Tech Enters the World of Beauty

The whole point of a cosmetics company is to develop and sell products. As a consumer, you have likely noticed that the retail landscape is constantly changing and new products are being launched all the time. How do brands make this happen? Today, I'd like to walk through the general product development process.

Cosmetics and humans have a very long history. Egyptians, 7,000 years ago, saw beauty as a sign of holiness—and used copper carbonate to create green eyeshade. To the Greek philosopher Plato, beauty was indistinguishable from philosophy. Ancient China pioneered painting fingernails. Tribes in Africa—as elsewhere—have used face paints and other elements of cosmetics to denote affiliation, roles, and status. Across the years, poets, painters, and philosophers have weighed in on the role of beauty in cultures around the world. And virtually everywhere, cosmetics in one form or another—for men and women—have played a role.

What is Beauty Tech?

One could trace the birth of Beauty Tech back at least to early paint and photoshopping applications on desktop computers, though it really took off with the more recent advent of AI and AR technology.

“Although beauty tech dates back to the days of boxed computer programs (Cosmopolitan magazine put its name on “virtual makeover software” all the way back in 1998), it’s only recently that big brands have started to invest heavily in the space. The surge in interest has been driven in large part by advances in smartphone technology and the development of advanced beauty tech solutions such as Perfect Corp.’s AR virtual try-on solution for makeup and AI skin diagnostic technologies for skincare brands. Consumers now have their smartphone with them at all times, and through the power of beauty tech, can snap a photo to try on makeup shades and receive a personalized beauty recommendations in seconds.

Using Beauty Tech to Create Personalized Shopping Experiences

Today, beauty is not one size fits all, and when consumers shop for new makeup products, they are seeking out personalized advice and recommendations from brands. The power of AR and AI technology for beauty brands lies with its ability to cater to individual consumers and their specific beauty needs. The deep learning algorithms that drive AR and AI beauty tech help brands provide mass scale personalization to consumers. With these technologies, every customer can try-on products virtually and receive a personalized product regimen.