The global beauty and personal care market was estimated to be worth over €464 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach €631 billion by 2026.
Innovation through science and technology is helping brands stay ahead of competitors.
ADVERTISEMENTChief Digital & Marketing Officer at L'Oreal Middle East, Mehdi Moutaoukil, told Euronews that the world is now powered by technology and data.
“We have been digitalising our consumer journeys over the last decade and it will continue. So with the rise of Web3 and Metaverse, the possibilities are endless for beauty.”
He said this will allow the company to move into a completely new era of creation not just in terms of products, but for devices and services too, to create improved customer experiences.
Beauty powered by technology
Shoppers are now being driven towards products that do not just make promises about results but are also backed by science.
Global beauty company Cellreturn has developed LED devices alongside NASA scientists that assist with skin rejuvenation, muscle pain and hair loss.
ADVERTISEMENTDr Amanda Powell is the CEO of Cellreturn in the UK & UAE. She explained their technology allows the rays to go 6mm into the skin and be absorbed by the mitochondria of the cells.
“The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell, it creates ATP (adenosine triphosphate) which is the energy of the cell. And so with the rays, it goes into the skin, it creates ATP and a cascade of cellular events to help to rejuvenate, to repair the cells,” she told Euronews.
Luxury facial aesthetics firm, Ouronyx, provides aesthetic beauty treatments for the face. They have taken a holistic approach to the clinic which is described as a 'beauty space' that combines art, technology and science.
Initial consultations include a medical questionnaire, a personality test, and a self-image survey alongside 3D imaging of the face which accurately analyses wrinkles, pigmentation and volume levels.
Dr Halah Taha is an aesthetic doctor at Ouronyx and says that experts can see what a patient may or may not need. It can also help with cases of body dysmorphia and a desire to over-inject with fillers.
“For a client, there are many things they cannot see in the mirror. So this technology, it helps them to [better] understand their ageing process and what their issues are so we can reach a treatment plan together.”
Interactive innovation
In terms of make-up, many brands are using virtual 'try-ons' to elevate the customer experience.
It involves using a smartphone to take a selfie and seeing what each shade of lipstick, foundation or other products would look like on you.
For many consumers, it makes cosmetics more accessible as they can colour-match to their skin tone.
In Dubai, Yves Saint Laurent Beauty launched an interactive perfume experience. Mehdi Moutaoukil said they used a wearable device to match customers with the most suitable product.
ADVERTISEMENT“We analysed, with technology, your emotions and we turned them into a product recommendation so we know exactly what is your feel-good fragrance. And then you get to three matching fragrances to choose from."
In the future, it appears beauty is not just in the eye of the beholder but in the hands of the technology and AI driving the industry forwards.
