Collaboration Develops AI-Based Age Predictor For Personalized Skin Care

Haut.ai, an artificial intelligence company, and Incscillio Medicine have teamed up to explore how skin ages and to develop an accurate predictor of chronological age. The PhotoAgeClock uses artificial intelligence to look at visual biomarkers of age, to predict age within an average of 2.3 years. Skin around eyes is the best biomarker for assessing age, and the data can be used for personalized medical and skin treatment to slow the aging process. The research was published in the journal Aging.

"This AI can Accurately Predict Your Age And Help You Look Younger", Interesting Engineering, November 28, 2018

Foreo Continues Its Expansion In Travel Retail

Beauty tech company Foreo has grown quickly within travel retail over the last two years, reaching over 200 outlets in over 20 countries. One of its innovations is the UFO ‘smart mask’. Although Asia is currently its main geographic region, it will focus on other regions next year, especially Europe, North America and Latin America. South Korea is a very important duty free market for the Swedish brand, with distribution in all of the top Korean travel retailers. The 20th and latest Korean opening was the recent launch at Hyundai Duty Free in Seoul’s Gangnam area. 

"Foreo marks 20 locations in South Korean duty free and readies for global expansion in 2019", The Moodie Davitt Report , November 29, 2018

Coty Launches At-Home Color Action For Google Home

Coty has launched ‘Clairol Color Expert’, which it claims is the first hair color at-home Action for Google Assistant on Google Home. It can guide users throughout the hair coloring process, from identifying the best shade through applying and reapplying the color. Previous beauty tech from Coty includes a collaboration with Holition for a blended reality Magic Mirror at the Bourjois outlet in Paris. The latest innovation was built by Coty’s in-house digital agency, and Voice tech developer Voxly Digital.

"Beauty Tech Recruits Voice In Coty x Google Home Collab", Fashnerd, December 08, 2018

New Beauty App Connects Customers And Top Stylists For Home And Workplace Appointments

Salon iQ, a salon booking system, is partnering with bgX for the London launch of the new bgX app, aimed at arranging for top salon stylists to visit customers’ homes or workplaces, in association with Uber. bgX says it’s the first beauty tech company globally to offer an 'on demand' automated platform for customers and top stylists to connect. 

"Best in Beauty Tech Combine Forces - Beauty Services App bgX Confirms Partnership With Salon iQ", PR Newswire , December 10, 2018

Shopify Aims To Offer A One-Stop Shop For D2C Brands

Shopify, the e-commerce platform underpinning thousands of direct-to-consumer sites, is projecting 2018 sales of over $1 billion. It continues to develop its marketing services and aims to be a one-stop shop. It is moving into paid media, launching a service that enables merchants to run and track campaigns on Google and Facebook. It offers an alternative for brands wary of relying on Amazon, but it cannot currently match the traffic generated by Amazon, which also can handle the merchants’ warehousing and shipping needs. Shopify has developed a point-of-sale platform that enables it to extend its relationship with any brands that are seeking to open physical outlets.

"Shopify wants to become the 'back office' for direct-to-consumer brands' ad budgets and marketing", Business Insider, December 13, 2018

The Honey Pot Company Founder Reveals How She Aims To Build The Brand Through Multi-Channel

Beatrice Feliu-Espada, founder of The Honey Pot Company, aims to alter how women shop for feminine care products, and says they are not luxuries but a human right. The products are sold online, direct-to-consumer, and in Target and Whole Foods, as well as on Amazon. She says that important elements include product assortment and innovation. The products are all-natural, free from chemicals, sulfates, parabens and carcinogens, but contain herbs, essential oils and nutraceuticals. The range includes pads and tampons, as well as washes and wipes, sprays and lubricants. Coming soon is a CBD-infused pain salve for menstrual cramps. Other key elements are brand awareness and diversified distribution. In an interview with Forbes, Feliu-Espada said that consumers are becoming smarter and understand better how the products they consume affect their bodies. She also believes that multi-channel is the right approach, but says that she wants the company to become big and believes that means ...  More

"How This Feminine Care Entrepreneur And Advocate Tackles Multichannel Retail", Forbes, December 28, 2018