Personalisation – how it is affecting the entire beauty supply chain

By Simon Pitman

- Last updated on GMT

Personalisation – how it is affecting the entire beauty supply chain

Related tags Market research firm Cosmetics Mintel

Consumer demand for more tailored and personalised beauty and personal care products is impacting every aspect of product development, from packaging through to formulation and beyond. Here we take a look at some recent developments.

The trend has focused on Millennial consumers, who are on the hunt for cosmetic and beauty products that go the extra mile by making them both highly defined and more targeted to specific needs.

But it is not just for older consumers, male grooming has ridden this wave, while other age groups, ranging from babies and toddlers, to the middle aged and seniors have also seen increased product offerings.

Product developers having to up their game

In response, formulation experts are having to up their game in an effort to develop formulations with more targeted functionality, while carefully curated packaging design is providing the platform to get the message about these newly defined products while also providing additional functionality.

But personalisation doesn’t stop there. The digital and technologies world has also played a significant part in raising the bar on personalisation, with a plethora of apps and devices that all serve to enhance beauty regimes and make them more effective.

Here we take a look at some of the latest development targeted the personalisation field, to demonstrate how the direction this trend is going.

L’Oréal is about to make make-up more personalised

Back in September L’Oréal said it was committing to launching its first ever line of personalised make-up​, due to hit the market in the UK this spring.

The Le Teint Particulier foundation product involves a skin analysis consultation using a specially design algorithm to measure skin tone and develop a closely-matching formula for the consumer’s specific shade, and has so far been available across the US Nordstorm stores.

It will be making its debut in the UK in Harrods department store early next year, a L’Oréal spokesperson confirmed to Cosmetics Design, in a move which suggests personalised makeup is being met with strong consumer enthusiasm.

The rising popularity of personalised makeup and skin care is tipped to continue to strengthen in beauty; indeed, Mintel, global market research firm, has picked it out as one of its top four trends in the decade ahead, driven by what it dubs ‘Gastronomia’.

Digital personalised packaging

Last month we reported that an electronic ink company has partnered with a major beauty packaging player, with the two announcing that the collaboration offers the industry a ‘world first’ digital solution for personalised packaging​.

The two companies, E Ink Holdings and TEXEN, say that they are able to offer customisable packaging displays for various beauty items: makeup compacts, perfume bottles, and other cosmetics packaging.

The technology centres on an E Ink display, which can be updated using a smartphone, they state. It comes at a time when demand for truly customisable products, from packaging through to formulation, is increasing.

Personalisation and fragrance

We all know that fragrance has a massive impact on beauty purchases, but developers are also looking at diagnostics to determine how this area can be tailored to very specific preferences.

In line with this, a blog by market research firm Mintel, titled, ‘Can diagnostics freshen up the fragrance market?', takes a look at the power that fragrance diagnostics may be able to have on the saturated segment.

Mature fragrance markets are waning as consumers are spoiled with too many choices. What’s more, they tend to purchase fragrances out of habit and can often feel disengaged with the category. Reviving consumer interest is key to generating growth​,” explains Emmanuelle Moeglin, global beauty and personal care trend consultant for the firm.

The market expert notes that rather than being an option for fragrance brands, offering consumers personalisation in their products is now essential.

“Customisation should be a central element in this category, where purchases are driven by personal aspirations and scent preferences.”

Is digital technology about to personalise beauty from within?

Last September, Cosmetics Design reported that a new app was set for launch that aims to tackle the problem the beauty supplements segment​ has faced in getting consumers to commit to taking products for the timescales needed to see visible effects.

With the appetite for beauty supplements not yet having taken off in a big way in western markets,​ is this the innovation that could see consumers embracing the segment once and for all?

The app is being launched by Spanish biotech company Monteloeder, and its initial focus is encouraging consumers to use its sun care supplement, NutroxSun.

We caught up with one of its founders, Fernando Cartagena, who explained that he believes apps are the essential ingredient beauty supplements have been missing.

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