Beauty’s
New
Digital
Craze:
A Custom
Approach
Advancements
in technology
are taking
customized
beauty
products from
novelty to
mainstream
services.
By Rachel Strugatz
Digital is driving beauty brands to get more personal than ever before.
Which is ironic given that MatchCo, the beauty tech start-up acquired by Shiseido that custom blends foundation for customers via mobile device, requires no human interaction. In fact, it’s a “no-touch” experience, the complete opposite of the “high-touch,” digitally supported, informed-sales-associate-armed-with-an-iPad in-store experience that retailers and brands strive for.
Advancements in technology — including Apple’s iOS operating system, mobile devices equipped with high-quality cameras, better bandwidth and processing power and artificial intelligence — could be the vehicle that will allow hyperpersonalization in beauty to grow at scale, taking custom blending from novelty to mainstream service.
Or at least this is what Shiseido believes. The Japanese beauty giant made it clear it prioritizes digital-first customization, and on Jan. 18, revealed the acquisition of MatchCo for an undisclosed amount. Through use of an iOS app, consumers scan three areas of their face and MatchCo’s LED technology and analytical algorithm customizes foundation that matches skin with precise accuracy. In 24 to 48 hours, a $49 bottle of makeup arrives at one’s doorstep.
Shiseido is wasting no time. The company has already begun the process of leveraging MatchCo’s technology within its stable of brands.
BareMinerals is expected to be the first of Shiseido’s companies to adopt a custom blending program, which is the obvious choice given that foundations and tinted moisturizers are the cornerstone of the $750 million business.
And this is just the beginning.
METRO MARKET PLACE
DO IT YOURSELF
Using vinegar as a skin toner dates back to the time of Helen of Troy, and it’s just as effective today. After you wash your face, mix 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar with 2 cups water as a finishing rinse to cleanse and tighten your skin. You can also create a homemade facial mask by mixing 1/4 cup cider vinegar with 1/4 cup water. Gently apply the solution to your face and let it dry.
Forget spending time and money at your local spa. The secret to great skin is as close as your kitchen!
Pamper yourself with these simple, homemade facial masks.
FROM THE BOOK EXTRAORDINARY USES FOR ORDINARY THINGS
Here's another way to give yourself a fancy spa facial at home. Make a mask by mixing 1/4 cup powdered milk with enough water to form a thick paste. Thoroughly coat your face with the mixture, let dry completely, then rinse with warm water. Your face will feel fresh and rejuvenated.
The FUSE Woman, AGELESS,
MODERN, & RELEVANT,
"Where Form & Spirit Become One!"
Who needs Botox when you have bananas? That's right: You can use a banana as an all-natural, homemade facial mask that moisturizes your skin and leaves it looking and feeling softer. Mash up a medium-sized ripe banana into a smooth paste, then gently apply it to your face and neck. Let it set for 10 to 20 minutes, then rinse it off with cold water.
Homemade Facial Masks: Nine Recipes That Work
BEAUTY
by The FUSE
Beauty Team
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