Technology innovation is a critical pillar in any brand strategy for a reason: it helps to create a more impactful consumer experience that drives purchase confidence and boosts sales. The beauty industry was one of the first to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) solutions as a way to solve consumer pain points, like hygiene and waste that come from community testers and samples. While the benefits of AI and AR virtual try-on solutions span all beauty verticals—from color cosmetics, to eye color and hair color—the skincare category posed a grand opportunity coupled with a unique challenge that required an innovative approach, quite different from that of your traditional makeup virtual try-on.
In order for virtual skincare technology to serve as a true tool and utility for the consumer, it required a deep-learning technology that went beyond a simple skin-smoothing filter effect. Through advancements in AI, new technology in the beauty and skincare industries can now help brands dive deeper into a diagnostic approach that helps the user better understand their skin health and helps brands and skincare professionals better guide and inform their consumers. This hyper-engaged virtual skin diagnostic not only boosts confidence for skincare purchase decisions, but it enhances a brand’s ability to introduce personalization along the skincare journey, delivering more impactful shopping experiences that drive sales.
Advancements in AI technology created an opportunity for instant analysis of common skincare concerns detected through a smart device. This interactive skin tech experience introduced an accessible and hyper-personalized way for brands to connect with consumers along their skincare journey. It also introduced a unique opportunity across dermatology and medical spa fields, where skincare professionals and businesses could leverage AI skin technology to provide consumers with easy, fast, and precise skin consultations. This technology helps skincare providers educate consumers on skin issues and offers personalized skincare product recommendations fit to individual skincare needs. Here are four ways AI skin tech is transforming the customer skincare journey.
1. AI Skin Tech as a Gateway to Skincare Personalization
Personalization is highly valued along the consumer skincare journey, and AI skin tech has quickly revolutionized how brands are able to offer this level of customization across this category. Shopping for skincare poses a unique set of challenges to consumers, as it requires they are aware and informed about their own skin health and knowledgeable about the ingredients and products that will help them treat their specific areas of concern. Shoppers are also met by an overwhelming assortment of products from which to choose, as well as more expensive products that require an increased level of confidence for their purchase decision. Additionally, the results of skincare products are not as immediate as a swatch of lipstick, and require customer compliance in order to see results. In an effort to alleviate these consumer pain points, businesses across the skincare realm, including retail brands, medspas, and dermatology offices, are leveraging AI skin tech for precise digital skincare assessments in seconds to deliver more personalized skincare shopping experiences tailored to individual skin concerns.
Perfect Corp.’s award-winning AI-powered skincare technology delivers an instant skincare analysis identifying up to 14 major skin concerns including wrinkles, redness, skin firmness, radiance, acne, and more. The innovative solution, which was recently confirmed HIPAA-compliant, is transforming the dermatology and medical spa industries by providing a professional-grade, accurate, fast, and cost-effective skin analysis solution. AI skin tech serves as a gateway to personalization, helping both consumers and brands identify areas of concern for their skin. By instantly detecting an individual’s skin health, consumers can be matched with the right products to target their areas of concern. This becomes especially useful in helping consumers navigate the ever-multiplying range of skincare products hitting shelves every week. AI skin tech helps both consumers and brands better understand their skin health and create more tailored skincare shopping experiences that speak to their individual skincare concerns.
2. AI Skin Tech to Understand Skin Health
A key factor in AI skin technology serving as a true utility for tracking or monitoring skin health lies in the accuracy of its readings. If a consumer cannot rely on the new technology in the beauty and skincare industries to deliver consistent and accurate results, confusion will arise along the consumer journey, instead of confidence. In order to validate Perfect Corp.’s AI Skin technology, Dr. Steven R. Feldman led a research study out of Wake Forest University to confirm its accuracy and reliability for real-world implementation.
The study compared the results of Perfect Corp.’s AI Skin analysis to both physician assessments and imaging devices, which are considered the standard for skin analysis in clinical research settings. The report revealed an exceptional test-retest reliability rating (ICC > 0.90), proving a high consistency and accuracy with each scan, as well a high correlation with physician skin assessments and clinical imaging cameras.
While imaging booth devices are considered a standard for skin analysis in clinical settings, they often consist of large hardware devices that require special, costly equipment to operate. Perfect Corp.’s AI Skin software continues to prove itself as a cost-effective alternative that is more easily integrated across consumer multichannel touchpoints. AI skin tech offers a unique opportunity for brands and skincare experts to deliver professional skincare advice with consistent and reliable results without a need for special hardware. This allows brands—of all sizes and budgets—the chance to introduce more personalized customer experiences along the skincare journey. These impactful findings further confirmed that AI skin technology will continue to transform the skincare industry for consumers, brands, and medical professionals alike.
3. AI Skin Tech for MedSpas and Skincare Professionals
The benefits of AI skin tech span well beyond the consumer and their ability to dive deeper into their skincare journey. The accuracy and precision of the technology lends itself as a tool for med spas and skincare professionals as well. This new technology in the beauty and skincare industries bridges the gap between client and professional, allowing both parties to take a more proactive and collaborative approach to skin health and healing. For med spas and skincare professionals, AI skin technology is a unique tool that allows them to build stronger relationships with their clients, even outside their offices. The virtual diagnostic capabilities extend the reach of skincare professionals outside their office walls and into the virtual realm, giving them a tool to connect and guide clients from afar. Advancements in AI skin technology also continue to give skincare professionals another avenue for analysis and tracking, helping to build upon a more comprehensive client skincare journey.
4. AI Skin Tech to Educate and Entertain
AI skin technology also gives customers a chance to take an active role in their skincare journey, tracking progress and results in a fun, new hyper-engaged way. The introduction and adoption of advanced technology across the skincare experience has elevated consumers’ relationship to skin health, strengthening their connection with skincare brands and professionals. By offering customers a tool that allows them to actively take part in their skin health treatment and track progress over time, brands can create a more personalized and impactful relationship with consumers, driving increased confidence in their purchase decisions.
The ease of use of Perfect Corp.’s AI Skin technology invites users to immerse themselves in their skincare routine, and take a more proactive approach to their skin health where they can stay educated on the various factors impacting their skin. Tracking skin concerns and progress no longer requires time-consuming and expensive visits to the dermatologist. Perfect Corp.’s AI Skin technology gives consumers a fast, accurate, and reliable way to track their skin health, allowing them to better understand their skin and the different factors affecting it.
Continued advancements across AI Skin tech will forever transform the skincare industry and how consumers, brands, and skincare professionals do business. The widespread application and opportunity presented by this advanced innovation lends itself to a future of more informed skincare consumers, and more tailored skincare shopping experiences that speak to the individual consumer and their specific skincare needs.
