It takes a lot to impress a dermatologist — especially when it comes to beauty products. There is a very small, exclusive list of skin care brands that are not only favored by derms, but trusted so much as to be sold to patients from their offices. Perhaps one of the most doctor-recommended and stocked lines is Skinceuticals. The L’Oréal-owned brand features potent antioxidant formulas and treatments aimed at preventing and treating skin damage from the sun, environment, pollution and good old natural aging.

But the brand wasn’t satisfied with just providing skin doctors with products they could feel confident recommending. Starting this September, the brand is going to help dermatologists add a new tool to their skin kit: customized product creation. Developed by L’Oréal’s Technology Incubator — in partnership with Skinceuticals — the brand is rolling out a physician’s-office-only machine that allows dermatologists to both analyze their patients needs and create a completely customized serum to address them. Called D.O.S.E, the lab-quality machine can create made-to-measure formulations using a brand-developed diagnostic tool.

“D.O.S.E acts like a mini skin care laboratory, combining lab-grade formulation and factory grade manufacturing into a machine that sits on the counter,” explained Guive Balooch, Global Vice President of L’Oréal’s Technology Incubator. “The D.O.S.E technology is first-of-its-kind because it is able to mix active ingredients, chosen specifically to target the appearance of skin aging issues, like wrinkles, fine lines and discoloration, into a single serum.”

These ingredients include eight active blends — retinol, proxylane, niacinamide and glycolic acid, among others — that fall into either the exfoliating, brightening or enhancing category. Up to three active blends can be combined in a single serum. First, the patient chooses a base: a hydro-alcoholic one for oily/acne-prone skin, or a light lotion emulsion for dry skin. After the doctor looks at the diagnostic tool’s recommendations, the information is sent to the D.O.S.E machine, which initializes an automated production process. “D.O.S.E has a production-quality compounder that operates at 1,200 rotations per minute to mix ingredients precisely, drop by drop,” said Guive.

The entire process takes mere minutes, meaning the patient walks out the door with a serum in hand. Each bottle is affixed with a personalized label detailing the patient’s name and specific formula, and that formula is kept on file with the doctor for easy mixing of refills. In terms of integration into an existing skin care regimen, D.O.S.E serums are meant to be used after the preventative antioxidant product and before corrective treatments and sunscreen. D.O.S.E products will retail for $195.

“We’ve created a better ecosystem for [dermatologists] to offer enhanced experiences for their patients using technology to address specific skin concerns,” said Guive. “D.O.S.E introduces a new way for physicians to focus on these areas through an adaptable topical treatment plan that starts, ends, and revolves around the consumer.”

According to the handful of dermatologists who have been given machines to use in their practices pre-launch, another big benefit of professionally mixed and monitored products is the opportunity it provides them to track skin responses and overall progress. It’s a feedback loop of skin care that benefits both the doctor and the patient, said the brand.

This combination of technology, personalization and experiences represent a new direction for the skin care industry as a whole and opens up the door to myriad applications. Guive wouldn’t disclose future developments, but hinted in a roundabout way that there are more plans for the machine down the road. Perhaps the technology might find its way into other sectors. Perhaps at-home custom product creation isn’t so far off in the future after all.