The pandemic and lockdown accelerated the innovations in the software solutions which were already booming through past few years. Customers are interested in getting the services as fast as they can right on their mobile devices, but how are we proceeding it in the cosmetic and skincare software development? Consumers have been careful before trying new products because of not being able to try them out before buying. So, how does it changes the future of cosmetic brands?
Looking at the trends of past few years I believe we will see Beauty brands using AI and Augmented Reality (AR) in their overall app experiences. As the pandemic and social distancing disturbs the store sales and trial sections of the store becoming obsolete because of the virus fear, Beauty brands will promote the sales through online platforms, and moving away from third-party retailers to keep their prices low and competitive.
With the software advancements the trial rooms for fashion brand and trial products of cosmetic brands is becoming virtual. By the use of artificial intelligence and augmented reality you actually see how a certain product will look on you in real time even though you’re not actually wearing that product.
Before the COVID-19 outbreak, consumers preferred purchasing clean beauty products i.e, with less toxic chemicals, have less impact on the environment, cruelty free and vegan. However, the pandemic pushed consumers to a different type of risk and resulted in asking adamantly for more transparency and clarity on. The AR tech helps users to experience the object in the 3D space on their devices with just use of the simple mobile device camera and screen. Now the both Google and Apple provide plenty AR APIs for developers and enterprises also interested more than ever to keep their services top of the class by incorporating latest technology in their services.
There has been a growing interest and scrutiny over the ingredients that t the companies use. There has been a lot of investments in R&D in past, specially in the preservatives used in the cosmetics but the recent clean beauty movement has been unwinding it back to the time when there weren’t such preservatives in the products. Therefore, It is expected that biotech brands will be investing in many of such software solutions based on Machine Learning and AI to test out new organic preservatives due to inflow of investments in clean beaut technology.
Use of technology
A 2019 study found that at least 70% of cosmetic products in stores had a ‘significant level of microbial contamination.’ And keeping the SARS CoV adding to this as well the test and buy seems absolutely obsolete for few forthcoming years. We will see for the makeup brands investing in AI based softwares which will be used for the skin shade matching, which once was done manually. The good example is Cult Beauty in UK which started using AI tool for foundation shade matching by taking pictures from different angles and asking a few relevant questions to customers. This not only eases the process but also helps cutting down the extra tester product expenses as well as provides sustainable environment solutions for the companies. With time these AI based tools are only expected to become better and more accurate.
The software solutions like Smart Mirror which reflects the different shades of lipstick as well as the texture of the lipstick that you want. Therefore, it’s quite obvious this is where investments need to be focused. Only a UK retailers adopted these tech solutions and are way behind when compared to US counterparts like Sephora and Ulta who have invested heavily in AI solutions and Augmented reality based softwares. Customers appreciate the ease of these virtual experiences which these add-ons on the apps allow, it gives them more personalised feel which further boost sales and preventing product returns. The data which is being collected across the channels helps companies to target pumping production of specific products shades, colours and more intimate details of products line which are in high demand and also the product lines which are falling behind and are in desperate need of revision.
Similar softwares based on AI and AR are also voguing in the cosmetic dentistry and skin treatments where customers are excited to see how the actual results will be, this not only boosts customer confidence in the company but also ensures long term business. This is the new age investment which is immensely going to be productive to the companies in the following years.