Digital beauty: latest developments and future directions

From beauty’s ever-developing social media presence to wearables, digital packaging and startup incubation, we take a look through our archives to pull out the latest trends and market-leading developments to give a picture of how digital is shaping the beauty agenda.  

Social media mastery​

Traditionally, beauty was slow to wise up to the massive engagement and retail opportunities posed by digital - but not any more. Beauty brands are now coming to the forefront as global leaders when it comes to courting consumers through social media.

L’Oréal is leading the pack with digital almost across the board, and its recent efforts to court the youngest internet users on their preferred platforms - such as its industry-first move to publicise on Snapchat with a brand ‘lens’​ - shows it’s keen to stay ahead of the curve with social media.

Shiseido is another player making the most of millennial-targeting through social media: the Japanese beauty giant ran a recent campaign that got consumers to ‘kiss’ through their smartphones​.

Wearables step forward​

The sun care category is proving the centre for development when it comes to wearable technology. L’Oréal pipped other players to the post earlier this year with its UV patch, which hit the market official this month.​

The American Chemical Society have also been quick to respond to the potential for consumer protection offered by such tech, and have also released a version of a UV patch - with the aim of making it inexpensive, safe and easily adaptable​.

Packaging follows suit​

With the potential offered by digital having become obvious in retail and marketing, other areas of the supply chain are now getting involved. This year’s Luxe Pack Monaco show, taking place next month, is set to feature a new focus on digital luxur​y.

Investing in the future​

Looking ahead, investing in third party developers will see brands further advancing their digital capabilities. L’Oréal is again at the forefront, with its recently announced partnership with startup incubator Founders Factory set to scale five early stage startups and co-create two new companies every year.​

And finally, personalisation is definitely a major industry buzzword of the moment, and digital is promoting the rise of this trend. A recent report from market research firm Kline noted that those cosmetics and personal care brands that customised consumer options last year saw the fastest growth in sales​.