Molecular dynamics and machine learning unlock possibilities in beauty design—A perspective

Computational molecular design—the endeavor to design molecules, with various missions, aided by machine learning and molecular dynamics approaches—has been widely applied to create valuable new molecular entities, from small molecule therapeutics to protein biologics. In the small data regime, physics-based approaches model the interaction between the molecule being designed and proteins of key physiological functions, providing structural insights into the mechanism. When abundant data have been collected, a quantitative structure–activity relationship can be more directly constructed from experimental data, from which machine learning can distill key insights to guide the design of the next round of experiment design. Machine learning methodologies can also facilitate physical modeling, from improving the accuracy of force fields and extending them to unseen chemical spaces to more directly enhancing the sampling on the conformational spaces. We argue that these techniques are mature enough to be applied to not just extend the longevity of life but the beauty it manifests. In this Perspective, we review the current frontiers in the research and development of skincare products, as well as the statistical and physical toolbox applicable to addressing the challenges in this industry. Feasible interdisciplinary research projects are proposed to harness the power of machine learning tools to design innovative, effective, and inexpensive skincare products.