Little remains to be said about how the pandemic has changed everything that we know about our old normal lives. From education to finance, everything that we ever knew changed in the blink of an eye and without any warning. Millions of industries across every vertical shut down and millions of more organizations were forced to work remotely. It’s no surprise that the billion-dollar beauty industry is finding different ways to survive.
The beauty industry is adopting a curious, albeit cautious approach to dealing with the pandemic. As such, cutting-edge technological innovations are now being fast-tracked and causing seismic shifts in the industry. One such innovation is AR or Augmented Reality. Obviously, there are a myriad of other tools and technological innovations that are gradually inundating this industry. There are ones that shall perpetually change our relationship with beauty post-pandemic. On that note, let us look at a few of these innovations.
The Changing Face Of The Beauty Industry
What makes your friends’ selfies look so astonishingly good? We know that models and celebrities on magazine covers are generously photoshopped, edited, and airbrushed before they can make the final cut. However, access to the same tools by people who are not even remotely associated with the fashion industry seems a tad far-fetched an idea. However, the evidence of the eye suggests that something is up. The ‘something’ that is up is the miracle technology of Augmented Reality. With the help of Augmented Reality, a feature that many beauty editing apps have started using, you can change your entire appearance in no time before you click that surreal selfie.
Augmented Reality is just one way in which technology and beauty have collided and collaborated. By the year 2023, the global beauty market is expected to hit $805 billion. Plus, the COVID-19 crisis has also made it quite clear that this type of disruptive tech shall be the norm for the beauty industry since the human touch has been reduced to a concept due to safety concerns.
Photo by karelys Ruiz on Unsplash
An Industry Driven By Tailored Formulae And Personalization
Experts say that the future of beauty technology shall depend significantly on the need for personalization. It will also be affected by tailored products and formulae.
Now, in all honesty, these custom-made tools and software might not be accessible or pocket-friendly for most people. However, they are deemed to bring professional treatments and comfort to our homes. Nurse Jamie says, “You shouldn’t have to worry if you can’t make it to the spa or that you are under quarantine. That’s the power of beauty technology—it’s at your convenience.”
Other beauty and wellness products like fitness trackers and AI-therapy bots are also going digital-first. This means that all you have to do is learn how to right-click on MacBook or know how to optimize your smartphones to the best of your efforts and use these apps and gadgets to improve your health and beauty.
The Beauty Industry Shall Strive For Innovation
The COVID-19 crisis is ongoing, and experts have suggested that there shall be more waves of the pandemic. Much of this prediction has already materialized into reality. Several countries are fighting the fatal second wave of the pandemic. Therefore, it only seems normal that humankind shall spend more time locked up inside their houses. The senior vice president of MAC Cosmetics, Okonwa Ojo, says, “Advancements in AR technologies will play a key role in driving this.” Technology and tools that can help people go about touch-free shopping. Trying out different products virtually shall also be on the rise.
Social Media Platforms Shall Spearhead The Changes In The Beauty Industry
Social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook have been hotspots of beauty trends and news about all that transpires in this industry from what we can remember. This trend of using social media platforms to share beauty tips, the latest styles, and more has seen a meteoric rise ever since the pandemic hit us.
It’s not much of a stretch to credit social media for bringing about the democratization of beauty. A 2018 study concluded that beauty content contributed about 169 billion views on YouTube. This resulted in a highly engaged audience that acquired much of their dose of knowledge from these platforms.
Social media platforms are likely to spearhead the upcoming changes in the beauty industry. It shall help people stay in touch with the same as closely as possible.
In A Nutshell:
There are several ways in which the beauty industry is all set to change. We discussed these changes and the technology that shall drive these changes in detail. The prospect of the beauty industry is bright, and the future seems to be never-ending. This pandemic may have impacted every industry and in epic proportions. However, when it comes to the beauty industry, the prospects are magnanimous. Thus, the pandemic shall only strengthen our relationship with this industry and deluge the same with new possibilities.
Who Is The Author?
Nicole Jones
