The Digital Age of Beauty

Think it’s impossible to find the right colour match without stepping foot in a store? Think again! While digital transformation is not a new concept for the beauty industry, it has now become a priority. The pandemic has accelerated the beauty industry’s tech-based business models – and this is a trend going nowhere but up.

44% of women report finding it difficult to find a colour match when buying make up or cosmetics. That’s why app-based colour match, hair match and foundation match services are on the rise, and both niche and mass-market brands recognise the dividends in brand loyalty this brings.

“Digitalisation of beauty, skincare and colour cosmetics has revolutionised our industry, and is projected to expand at a rapid rate. Make up and fragrance are particularly experiential and playful categories, and alongside a sampling service, these categories seem set to expand even more widely in the digital space,” says Anna Chokina, Vice President, Global Colour Cosmetics.

While the closure of stores during the lockdowns made sampling impossible in person, the industry has recreated this experience in a digital environment, and it seems that consumers are just as enthusiastic about experimenting and playing online as they are in person, with digital foundation-matching in particular being one to watch.

Avon’s Foundation Finder service, combining AI, an online questionnaire and consumer uploaded selfie, was rolled out in South Africa, and achieved results of 92% accuracy. While the fine-tuning of this tool is being perfected, especially in countries with a larger range of skin colour diversity, other exciting digital services are also in the pipeline to provide convenience and freedom to Avon customers who are now savvier than ever when it comes to the digital beauty space.

To learn more about key trends in beauty and how the industry is changing due to the pandemic, check out our Future of Beauty report.

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