Augmented Human
According to Mintel, the line between humans and technological devices is blurring as smart technology puts consumers in greater control of their individual health and beauty needs.
This sees virtual and augmented reality, along with diagnostic tools for customised formulations, rise in prominence, and wearable technology has also taken a beauty approach too.
“As consumers become increasingly familiar with using technology to track their health and well-being, they are looking for beauty brands to offer products and devices that boast similar functionality,” says Vivienne Rudd, Director of Insight, Beauty and Personal Care at Mintel.
“New product development in augmented reality is providing the next step in virtual mirrors and real-time visualisation of the effects of beauty products on the skin and hair.”
An example of a beauty manufacturer investing in this trend already, this year, was L’Oréal developing a wearable skin device to measure skin hydration and thermal transport.
“Wearables will increasingly become part of the body, from micro patches that monitor skin condition to ingestibles that send information to connected devices from the stomach, tracking the movement and efficacy of beauty supplements,” continues Rudd.
“However, as new technology enables consumers to track the impact of beauty products, brands will be under greater pressure to prove efficacy.”