Mobile technology shows how to make your own skincare

13-Jan-2011 - Last updated on 13-Jan-2011 at 11:37 GMT

Germany-based Power App has launched its latest beauty application aimed at helping customers create their own cosmetics masks for their skin type, citing mobile technology as a key method of reaching out to consumers.

The Beauty_de 1.01 application, which is available on Californian computer giant Apple’s iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch models, provides step-by-step instructions for making skin care products and can be of particular benefit of those with allergies to cosmetics, the company claims.

Christian Schaffner, chairman of Power App, explained that the app can be easily understood by customers, allowing them to easily recognise common, natural ingredients and customise masks for their own specific needs or skin problems.

“It gives the user the possibility to create customised facial masks, while exactly knowing and understanding the ingredients,” he told CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com.

Increased speed of customer interaction

Schaffner commented that the app provides users with the ability to make masks themselves and enjoy this process, using the simple on screen instructions, and he stated that mobile technology is the easiest way to share this information particularly at speed.

“With a smartphone you don't need to buy newspapers to gather information, and since you can store the information it is permanent, unlike radio or TV. This means customers can be reached anytime, anywhere,” he explained.

The growing ubiquity of mobile phones and smartphones in particular has meant that organizations cannot afford to ignore the power of reaching out to the consumer in this way.

Becoming a difficult platform to ignore

Schaffner said although it may be hard to tell if it would form the future of customer interaction in the beauty industry, it definitely makes customer interaction much faster.

“To put it shortly, it becomes a very important part for the future of customer interaction in general, not only for the beauty industry. I think sooner or later it will become hard to sell products of any kind when this communication channel is left out,” he said.

Cosmetics firms Givaudan, L’Oreal and consumer products company Unilever, have all recently launched apps on the iOS software, with the latter two taking advantage of the new iAd platform.

ModiFace and Stila have also turned to Apple to help market products in recent months, due to increased interaction with consumers.