may comprise, for example, an LPWAN transceiver or Bluetooth transceiver. Other communication protocols may also be used.

[0136] During imaging of the skin, as described in more detail below, the sensor surface 104 is pressed against a portion of the user's skin and each of the LEDs 107 are energised in turn so as to emit light of different wavelengths onto the skin. The light sensor 108 is arranged to receive the reflected light from the skin. Values representative of the reflected light recorded at the light sensor 108 therefore provide an indication as to the colour of the user's skin. The values representative of the reflected light recorded at the light sensor 108 may be converted into CIELAB values, L*, a*, and b*, where L* is for the lightness and a* and b* for the green-red and blue-yellow colour components respectively. The colour value is indicative of the user's skin tone, and can thus be used to compare and match against colours from fan decks, colour standards or cosmetic colours, or can be used as the basis for custom manufacturing cosmetic colours to match the skin tone. As the sensing surface 104 is pressed against the user's skin, ambient light from the environment is preventing from landing on the light sensor 108. That is, the only light landing on the light sensor 108 is light reflected off the user's skin, said light originating from the light source 107.

[0137] Imaging of the skin presents a number of technical challenges. In particular, it can be difficult to determine colour values measured from skin by illuminating the skin and analysing the reflected signal. For example, it may be found that some imaging devices do not accurately measure the colour of a user's skin. For example, when using a particular imaging device which is configured to image paint to obtain CIELAB values of the colour of a user's skin, a subsequent cosmetic product made to match the obtained CIELAB values may not, when applied to the user, visually match the colour of the user's skin. This is due, in part, to the fact that skin is translucent, and certain wavelengths of light penetrate further into the skin compared with others.

[0138] Depending on the type of imaging device used, some form of correction to the outputted values may need to be applied. The correction may be applied using an algorithm containing one or more correcting factors, e.g. that correct the CIELAB values obtained from the imaging device. The correcting factors may be determined empirically. For example, cosmetic products may be mixed to match a number of different user's skin. Measurements may be taken, using the imaging device, of each of the matching cosmetic products and each of the users' skin. A correcting factor may be determined based on the difference between the measurements. For example, a different correcting factor may be applied to each of the L*, a*, and b* values so as to obtain a modified set of values. The modified values, when used to mix a cosmetic product, results in a cosmetic product which more closely matches the user's skin. This process may be applied to different users with different skin colours.

[0139] An additional problem with imaging the skin is that skin is not a flat surface, and curvature of the skin can affect how light is reflected from the surface. In an implementation, the sensor surface 104 comprises a transparent film arranged 110 over the aperture 106.

[0140] The film 110 may comprise glass, acrylic, polycarbonate or other high light transmissive polymers. The film 110 forces the user's skin into a flat surface, reducing curvature of the skin, during imaging. Furthermore, the film 110 keeps the light source 107 and light sensor 108 protected from oils or other contaminants present on the user's skin.

[0141] In an implementation, the film 110 may have a thickness of less than or equal to 0.3 mm, and have an anti-reflective coating which allows light transmission of more than 97% and light reflectance of more than 1%.

[0142] In an alternative implementation, the film 110 may have a thickness of up to 100 microns and may be comprised of polypropylene or other polyolefin with light transmission of more 97% and light reflectance of more than 1%.

[0143] FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of the user device 201. In the described implementation the user device 201 is a mobile phone, but it will be appreciated that the user device may be a laptop, tablet, PDA, PC, smart watch, or other user device capable of processing computer data.

[0144] The user device 201 comprises a processor 202, a memory 203, a transceiver 204 and a user interface 205, such as a touchscreen. The memory stores a computer program 206, such as an app, which can be used in conjunction with the imaging device 101. The transceiver 204 provides connectivity to the imaging device 101 and to a server 301. The app 206 may allow the user to register with a service for providing customised cosmetic products. The service may provide the server 301 with which the app 206 may connect to so as to upload data from the user device 201 to the server 301. The app 206 may connect to the server 301, using the transceiver 204, over any suitable network, such as the internet.

[0145] FIG. 5 shows a schematic diagram of the server 301. The server 301 comprises a processor 302, a memory 303, a transceiver 304 and a database 305. The memory 303 stores a computer program 306, which when executed by the processor 302, causes the server 301 to carry out one or more methods of the present disclosure. The database 305 comprises one or more user accounts 307, and data relating to a plurality of cosmetic product mixers 401. For each user that is registered with the service, there is a corresponding user account. Each user account 307 comprises details of the user such as the user's name and address and may comprise data indicative of physical features of the user. Each user account 307 may also comprise location information relating to the user, such as the user's address, and/or a preferred location for collecting a cosmetic product.

[0146] The server 301 is configured to receive biometric data of the user. In an implementation, such data may be indicative of the colour of a user's skin, such as CIELAB values. The server 301 determines a recipe (mixture of ingredients and relative qualities) such that a cosmetic product made to the recipe has the same CIELAB values as the user's skin, e.g. matches the user's skin. The determination of the recipe may be determined using a model. For example, the model may be based on a database which correlates recipes with CIELAB values. The database may be built by developing many different formulations of a given cosmetic product, each formulation having different ratios of ingredients, and taking a measurement of each of the formulations' CIELAB values. The measurement of each of the formulations' CIELAB values may be taken using the imaging device 101. A model, such as an algorithm, can then be created based on the data in the database and used to predict a recipe which will have a matching CIELAB value to a user's skin CIELAB value. Machine learning may be used in developing the model. For example, a trained neural network may be used to predict ingredients (and quantities or ratios of said ingredients) based on a desired colour.

[0147] FIG. 6 shows a schematic diagram of a cosmetic product mixer 401. The cosmetic product mixer 401 is configured to mix ingredients to form a customised cosmetic product. The cosmetic product mixer 401 comprises a processor 402, a memory 403, a transceiver 404, a user interface 405 and a formulation apparatus 406. The memory 403 stores a computer program 407, which when executed by the processor 402, causes the cosmetic product mixer 401 to carry out a method of the present disclosure.

[0148] A cosmetic product typically includes a bulk material, which can be defined as a material making up to more than 50% of the formulation, either weight or volume, or a material having the highest proportion of the total formulation. For example, in a typical liquid foundation the product may comprise the following: [0149] Water may make up to more than 50-90% of the formulation; [0150] Colourings made up of an emulsifier/pigment/emollient blend may make up to 5-50% of the formulation, where the following are examples of ingredients that may be in the blend: [0151] Emulsifiers—PPG/PEG/silicone co-polymer emulsifiers or sometimes called silicone co-polyols. These allow the creation of w/si and si/w emulsions. These silicone emulsifiers contain at least 1 water soluble group (e.g. PEG) and 1 silicone soluble group (e.g. dimethicone). Emulsifiers containing 2 water soluble groups show enhanced stability and emulsifying capabilities. [0152] Emollients—these include, as examples: [0153] Cyclopentasiloxane [0154] Dimethicone [0155] Isododecane [0156] Phenyltrimethicone [0157] C12-15 Alcohol Benzoate [0158] Isononyl Isononanoate [0159] Pigments, for example: [0160] White—using titanium dioxide or zinc oxide; [0161] Black—using iron oxide [0162] Red—using iron oxide [0163] Yellow—using iron oxide [0164] Blue—using ultramarine [0165] Effect pigments, for example [0166] mica, Boron Nitride, Bismuth Oxychloride [0167] Emulsion stabilizers, for example: [0168] Disteardimonium Hectorite, Polyethylene, carbomer, fumed Silica, Silica Silylate, Sodium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, polyacrylate [0169] Preservatives, for example: [0170] Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexyl Glycerin, Hexanediol, Disodium EDTA [0171] Active ingredients may make up 1-10% of the formulation, where the following are examples of active ingredients: [0172] Humectant/moisturisers (making up to 1-10% of the formulation) [0173] Glycerin, butylene glycol, propendiol, sodium hylarounate [0174] Actives (making up to 1-5% of the formulation) [0175] Peptides, vitamins, stem cell extracts [0176] UV protection (making up to 1-5% of the formulation) [0177] butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane (BM BM), ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EHMC), octocrylene (OCT) [0178] Skin feel adjusters/emollients.

[0179] The cosmetic product mixer 401 is configured to be relatively small when compared with industrial mixers, such that it may be located in areas where space is limited, such as shop floors, cafes, bars, sports centres, etc. For example, the cosmetic product mixer 401 may have dimensions in the region of wide, deep, high. That is, the cosmetic product mixer 401 may be similar in size or volume to a typical vending machine, and is relatively small when compared with industrial mixers used in factories that manufacture cosmetic products.

[0180] FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of the formulation apparatus 406. The formulation apparatus 406 comprises a plurality of reservoirs 407a, 407b, . . . 407f for storing component ingredients in a fluid form for a cosmetic product in an inventory section. Six reservoirs are shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 7, but it will be appreciated that more or less reservoirs may be used. The reservoirs 407 are configured to be removable such that individual reservoirs may be removed and replaced. For example, when one of the reservoirs has become empty a new pre-filled reservoir may be installed. The reservoirs 407 are made from a material which is compatible with the ingredients to be stored within the reservoirs 407. An example material may be a plastic material, PET, HDPE, PP, PVC, ACRYLIC, or PLA. Additionally foil pouches or aluminium containers may be used.

[0181] Each reservoir 407 may be labelled with an RFID, barcode, QR code or other machine readable code which encodes data indicative of the component ingredient stored within the reservoir 407. The machine readable code may be read by a scanner (not shown) of the cosmetic product mixer 401 and the data indicative of the ingredient stored within the reservoir 407 may be stored in the memory 403 of the cosmetic product mixer 401 and/or transmitted to the server 301 using the transceiver 404. The data indicative of the ingredient stored within the reservoir may comprise details such as a specification, weight/volume and other information about the ingredient.

[0182] Each reservoir 407 may contain a different ingredient, where the specific ingredients are provided depend on what type of cosmetic product the cosmetic product mixer is configured to produce. For example, in order for the cosmetic product mixer 401 to produce a liquid based foundation having a specific colour, there may be a reservoir 407 of water, four reservoirs 407 of an emulsifier/pigment/emollient blend, one of each reservoir having a colour of red yellow black and white, and one or more additional reservoirs 407 containing active ingredients such as moisturisers, skin feel adjusters, preservative, etc. Each emulsifier/pigment/emollient blend is premixed with one or more coloured pigments to create four colours, red, yellow, white, black, with each coloured ingredient occupying one of the four reservoirs. The pigments can include iron oxides, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, micas and other metal inorganic pigments, dyes or lakes.

[0183] The reservoirs 407 may have the same, or differing, volumes. For example, if an ingredient is typically used more often than another ingredient, the reservoir holding the ingredient which is used more often may be larger than the other reservoirs so as to hold a larger volume of the ingredient.

[0184] For each of the plurality of reservoirs, there are a plurality of pumps 408a, 408b, . . . 408f. Each pump 408 is driven by a motor 409 (only one of the motors is labelled in FIG. 7 for clarity). In an implementation the motors 409 are stepper motors. The pumps 408 and motors 409 are fixed on a gantry support 414 such that the pumps 408 are located above their respective reservoir 407. Each pump 408 has an inlet 410 and an outlet 411 (only the inlet and outlet of pump 408a is labelled in FIG. 7). The inlet 410 is connected via an inlet tube 412 to the pump's respective reservoir 407 for drawing fluid from the reservoir 407 to the pump 408. The outlet 411 is connected via an outlet tube 413 to a mixer 415 for pumping fluid from the pump 408 to the mixer 415 (only one outlet tube 413 is shown for clarity in FIG. 7). The inlet tubes 412 and outlet tubes 413 are made from cosmetic grade or compatible materials such as silicone, silicone elastomer, non-phthalate plasticised PVC, PFTE, or Fluoropolymer (Viton Tubing). Typically grades produced for the pharmaceutical industry may also be used. The inlet tubes 412 and outlet tubes 413 may be configured to be easily replaced for maintenance. For example, the inlet 412 and outlet 413 tubes may connect to the pump 408 using barbed adapters. Luer locks help secure the piping to the pump 408 in a way that prevents any leakage but which can be easily removed for maintenance.

[0185] However, other securing means may be used, such as barbed adapters and pre-molded connectors.

[0186] In an implementation the pumps 408 are peristaltic pumps. Peristaltic pumps are advantageous in that they do not come into contact with the ingredient being pumped, but instead squeeze an outer layer of tubing containing the ingredient. This reduces potential contamination of the ingredients, and of the end cosmetic product.

[0187] Peristaltic pumps are further advantageous in that they can pump precise volumes of fluid due to their design. It is therefore possible for the processor 402 to calculate the total volume of fluid dispensed over time and to know how much of each ingredient remains in each reservoir 407. When a given reservoir is low, the processor 402 may produce an output, either to the server 301 or on the user interface 405 to alert a user that the reservoir 407 needs replacing or refiling. Further advantages of peristaltic pumps are that they are self-priming, and are able to fully eject the liquid contained within the pump 408. Additionally, the physical space occupied by peristaltic pumps is relatively low when compared with other types of pumps.

[0188] The pumps 408 and associated motors 409 may have different power ratings relative to one another depending on characteristics of the ingredient to be pumped by a given motor, such as the ingredient's viscosity, or on the amount of ingredient the given motor will pump. Different tube sizes for the inlet and outlet tubes 412, 413 may also be used depending on the ingredient to be pumped. For example, bulk ingredients, such as those that make up typically over 50% of the weight or volume of the cosmetic product, may be pumped using higher powered motors with wider tubing to create a faster pumping profile, since bulk ingredients are used in greater quantity than other ingredients.

[0189] The pumps 408 and associated motors 409 may be configured to provide a reverse flow in order to drawback remaining fluid from the outlet tube 413. The pump 408 may draw back the fluid so as to keep the fluid meniscus in a predetermined place within the outlet tube 413. By drawing the fluid back, the cosmetic product mixer 401 knows where the fluid is in the tube, improving accuracy when delivering the fluid at a later time. Additionally, it helps prevent dripping, as once the meniscus is within the tube 413 air pressure helps keep it in position for longer. If the pumping stops without the drawback there is a reliance on surface tension to hold the fluid in place within the tube 413. If the surface tension fails an uncontrolled volume is dropped from the tube 413 and the exact position of the meniscus is not completely known.

[0190] While peristaltic pumps have been described, it will be appreciated that other pumps could be used, such as syringe pumps.

[0191] The mixer 415 is arranged to mix ingredients received from the reservoirs. As the ingredients are mixed they may be emulsified by the mixer.

[0192] In the implementation shown in FIG. 7, a rotating funnel mixer is shown, where the ingredients are pumped via outlet nozzles 420 onto a surface of a mixing funnel 416 which is configured to be rotated as the ingredients are pumped onto the mixing funnel 416. The mixing funnel 416 may be rotated at 50-500 rpm, depending on the ingredients being mixed. Rotation of the mixing funnel 416 is provided by rotation means. In an implementation the rotation means comprises a motor 419. A first gear 417 is circumferentially arrange about an outer surface of the mixing funnel 416, the first gear 417 configured to engage a second gear 418 which is coupled to the motor 419 via a drive shaft 419a. In this way, rotation provided by the motor 419 is transferred via the first and second gears 417, 418 to the mixing funnel 416. It will be appreciated that any suitable means may be used for causing the mixing funnel 416 to rotate.

[0193] The bulk ingredient, such as water, may be dispensed first onto the mixing funnel 416 so as to coat the inside of the mixing funnel 416 with a film of the bulk material. Additional ingredients, such as pigments, are then dispensed simultaneously with the bulk ingredient onto the surface of the mixing funnel so as to equally distribute them within the bulk fluid film on the mixing funnel 416. The additional ingredients may be dispensed in a dropwise pattern. Dispensing the additional ingredients onto the mixing funnel 416 as the mixing funnel 416 rotates in a dropwise pattern helps to distribute the ingredients with smaller inclusion levels equally within the bulk fluid and facilitates their mixing with the bulk fluid. Furthermore, rotation of the mixing funnel creates a centrifugal force and shear on the fluid sitting on it, helping to mix the fluid. As the ingredients are being mixed, they slide down the surface of the mixing funnel 416 due to the action of gravity, where they leave the mixing funnel via a dispensing nozzle 421. The product may thicken/stabilise after it has left the dispensing nozzle 421, e.g. once it has entered a container 422.

[0194] Such a method of mixing differs from typical industrial mixing practices in that all the ingredients are added simultaneously together in their appropriate ratios. This can lead to lower energy consumption when mixing to emulsify and stabilise the product than would otherwise be required in an industrial setup.

[0195] The mixing funnel 416 may comprise a low friction coating and can additionally be coated with hydrophobic or lipophobic coatings depending on the ingredients to be mixed. The mixer 415, or parts of the mixer 415 such as the mixing funnel 416, may also be configured to be removable for cleaning or replacement.

[0196] The cosmetic product mixer 401 may comprise one or more additional or alternative mixers 415.

[0197] For example a static mixer may be used. A static mixer may be particularly useful for fluids where homogeneous mixing and/or emulsification is required. Static mixers use baffles to cause mixing of fluid as the fluid is forced passed the baffles, and can be particularly effective when combining immiscible liquids or to emulsify oils and water based fluids. FIG. 8 shows a schematic illustration of a static mixer 516. The static mixer 516 comprises a main inlet tube 517 for dispensing the bulk ingredient into a manifold 518 of the mixer 516. A plurality of additional inlet tubes 519 are provided for dispensing the additional ingredients into the manifold 518. The manifold 518 comprises an outlet tube 520 which connects to a static mixer comprises baffles 521. After the fluid has travelled past the baffles it is directed towards a dispensing nozzle. The main inlet tube and outlet tube 520 are arranged in line with each other, with the additional inlet tubes 519 arranged generally perpendicular to the main inlet tube 517. This arrangement helps further mix the ingredients prior to entering the static mixer 516. The outlet tube 520 may be detachable from the manifold 518. The additional inlet tubes 519 may have a diameter less than the main inlet tube 517.

[0198] Another example of a mixer 415 that may be used is a Venturi mixer 616. When using a Venturi mixer, mixing of the fluid may take place using a compressed air jet. An advantage of using compressed air is that the ingredients are finely dispersed creating small droplet sizes which are ideal for mixing. Additionally the turbulence created by the airflow aids the mixing process additionally. A Venturi mixer is particularly useful when mixing low viscosity formulations.

[0199] FIG. 9 shows a schematic illustration of a Venturi mixer 616. The Venturi mixer 616 comprises a main inlet tube 617 for supplying a compressed gas into a manifold 618. In an implementation, rather than using a compressed gas, the bulk ingredient of the particular cosmetic product being mixed may be delivered compressed via the main inlet tube 417. A plurality of ingredient inlet tubes 619 are provided for dispensing ingredients of the cosmetic product into the manifold 618. The manifold 618 comprises a diffuser 620 which connects to a dispensing outlet 621 for dispensing the mixed cosmetic product. The main inlet tube 617 and diffuser 620 are arranged generally in line with each other, with the ingredient inlet tubes 619 arranged generally perpendicular to the main inlet tube 617. The diameter of the ingredient inlet tubes may differ from one another depending on the type/amount of ingredient to be pumped, e.g. bulk or additional ingredient. The main inlet 617 tapers 617a so as to become narrower in diameter as it enters the manifold 618 so as to reduce the fluid pressure of the compressed air via the Venturi effect. As the air flows past the inlet tubes 619, a pressure difference between the air and the ingredients within the inlet tubes 619 pulls the ingredients from the inlet tubes 619, helping them to mix together within the manifold 618 and diffuser 620 before entering the dispensing outlet 621.

[0200] Once the ingredients have been mixed in the mixer 415 to produce a cosmetic product, the cosmetic product is dispensed. In an implementation, the mixed product is dispensed from a dispensing nozzle 421 into a container 422. The cosmetic product may be dispensed such that it continues to emulsify in the container 422 on dispensation. The mixed product can additionally be mixed further by simply shaking the container 422 after dispensing. Additionally a metal ball may be placed in the container 422 to aid mixing when shaking the container.

[0201] In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 12, the pump is a peristaltic pump 1202 and the reservoir is a low friction plunger cartridge 1203. Although depicted as vertical here with the plunger 1203a above the dispense point 1203b of the cartridge 1203, the low friction plunger cartridge 1203 may be positioned in any orientation. A dip tube is not required and instead a single tube 1205 runs from the dispense point 1203b of the low friction plunger cartridge 1203 to a dispense tip 1207, which is typically made of steel, via the peristaltic pump 1202. The peristaltic pump 1202 acts on an outer surface of the tube 1205, while not requiring that the tube 1205 be physically separated at any point. That is, a single piece of tube 1205 may provide uninterrupted fluid communication between the dispense point 1203b and the dispense tip 1207. The dispense tip 1207 is easily cleaned and may be immersed in liquid or capped between uses to prevent drying out of fluid within the tube 413. One low friction plunger cartridge, peristaltic pump and dispense tip is depicted here for clarity, however, it will be understood that multiple low friction plunger cartridges 1203, each with their own tube 1205, may be present. Multiple tubes may feed through a single peristaltic pump, dispensing from each tube limited by valves (not shown). Alternatively, each tube 1205 may have a dedicated peristaltic pump 1202. In a further variant, the dispense tip 1207 is a manifold nozzle with channels for each ingredient.

[0202] In this embodiment, the ingredients are dispensed directly into the vessel 422 (e.g. container), which holds a magnetic stirrer bar 1201. The magnetic stirrer bar 1201 may have any suitable form or shape to facilitate mixing of ingredients, such as an elongate bar. The magnetic stirrer bar 1201 may comprise any suitable material capable of reacting to an electromagnetic field as is well known in the art. The magnetic stirrer bar 1201 may be coated with PTFE so as to ensure inert effect on the ingredients being mixed.

[0203] The magnetic stirrer bar 1201 is activated by a rotating magnetic field. In the implementation shown, a magnetic stirrer 1204 generates the rotating magnetic field. Any suitable magnets may be used. In a preferred implementation, neodymium magnets are used. The stirrer bar 1201 is rotated with the magnetic field and acts to stir the ingredients which have been dispensed into the vessel 422 to form the intermediate. In the example shown in FIG. 12, the magnetic stirrer 1204 is located underneath the vessel 422. The extent of mixing of the ingredients may be monitored by one or more sensors. Alternatively, the time required to obtain sufficient mixing may be estimated based on data relating to the ingredients that are to be mixed (e.g. their viscosities and relative quantities). Once the intermediate is observed or estimated to be well-mixed the stirrer bar 1201 is stopped and/or the final ingredient is added (depending on the recipe for the cosmetic product) to increase the viscosity of the intermediate and form the cosmetic product. The magnetic stirrer bar 1201 may be left within the vessel 422. This allows a user to optionally remix or merely agitate the ingredients at a later date. Alternatively, the magnetic stirrer bar 1201 may be removed, such as by passing the vessel 422 through a magnetic field which removes the magnetic stirrer bar 422 through the aperture in the vessel 422.

[0204] The rotating magnetic field generated by the magnetic stirrer 1204 may be generated in any suitable way. For example, the magnetic stirrer 1204 may comprise a magnet configured to be rotated by, for example, a motor such as a DC motor. Alternatively, the rotating magnetic field may be generated by one or more electromagnets.

[0205] While shown as being located underneath the vessel 422, the magnetic mixer 1204 may be located laterally with respect to the vessel 422 (e.g. vertically in the frame of reference of FIG. 12). This arrangement may be used in order to generate vertical mixing of the product, where the magnetic stirrer bar 1201 is also arranged laterally with respect to the vessel 422.

[0206] In alternative implementations, the magnetic stirrer bar 1201 may move laterally through the vessel 422. For example, the magnetic stirrer bar 1201 may be caused to rotate about an axis of rotation in order to stir the ingredients, and may also be caused to move laterally along (or along a component of) the axis of rotation (vertical in the frame of reference of FIG. 12). In this way, the magnetic stirrer bar 1201 may move gradually through the ingredients to ensure complete mixing throughout the vessel. This may be beneficial for higher viscosity materials, such as materials having a viscosity of <100,000 cps.

[0207] The container 422 may be placed in a dispensing area of the cosmetic product mixer 401 prior to dispensing. For example, a user may place the container 422 in the dispensing area prior to instructing the cosmetic product mixer 401, via the user interface 405 for example, to mix the ingredients. The dispensing area may comprise a mass balance system 423. The mass balance system 423 comprises scales onto which the container 422, and magnetic stirrer 1204 if used, is placed ready for receiving the cosmetic product. Alternatively, the mass balance system 423 may be placed between the magnetic stirrer 1204 and the container 422, or the mass balance system 423 and magnetic stirrer 1204 may be a single, multifunctional unit. The scales may comprise a load cell which deforms when weight is applied to the load cell, where deformation of the load cell changes the resistance of the cell, allowing weight to be determined. The mass balance system 423 may be configured to detect when the container 422 has been placed in the dispensing area prior to dispensing the cosmetic product. The mass balance system 423 may also be configured to confirm the correct weight of the dispensed cosmetic product and therefore confirm that the correct volume of cosmetic product has been dispensed.

[0208] For example, when the cosmetic product mixer 401 receives a recipe, such as from the server 301, the processor 402 calculates the number of steps for each motor based on the weight of each ingredient to be dispensed. The dispensing begins and the mass balance system 423 is able to track the weight gain as the product is being dispensed.

[0209] In the event that the weight data from the mass balance system 423 differs from the assumed weight data, the cosmetic product mixer 401 may generate a warning and stop production. Alternatively the cosmetic product mixer 401 can store the data in the memory 403 over time such that trends like under or over delivery which might be a flag for inspection/service can be logged. Such logging data may periodically be uploaded to the server 301.

[0210] The processor 402 can use data from the mass balance system to track the speed of production, for example, based on the rate of change of the weight of the container. For example if the processor 402 determines that the product is being dispensed slower than expected over time or there is a sudden drop in performance it might indicate an issue with one of the pumps 408. If a pump 408 is turning as expected but the dispensing is slower than expected, this could indicate that there is a tubing leak.

[0211] In an alternative implementation, rather than dispensing the cosmetic product into a container 422, the cosmetic product mixer 401 may apply the mixed product directly to a person or other item. For example, a Venturi mixer of the type described above may be used to dispense the cosmetic product from the cosmetic product mixer 401 in a fine mist. A user may stand in front of the dispensing outlet 621 such that the product is applied directly to them.

[0212] The cosmetic product mixer 401 may further comprise a drip catching tray 424. For example, upon completion of dispensing, the drip catching tray 424 may be extended by an arm (not shown) such that the drip tray 424 is underneath the dispensing nozzle 421 so as to catch any remaining product which may drip from the dispensing nozzle 421.

[0213] The cosmetic product mixer 401 may further comprise a UV light source (not shown). For example, a UV-C light may be installed within the dispensing area such that after dispensing has been completed and the container 422 has been removed from the dispensing area, the dispensing area is bathed in UV-C light so as to kill any microbes in the dispensing area. A UV light shield, such as a door, may be used to cover the dispensing area during emitting of the UV-C light so as to prevent UV-C light from leaving the cosmetic product mixer 401.

[0214] The transceiver 404 may be capable of connecting to a LAN or WLAN, such as a Wi-Fi or GSM connection point. The transceiver is configured to allow a connection to be established between the cosmetic product mixer 401 and an external computer, such as the server 301. The cosmetic product mixer 401 may receive instructions to mix a cosmetic product from the server 301 via the transceiver 404. The transceiver 404 may also be used to send or push updates from the server 301 to the cosmetic product mixer 401, and for the cosmetic product mixer 401 to send diagnostic information to the server 301. The cosmetic product mixer 401 may further comprise a cable connection interface such as a USB port for local communication. This may be beneficial when a service engineer wants to locally communicate with the cosmetic product mixer 401 during servicing or repairing of the cosmetic product mixer 401.

[0215] Water typically makes up a significant portion of a formula of emulsion or water based cosmetic products and water is often the bulk ingredient within such products. In such cases where the cosmetic product mixer 401 mixes water based products, the cosmetic product mixer 401 may further comprise a water source. The water source may comprise a tank or reservoir which can be filed with water prior to mixing. The tank or reservoir may be located internally or externally from the cosmetic product mixer 401. The water source may be a connection to a mains water supply. A connection to a mains water supply is advantageous in that it reduces the size of the cosmetic product mixer 401 as there is no need for the cosmetic product mixer 401 to comprise a water tank.

[0216] In an implementation, electrical components of the cosmetic product mixer, such as the processor 402, memory 403, transceiver 404, user interface 405, motors 409, are suspended above any surface where liquid could collect in the event of the leak or are housed in water proof housings. Additionally the cosmetic product mixer 401 may have grills/holes set within a base to avoid leaks being able to pool within the cosmetic product mixer 401.

[0217] The cosmetic product mixer 401 may be able to work independent of the server 301. For example, the cosmetic product mixer 401 may offer users a range of pre-determined mixtures which a user can choose via the user interface 405. Selection, by the user, of one of the pre-determined mixes causes the cosmetic product mixer 401 to mix and dispense a product based on the pre-determined mix. Alternatively, the user may enter data into the cosmetic product mixer 401, where the data is indicative of the colour of the user's skin. As an example, the app and/or the imaging device 101 may output a machine readable code to the user, such as a hex code, which identifies the data representative of the colour of the user's skin, such as CIELAB values described above. This allows a user to manually input the hex code into the cosmetic product mixer 401 via the user interface 405. The cosmetic product mixer 401 may be configured to determined, based on the received data, a recipe which would have the same CIELAB values as the user, in a similar manner to that described above with respect to the server 301.

[0218] There will now be described an example manufacturing process for creating a shampoo. The shampoo may be created without using the imaging device. For example, a user may request a shampoo having a pre-determined mixture via the user interface 405 at the cosmetic product mixer 401, or remotely via their user device 201 and the server 301.

[0219] A concentrated blend of sodium laureth sulfate, betaine (surfactants) is stored in a first reservoir 407. Additional ingredients such as ingredients to improve the feel of the hair, the condition and cosmetic properties of the shampoo (colour/fragrance) are stored in the other reservoirs 407. A concentrated brine (salt water) solution is held in another reservoir 407. A further reservoir 407 of citric acid solution may also be included.

[0220] The ingredients are dispensed from the different reservoirs 407, along with water, simultaneously to form a shampoo (the intermediate). Then the brine is added as a further ingredient in order to thicken the shampoo (to form the cosmetic product). Adding the brine after forming the intermediate thickens the shampoo at the end of the production cycle, meaning that the ingredients in the reservoirs can be kept at a low viscosity. This reduces the power required to pump the ingredients to the mixer 415 (or vessel 422). As an alternative to brine, a thickener such as guar or synthetic polymer can be used as the further ingredient.

[0221] In some implementations a mixed product may be produced by the cosmetic product mixer 401 using a pre-produced base, such as a ready-made foundation, where only the colour is adjusted rather than creating the product formulation from scratch. For example, two reservoirs may contain the same base foundation, but having differing colours, e.g. one may have a light colour with an L* value of higher than 65, and the other have a dark colour with an L* value of lower than 50. Four reservoirs may contain different coloured pigments, such as dispersions in silicone or oil of titanium dioxide (white) or iron oxide (red) or iron oxide (yellow) or iron oxide (black). Additional reservoirs may contain other ingredients such as active ingredients. Given a user's L* value, a ratio of the two base foundations may be determined based on a model which would match the user's L* value. The a* and b* values of this mixture may also be determined from the model, allowing a determination of what additional pigments to add in order to match the user's a* and b* values. The model may be determined based on empirical data, as described above.

[0222] With reference to FIG. 10, there will now be described a method of using the imaging device 101, user device 201, server 301, and cosmetic product mixer 401 to determine a user's skin tone and prepare a customised cosmetic product. Advantageously, the method does not require the user to be assisted by an expert user.

[0223] A user of the imaging device 101 may initially register with the server 301. This may be done by downloading and executing the app 206 on the user's user device 201. Registration may comprise providing the server 301 with details about the user. For example, the details may comprise any of the user's name, location, billing information, and data indicative of one or more physical characteristics of the user.

[0224] When the user wishes to order a cosmetic product, the user may use the app 206 to make an order. The app 206 may, for example, show a list of products that the user can choose from. The list of products may be based on, for example, previous products ordered by the user, and/or recommendation based on previous products ordered by the user. The list of products may be based on stored data indicative of a physical characteristic of the user, such as the user's skin tone, hair colour, etc. The data indicative of a physical characteristic of the user may have been entered into the app 206 during registration, or during a previous order, e.g. a user may have previously used the imaging device 101 to determine the colour of their skin, and data relating to the colour was stored.

[0225] As well as selecting from a predetermined list of products, the app 206 also provides the user with the option to use the imaging device 101 to determine a colour of the user's skin, and then, based on this determination, have a custom cosmetic product prepared.

[0226] When the imaging device 101 is turned on, it may connect via the communications module to the user device 201. The imaging device 101 may perform a calibration routine on start up. During calibration the cap 105 is placed on the imaging device 101 so as to cover the light sensor 107, such that an image taken with the light sensor 107 is of the calibration surface 105a of the cap 105. The light source, such as a number of LEDs, 107 are emitted in sequence and the light sensor 108 measures the received signals, having been reflected off the calibration surface 105a. Values representing each of the received signals are compared against a database of expected values. For example, the imaging device 101 and/or the app 206 have a database which contains the expected raw data values that should be obtained by imaging the calibration surface 105a (the calibration surface 105a may be thought of as a greyscale card). Based on the comparison between received and expected values one or more calibration parameters may be determined which are subsequent used to modify the values recorded by the imaging device 101 following calibration. Calibration can reduce the effect temperature has on the imaging device 101, for example.

[0227] Once calibrated, the cap 105 can be removed and the sensor surface 104 of the imaging device 101 can be placed on the user's skin 501 ready for imaging. The user may be prompted by the app 206 on the user device 201 to take an image of one or more locations of the user's skin. The user may then place the sensor surface 104 at one of the particular locations on the skin. Once placed on the user's skin, the user presses the activation button 102 which causes the imaging device 101 to energise each of the LEDs 107 in sequence to emit light 502 and the light sensor 108 measures the received signals 503 which have been reflected off the user's skin. Values representing each of the received signals therefore provide data representative of a colour of the user's skin. Each of the values representing each of the received signals may be modified accordingly based on the calibration parameters. The user may then take further images at different locations on the skin such that an average value relating to the user's skin colour may be determined.

[0228] In an implementation, the imaging device 101 outputs an CIELAB value (or averaged CIELAB value if multiple readings are taken), of the user's skin. That is, data indicative of the colour of the user's skin may be an CIELAB value which comprises values for L*, a* and b*.

[0229] The data indicative of a colour of the user's skin is transmitted 504 to the app 206 on the user device 201, which transmits 505 the data to the server 301. The data indicative of a colour of the user's skin may be used in a variety of different ways. For example, the data representative of the colour of the user's skin may be matched against existing colours in a database using theoretical colour distances in either the CIELAB (or LCH if used instead of CIELAB) colour models. Colours found to match, e.g. be within a predetermined distance from an existing colour in the database, may then be used to suggest to the user cosmetic products having the same or complementary colour as the matched existing colour. Alternatively, the data representative of the colour of the user's skin can be used to create a custom formulation of a cosmetic product to match the user's skin using the cosmetic product mixer 401, as described above.

[0230] When the app 206 transmits 505 the data indicative of a colour of the user's skin to the server 301, additional data, such as what sort of cosmetic product the user would like mixing, e.g. foundation, may also be sent to the server 301.

[0231] When the server 301 receives the data indicating the colour of the user's skin, the server 301 identifies what ingredients, and how much of each ingredient, are required in order to produce the cosmetic product matching the user's skin, e.g. having the same CIELAB colour values as the user's skin. Once the required ingredients are determined, the server 301 may identify one or more of a plurality of cosmetic product mixers 401 which have the required ingredients and in the required quantities to create the cosmetic product. For example, cosmetic product mixers may periodically send status information to the server. The status information may inform the server 301 what ingredients and in what quantities each cosmetic product mixer 401 contains. The status information may also include what type of mixer 415 the cosmetic product mixer has installed (e.g. static mixer, rotating funnel mixer, Venturi mixer) or details regarding the vessel 422 and mixing component (e.g. the dimensions and shapes of the vessel and stirrer bar) or details regarding the magnetic stirrer.

[0232] The server 301 may select one of the identified one or more of the plurality of cosmetic product mixers 401 based on location information. For example, the server 301 may select a cosmetic product mixer 401 being located closest to the user, or may select the cosmetic product mixer 401 based on user selection. For example, a user may have provided information to the server, such as using the app 206, indicating a particular location that they wish to pick up there product from. Such location data may be stored in the user's profile or may be received at the time of sending 505 the data indicative of the user's skin colour to the server 301.

[0233] Once the server 301 has selected a cosmetic product mixer 401, the server sends 506 data indicative of a recipe for the cosmetic product to the cosmetic product mixer 401 to mix the product. The data indicative of the recipe for the cosmetic product may comprise recipe information, such as the ingredients, quantities of the ingredients, and/or mixing information, such as the order in which the ingredients are to be mixed. The server may also send user details to the cosmetic product mixer 401, such that the cosmetic product mixer 401 may identify the user upon collection of the cosmetic product 401. Prior to mixing, the cosmetic product mixer 401 may confirm that it contains the correct ingredients. If the cosmetic product mixer 401 determines that it does not have the correct ingredients, the cosmetic product mixer 401 may send a message to the server 301 indicating that it does not have the correct ingredients. The server 301 may then identify a different cosmetic product mixer 401 for mixing the product.

[0234] The server 301 may send a confirmation notification to the user device 201. The confirmation notification may inform the user that their order has been received. The confirmation notification may inform the user which cosmetic product mixer 401 to collect their product from, or give an indication as to when the user will receive their product if the cosmetic product is to be sent to the user by post.

[0235] In an implementation, the cosmetic product mixer 401 may automatically begin mixing the product as soon as it receives 506 the instructions to mix the product, or may wait until instructed by the user. For example, the user may go to the cosmetic product mixer 401 which has been sent the instructions, log in via the user interface 405 of the cosmetic product mixer 401, and select an option which causes the cosmetic product mixer 401 to mix and dispense the product.

[0236] Once the cosmetic product has been mixed and dispensed, the cosmetic product mixer may perform a cleaning routine. For example, the bulk ingredient used by the cosmetic product mixer 401 may be flushed through the mixer 415 and dispensing nozzle 421 following mixing of the cosmetic product, in arrangements in which a mixer 415 of the type described with respect to FIG. 7 is used. In an implementation, the bulk ingredient is dispensed both at the beginning and end of the production routine to either coat or clean the mixer 415. As bulk is used in the cosmetic product, flushing the bulk through the mixer cleans the mixer while reducing contamination of subsequent cosmetic products to be mixed.

[0237] The server 301 may store data related to each user and/or each request for a cosmetic product received by the user. That is, information relating to any order may be stored centrally by the server 301. This may be advantageous for quality control purposes. For example, if a user reports an issue with a particular product obtain from the mixer 401, the details of the particular request (such as user ID, cosmetic product mixer ID, ingredients ID, etc) are stored at the server and can be accessed by the server to trace the cause of the issue. For example, an ID of the mixer and optionally of the particular batch of ingredients used can be determined and corrective action may be taken. For example, the mixer 401 may be placed in a suspended mode, where further mixing is prevented from taking place. An engineer may be dispatched to the mixer 401 to remedy the issue.

[0238] Any suitable protocol may be used to transmit data between the user device 201, the server 301 and the mixer 401. In a preferred implementation, a Message Queuing Telemetry Transport MQTT (MQTT) protocol is used. For example, the mixer 401 may subscribe to the server 301 to receive the data indicative of a recipe for the cosmetic product. This negates the need for the mixer 401 to obtain special permission from, for example, a firewall running on a local network to which the mixer 401 is connected. In some implementations, the server 301 may act as an MQTT bridge between one or more mixers 401 and one or more user devices 201.

[0239] In other implementations, the mixer 401 may be able to operate as a Wi-Fi hub (sometimes known as a Wi-Fi hot spot), which a user device 201 may connect to. For example, if a user is at a location, such as a shop, which has a mixer 401, the user may be able to connect to the mixer 401 as a Wi-Fi hub. The mixer 401, may then be able to forward data from the user device 201 to the server 301. This may be useful if the local network to which the mixer 401 is connected is not available to the user device 201.

[0240] FIG. 11 depicts a flow chart of a method for preparing a customised cosmetic product.

[0241] At step S1 first data indicative of a biometric measurement of the user is received. For example, the first data may be received at the server 301 described above.

[0242] At step S2 second data is generated based at least on the first data, the second data indicative of a recipe of a cosmetic product.

[0243] At step S3, a cosmetic product mixer is selected from a plurality of cosmetic product mixers, said selection based at least on the second data.

[0244] At step S4, the second data is output to the selected cosmetic product mixer.

[0245] Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be appreciated that various modifications can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. That is, the described embodiments are to be considered in all respects exemplary and non-limiting. In particular, where a particular form has been described for particular processing, it will be appreciated that such processing may be carried out in any suitable form arranged to provide suitable output data.

[0246] While the examples described have referred to producing a customised cosmetic product to match a colour by mixing ingredients using a particular recipe, the method also allows customisation of cosmetic products for improving or modifying the way a user's skin feels, based on mixing the active ingredients according to a particular recipe. The active ingredients may be determined based on biometric measurements of the user, such as the user's skin type, sebum level, moisturisation level, for example. For example, if a user has a dry skin type, a recipe may be produced having particular active ingredients which provide greater moisturisation. Other customisation of particular cosmetic products may be based on other biometric measurements of a user, such as the user's oxygen blood level.

[0247] While the imaging device 101 has been described as having a battery, it will be appreciated that power may be supplied via a wire contact, such as mains power, or power from a user device such as a laptop.

[0248] It will be appreciated that while the user device 201, such as a mobile phone, has been described, the imaging device may connect directly to a server using any suitable means, such as LPWAN, rather than via user device 201, so as to send the data indicative of the colour of the user's skin.

[0249] It will be appreciated that the server 301 may comprise a number of different servers, and that functions described as being carried out at the server may be distributed over a number of different servers.

[0250] While the described implementations of the cosmetic product mixer have been described with reference to a server, user device, and imagining device, it will be appreciated that in some implementations the cosmetic product mixer may be used without one or more of a server, user device, and imagining device. For example, a user may input data directly into the cosmetic product mixer, such as a biometric measurement, or data indicative of a recipe, and the cosmetic product mixer may prepare a cosmetic product according to any of the methods described herein.

[0251] The app and/or the imaging device 101 may output a machine readable code to the user, such as a hex code, which identifies the data representative of the colour of the user's skin. This allows a user to manually input the hex code into any cosmetic product mixer 401 via the user interface 405.

[0252] While an app 206 has been described, it will be appreciated that this is optional. For example, a web page/web portal may be used instead for registering to a service as described above.

[0253] While CIELAB colour models have been described to indicate the colour of a user's skin, any suitable model may be used, such as the LCH colour model.