Exclusive interview
Digital makeup application: where is it heading?
In this exclusive interview, we caught up with Lori Machiorlette, president of makeup brush range blendSMART.
The blendSMART product range includes products that the company calls the ‘world’s first’ automated rotating makeup brushes.
US-based Worth Beauty, which owns the blendSMART brand, has just confirmed the range’s expansion across the European market via e-retail platform Slapp, and Machiorlette suggests it has its eye on global expansion.
Why do you think there's a consumer appetite for products like BlendSmart? Which trends are most influential in driving this kind of innovation?
There has always been a silent majority of beauty seekers who are overwhelmed by the intricacies of applying makeup.
Today, it’s magnified by trends such as layering formulations and buildable coverage. blendSMART speaks to a movement to both simplify and improve makeup application with easy-to-use innovation.
Consumers want innovation that make their lives better. While stagnant brushes and sponges require honed skills to achieve polished results, blendSMART’s interchangeable, rotating heads spin at 190 RPM to do the blending for you.
What does the move into distribution in Europe mean for the company?
While our overseas expansion came sooner than we initially planned, we were thrilled to expand the spinning revolution.
Our global launch expedited more sustainable, smaller packaging with multiple languages and by securing the necessary international fulfillment channels, we are better positioned for rapid growth.
Is it a strategic move to reach a global audience, will the expansion continue? Where next, if so?
Beauty, because of social media influencers, is a global market and for companies launching patented innovation, first-to-market is essential.
While we are flattered by copy cats, we are in a race to reach the consumer first with well-designed and methodically engineered tools to better ensure “out-of-box” positive experiences.
In terms of next steps, we are positioned to expand to 17 countries in the EU and hopefully will be distributed in S. Korea by way of a major health and beauty retailer by summer 2018.
What top predictions do you have for the colour cosmetics segment for 2018?
We believe that time-pressed women will continue to seek fool-proof beauty.
2018 will see more “customizable” color and foundation formulations, but again even the best match requires good application.
We see more tech entering the space with beauty apps, augmented reality launches and automated tools to help empower and facilitate attainable and consistent makeup results.