In Between - Facial Mask
This project proposes a new skincare system based on the collaboration between humans and living organisms. In everyday use, facial masks are often applied according to a fixed duration, such as 15 minutes, yet this timing is frequently overlooked, leading to overuse and potential harm to the skin. Starting from this observation, the project transforms time into a perceptible process: by introducing a living material that can sense, change, and participate, its state shifts in response to the environment, using colour variation to indicate the duration of use. In this way, time is no longer predefined by humans, but is instead made visible and perceptible through a slow and direct transformation.
The system takes the form of a living facial mask, combined with a dedicated container that integrates humidity control and lighting. Together, they form a complete structure in which the material, after use, returns to a microhabitat for regeneration and reuse. Through this cycle of use, return, and regrowth, the project transforms a disposable product into a continuously operating living system, proposing a shift from control to coexistence, and from consumption to collaboration in the practice of care.
Biological Research — In Between
This project is informed by the ability of microalgae to respond to environmental changes. Under variations in salinity, light, and nutrient conditions, certain microalgae produce pigments as an adaptive response, resulting in gradual colour transformation over time. This shift is not merely a surface effect, but a biological reaction to environmental stress. In this project, this phenomenon is translated into a temporal mechanism, where colour becomes a living signal of state and duration — functioning as a bio-indicator.
01 In Between — Microorganism and Human
The project employs the microalga Dunaliella salina, a species adapted to high-salinity and warm environments. Its key characteristic lies in its ability to change pigmentation in response to environmental shifts: as moisture evaporates and salinity increases, the cells transition from a chlorophyll-dominant green state to a carotenoid-rich pink or orange state. Originally a photoprotective response to stress, this transformation is reinterpreted in the project as a perceptible indicator of time. As the mask gradually loses moisture during use, the microalgae respond to the changing environment, allowing the colour shift to act as a bio-indicator of duration.
However, this process also reveals a fundamental boundary. The high-salinity conditions required for the healthy growth of microalgae are not compatible with human skin. What was initially imagined as a direct coexistence between organism and body instead exposes a necessary separation. Rather than resolving this contradiction, the project treats it as a starting point: the relationship between microorganisms and humans is not seamless, but exists within a negotiated “in-between” condition.
02 In Between — Between Layers of the Mask
In response to this boundary, the mask is designed as a dual-layer material system. The inner, skin-facing layer is based on CMD (Carboxymethyl Dextran), a material known for its high water-binding capacity, film-forming ability, and skin compatibility. It creates a soft, hydrated interface on the skin while preventing direct exposure to the high-salinity environment required by the microalgae. At the same time, CMD provides a mineral-like hydrating condition that supports skin comfort and resilience. The outer layer is a hydrogel-based living layer that houses the microalgae, incorporating flaxseed gel as a key component. This plant-derived gel offers high moisture retention, gentle viscosity, and biocompatibility, creating a stable yet breathable environment for the microalgae. It supports even distribution of cells while enabling gradual moisture evaporation — a condition essential for triggering the bio-indicator response.
Although the two layers are physically separated, they remain connected through subtle exchanges of water vapor and environmental conditions. This creates a balanced system in which separation and interaction coexist. This “in-between” is not a barrier, but a mediated relationship that enables communication between distinct environments.
03 In Between — Mask and Regenerative Environment
The third “in-between” exists between the mask and its regenerative environment. After use, the mask is returned to a dedicated container that functions as a small-scale bio-reactor, providing controlled humidity and light conditions to sustain the microalgae. As moisture is restored and salinity decreases, the microalgae gradually shift from a pink/orange state back to a greener state, demonstrating the reversibility of the system.
Rather than being discarded, the mask re-enters this system, where an Arduino-controlled setup simulates the regenerative environment. By coordinating light, humidity, and timing, the device recreates the conditions necessary for the microalgae to recover and return to their initial state. In this way, the container becomes an active bio-reactor, extending the lifecycle of the material and embedding care within a continuous loop.
Team Mumbers
Rafaela Cecconi
Haiyun Wu
Teaching + Technical
Nancy Diniz - Course Leader MA Biodesign
Alice Taylor, Lecturer of Biology and Living Systems
Paula Nerlich, Visiting Practitioner
Jon Flint — Lecturer in Design and Fabrication
Paula Molina, Graduate Teaching Assistant
Technical Support
Paula Corsini – Specialist Grow Lab Technician
Barbara Paes – Specialist Grow Lab Technician
MA BioDesign - CSM - UAL 2024/25