Beauty and Innovation, hitting it off
For the longest time, the only ‘tech’ related buzz in the beauty space was around product technology. And no, it didn’t refer to the fancy gadgets we think of today, but rather referred to the actual ingredients and process that went into creating that anti-aging, pore refining, blast of hydration beauty product that you swear by. Now that’s the first thing I learned as I began writing this and what I was hoping to clarify. However, as I began looking what ‘product technology’ actually is, I came across the fact that there are SO many cool gadgets out there that it would be wrong of me not to share, so that’s what this article will be about…Product (that is) Technology, or in other words to enlighten you with some fascinating innovations happening in the Beauty world. Oh, and just so we’re on the same page, when I refer to ‘Beauty’, this refers to the umbrella that consists of cosmetics, skin scare, hair care, and fragrance.
Let’s go back to the early days. And I mean EARLY, think dinosaurs, when humans would use the natural tints in plants and fruits to decorate themselves. Fast forward a little to Ancient Egypt. We often forget that beauty products have been used for so long starting as early as the Cleopatra days and her kohl lined eyes and infection protecting eye shadow. A thousand years later, soap was used to wash clothes, eventually for personal hygiene. In the early 1900’s fragrance really took off. In the 1950’s hairspray changed the name of the game.
Current day, did you know the global beauty industry was valued at ~550 BILLION (2019) with a CAGR of ~7%?! For a space that is not a commodity, that’s a big number. Which is precisely the reason (other than market saturation of course) beauty companies are investing more and more on innovation from both a product and customer experience perspective.
So what are some cool things happening right now? Here is a snippet of some of the gadgets (coming soon near you, maybe):
Makeup artist to go…otherwise known as Virtual Makeup
YES, I can try on every lipstick shade on without having to sweep the entire Sephora floor looking for some disinfectant for the sample
This one, most of us have either heard about or used by now as all the major players have invested in some type of virtual makeup (AR based) platform! Even TikTok and Youtube have joined in on the fun.
ModiFace, which was acquired by L’oreal, is prominent across MAC stores, Sephora, and many L’oreal brands. Another player, YouCam, has entered the mobile phones of many which uses 3D face scanning to glam anyone up! Now, there’s even an app for your fingernails with ManiMatch. Who thinks this will increase spending habits?
Personalized formulas
Last I checked, I’m one of a kind, so what do you mean that face wash formula is universal?
Shiseido came out with what looks like a 1st generation Amazon echo, but instead of responding back to your voice, it responds to your skin.
An ‘IoT Optune’ analyzes a user’s skin condition, environmental data, and sleep data to create a 2-step skincare regime from 80,000 different patterns (using only 5 skincare cartridges or what they call “Optune Shots”).
Unfortunately, this was launched in Asia and hasn’t made its way to the U.S. yet, but at ~$92/month, I wonder if U.S. consumers would even see the benefit.
https://corp.shiseido.com/en/news/detail.html?n=00000000002712
Face mask in YOUR size?!
to, ya know, relinquish that frustration of getting face mask goop into your hair
Well Neutrogena’s prototype and hope to deliver 3D printed face masks customized to an individual’s face will finally solve the problem. AND they’re aiming to price it in line with current drugstore prices which could really disrupt its face mask making competitors.
https://www.allure.com/story/neutrogena-maskid-3d-printed-face-mask
Get a smarter mirror
as opposed to the dumb one
Have you always wondered how many fine lines you have, dark spots, or pores you have? Well, now with the beginning of the Smart Mirror era, you can have all your questions answered without picking up a magnifying glass.
One of the first of its kind, HiMirror takes one look at you and gives you an assessment of your face — 7 wrinkles, 4 fine lines, 30% roughness… But it’s not all negative news, the mirror also has a virtual make-up studio to try on new looks as well as motivational messages to build confidence. Additionally, it provides customized tips to leave anyone feeling hopeful!
https://www.digitaltrends.com/home/living-with-smart-mirrors/
DIY (do it yourself) light therapy
a ‘no-tan’ tanning bed for your face
LED light-therapy has become a game changer for those with a generous budget and wrinkle phobia! The futuristic looking face mask was only introduced a few years ago and used by estheticians but now expanded to personal use. However, the fact many of these are FDA cleared is almost concerning, something about a bunch of lights aimed at my face sounds like skin cancer but hey, I’m no scientist.
https://www.thecut.com/article/led-light-therapy-masks-at-home-treatment.html
Protect your skin with My Skin Track UV
why not add to the collection, first a smart watch, then a smart ring, now a UV Tracker…with this dermatologist to-go you’re set
L’oreal’s La Roche-Posay has disrupted the skin scare space with their dermatologist backed products and mission of ‘A Better Life for Sensitive Skin’. They’ve built the brand based on a strict formulation charter and have most recently addressed a focus on skin cancer awareness. With that they, created a wearable technology that contains a sensor to measure exposure to environmental aggressors! It’s like an air quality monitor but instead of monitoring just the air, it’s looking at your skin too. Measures UV exposure as well as pollution, pollen, and temperature/humidity and then offers advice and personalized skincare regimes, it’s like your own personal dermatologist.
https://www.laroche-posay.us/my-skin-track-uv
Connect with your package
to find more meaning in your products (or life, if you want to get serious)
Everything is becoming smart now! With the whole movement around sustainability and transparency, there are now smart packaging companies out there like ThinFilm who integrate NFC tags on beauty packages to immerse consumers into digital experiences with the product from including a brand’s story or how the product was handcrafted with local artisans in some far away remote village.
https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smart-packaging-technology
Print your makeup
cause why not, it’s only at just a whopping $599 + $100 per refill
The Opte smart makeup printer scans skin and prints out dots of liquid to conceal your marks (claiming perfectly) to replace the need for foundation. Still a long way to go at the steep price point but the first computer was just as expensive so, here we wait.
That’s all I have for now. If you’re as amazed as I am about this topic, do share any other cool gadgets you’ve come across!
Some fun reads in case you didn’t get enough:
https://www.cbinsights.com/reports/CB-Insights_Beauty-Trends-2019.pdf
https://www.federalpackage.com/news-beauty-technology-2018
https://www.businessinsider.com/beauty-multibillion-industry-trends-future-2019-7
https://loudcloudhealth.com/beauty-industry-statistics/
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/1/100114-cleopatra-eye-makeup-ancient-egyptians/
https://www.cnn.com/style/article/ancient-egypt-beauty-ritual-artsy/index.html
https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/the-history-of-beauty
http://www.historyofcosmetics.net/cosmetic-history/cosmetic-timeline/
#CBSDigitalLiteracy
