There has never been a more exciting time in the beauty industry than right now. Why is that? Because the beauty industry has combined with the tech industry to create amazing beauty tech products that revolutionize the way shoppers and businesses alike interact with the beauty space. What exactly is beauty technology? We’ve put together this simple guide to tell you exactly what beauty technology is, how it works, who it benefits, and what the biggest trend in beauty tech is right now!
What is Beauty Technology?
Beauty technology is the intersection of technology and beauty to create innovative products and tools designed to fill in gaps in the market and serve customers in ways never before possible. Beauty technology companies use AI (artificial intelligence) and AR (augmented reality) to provide real-time information to customers in order to address a variety of beauty-related problems. Still a bit confused? In simpler terms, beauty technology is the result of the beauty industry and tech industry coming together to make magic!
How does beauty technology work?
Each beauty tech company uses their own mix of different kinds of technology in order to create their unique products. However, most beauty tech companies today use some combination of AI and AR along with other technologies. But what are AI and AR? AI and AR stand for artificial intelligence and augmented reality, respectively. In very basic terms, artificial intelligence is when a computer is programmed to mimic human intelligence and solve problems. Augmented reality is when your real-world experience is altered or enhanced by the addition of things like information or visuals generated by a computer. The combination of AI and AR allows beauty tech to find problems, create solutions, and inform consumers about them with pertinent information or visuals. For example, RE/STYLE uses AI in order to detect your current hairstyle and replace it with a new one in a way that looks realistic.
Who does beauty tech benefit?
The great thing about beauty technology is that it benefits both customers and businesses! Whether you’re an individual looking for a better shopping experience, a small business looking to more efficiently serve customers, or a large, established company that wants to excite their customers with something new, beauty tech and those who create it are incredibly useful to you! Beauty has always been about personalization and self-expression, and, because of that, customers have always appreciated a shopping experience that reflects that personalization and makes them feel special. They want to know what products, colors, or styles will work well for them as individuals more than they want to know about products in broad or generalized terms. Beauty tech now allows customers to have the most unique experience possible as AI and AR technologies allow for efficient yet highly individualized services.
This ability to make a customer feel special while simultaneously providing them with information that is relevant to them has been extremely beneficial for businesses that have been smart enough to adapt beauty tech into their business models. That’s why more and more beauty companies are turning to beauty tech to offer state of the art services, products, and diagnostics to their customers. These companies know that with more personalization and a greater one-on-one experience for the consumer, the more money they will make and the more likely they are to have repeat business.
What are some trends in the beauty tech space right now?
Because a personalized experience is one of the most beneficial things about beauty tech for both consumers and businesses, it’s no wonder that the biggest trend in beauty tech right now is using AI and AR to create an individualized, intimate experience for customers. The wonderful thing about using AI and AR technology is that the way in which this individualized experience expresses itself can be different and exciting for every company! For example, RE/STYLE uses AI to give you realistic images of what you would look like with a new hairstyle. The ability to know exactly what you want your next look to be takes the stress out of going to the salon! Now you can simply explore looks commitment-free until you find the perfect one for you! (Finally, no more bad haircuts after impulsively deciding to chop all of your hair off!)
