Cosmax to build Indonesian skin microbiome database with government research agency

▲ Jung Min-kyung (front, L), head of Cosmax Indonesia, poses for a commemorative photo with officials including Mulyadi Sinun Harjono (front, C), director for industrial research and innovation utilization at the National Research and Innovation Agency, and Sunarno (front, R), head of the agency’s biomedical research center, during a joint research agreement ceremony held at the agency’s headquarters in Jakarta on Feb. 23, 2026. Photo provided by Cosmax. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, March 10 (Yonhap) -- Cosmax, a global cosmetics original design manufacturer, said Tuesday it will analyze the skin characteristics of Indonesian consumers to build a microbiome database.

The company signed a research agreement late last month in Jakarta with the National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia (BRIN) to establish what it calls the "Nusantara Skin Microbiome Map."

The agency is a national integrated research body directly under the president that oversees the country’s research and development strategy and budget management.

The study will be conducted in three major cities on Java Island -- Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Surabaya.

According to Cosmax, the core of the project is to create a "skin map" by precisely analyzing microbial characteristics of the skin of 410 participants with healthy and acne-prone skin.

A microbiome refers to the ecosystem of microorganisms that coexist in the human body and is considered a key factor determining skin health and the immune system.

Because microbiome distribution varies depending on residential regions and climate conditions, analyzing it can help develop cosmetics optimized for consumers in specific regions.

Cosmax said it plans to explore various opportunities for commercialization through long-term cooperation with the Indonesian research agency.

Jung Min-kyung, head of Cosmax Indonesia, said the project will serve as an important step toward providing precise, customized beauty solutions based on data from local consumers’ skin.

"Through public-private cooperation, we aim to serve as a bridge connecting K-beauty with the Indonesian market," she said.

jwc@yna.co.kr

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