Technology has stepped to the forefront of the beauty and cosmetics industries, enabling brands to enhance their product innovation, sustainability and customer engagement efforts.
Among other goals on their agenda, beauty brands are investing in technology to tackle the issue of overconsumption and plastic waste. From smart home devices that allow customers to create their own personalised lip colours to innovative packaging that dispenses the exact amount of product required, technology is effectively helping beauty brands reduce waste.
Although technology-enabled innovation to reduce waste comes at a price, it fits in with businesses’ long-term goals of becoming environmentally conscious brands. Beauty brands are also leveraging AI-powered technology to meet industry standards on “clean beauty” and ensure the products are non-toxic and ethical.
Many brands like MAC Cosmetics and Ulta Beauty are using augmented reality or “try on” tools on their websites or apps to convert consumer attention into sales. They are also experimenting with gamified shopping experiences and offering options like multiple-people video chat to gain an edge in the ecommerce space. Social platforms like Snapchat are also ramping up focus on AR-powered commerce.
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