The future of beauty is technologically driven! Here are some tech experiments in the beauty industry.
Much like any other industry, the beauty sector has also had a tough time battling the pandemic over the past two years. However, the beauty industry is considered surprisingly resilient because its products tend to create a strong customer base.
Perhaps one of the reasons for the beauty industry’s strong resilience is its willingness to adapt and change to fit the ever-changing market. To meet the needs of the market, the next step in the beauty industry’s evolution is wearable technology, which refers to electronic devices that can easily be incorporated into accessories, clothing or even onto a person’s body.
Let’s take a look at some wearable tech innovations that have been around for some time and what they mean for the future of the sector.
Prompts to moisturize
In 2014, Northwestern University in the U.S. created a wearable medical device that can be placed directly on the skin for regular health monitoring. The device uses thousands of tiny crystals that sense heat and change color to signal if anything is wrong. It detects changes in the skin temperature to determine blood flow rate, which is directly related to cardiovascular health and also to skin hydration levels. This means that it could, in theory, tell you when you should re-apply moisturizer, which, if effectively utilized, could be a boon to the beauty industry.
Digital deodorant
Way back in 2012, Google filed a patent for a digital deodorant. The device will have a portable fan that would be able to track sweat and automatically release a fragrance when it detects an odor. The device will also warn its wearer if their peers (those that the wearer is connected with on social media) are close enough to smell them. Its GPS system will offer you an alternative route to avoid any peers that they might run into.
UV Patch
L’Oréal has been a pioneer in the realm of using technology to stay relevant amid changing times. In 2016, the company launched a UV monitoring patch, “My UV Patch”. The patch contains photosensitive dyes that change color when exposed to UV rays. The patch tells you when you are reaching the danger zone and should get out of the sun.
Nails that work as a stylus
A problem that most women experience is having nails that are too long to use your phone. Even if you somehow maneuver a way to operate your phone with long nails, your tapping skills are still not the most precise. This is because smartphone screens are built to detect changes in electric charge, which doesn’t end up happening if you have long fingernails. Fortunately, there is a solution to this issue! In 2014, Elektra Nails launched false nails that work like little styluses by carrying the electric charge from your fingers through the fingernail. The nails, which can last about seven days after application, work on all smartphone devices and can be painted over with other nail polish.
Clothing makes skincare less tedious
If you are a veteran in the beauty space, you would know about the hundreds of products that boast the benefits of collagen. Collagen is the main structural protein found in the human body and is believed to be great at hydrating and moisturizing skin. To make getting the benefits of collagen simpler, luxury sportswear brand Buki introduced its collagen collection in 2018. The company advertises that the collagen in their clothes makes skin feel soft and hydrated. The clothing also provides sun protection of UPF 50+ (ultraviolet protection factor).
The beauty industry is going to be technologically driven, and all of these wearable beauty innovations are just a few examples of that. What is particularly crucial to note is that most of these experiments have been happening for years at this point, and that wearable tech isn’t a new concept. Thus, for any entrepreneur hoping to make a name for themselves in the field, it is crucial that you think outside the box and create products that enhance user experience.
Header image courtesy of Unsplash
