Beauty 4.0 future: Global innovators brainstorm tech promise beyond 2022

The metaverse, virtual try-ons, skin diagnostic tools and personalised beauty apps are just some of the latest tech-led innovations in today’s cosmetics and personal care category; many born from a need to fulfil shifting consumer needs and expectations in today’s beauty market. And whilst COVID-19 has had a big part to play in all this, the growing digital-smart younger population, rising concerns around the environment and health, and huge societal shift towards self-empowerment and self-care are also playing out fast and sparking change.

This month, CosmeticsDesign, CosmeticsDesign-Asia and CosmeticsDesign-Europe will team up to bring you an exclusive digital panel discussion Beauty 4.0 – Tech, Tools and Future Trends ​​that will dig into the almighty rise of this burgeoning category.

This free-to-attend webinar, scheduled for Wednesday 21 September at 4pm Central European Time (CET), will bring together some of beauty tech’s most impressive innovators and thought leaders, with insight from top executives at Sephora, Shiseido, Orveon, Mintel and The Virtual Events Group.

The goal? To unravel existing opportunities for the beauty industry in the world of tech; to discuss some of the biggest challenges facing advances; to decipher what today’s digital beauty consumer wants; and brainstorm how brands, retailers and the wider supply chain can collaborate in this highly exciting field.

Editor’s thoughts – ‘we’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg’​

Kacey Culliney, editor of CosmeticsDesign-Europe and moderator of the event, says it will be key beauty companies of all sizes across the globe think more carefully about how technology can shape business moving forward, and start to action ideas.

“Tech innovation is showing no sign of slowing down, and consumers are becoming more and more adjusted to a tech-forward society, particularly younger Gen Z and Millennial consumers, so, it’s only natural they will start to anticipate change in beauty,”​ Culliney says.

“And whilst beauty has shown plenty of activity already – from virtual mirrors and digital store assistants to at-home skin care blenders and beauty routine apps – it’s clear we’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg. The ideas are there, and the consumer interest is there, industry now needs to scale up some of these ideas and build on existing knowledge to create the next-generation of tech-led beauty offerings.”​

Sephora – smart retail at global scale​

International beauty retail major Sephora has long been at the forefront of in-store consumer engagement and smart e-commerce offerings, but what exactly does the company have in store for beauty tech? And what does it expect from brands listed in-store and online across its vast global network?

Alia Gogi, president of Asia at Sephora, will shed light on some of the company’s existing strategies in tech – both in-store and online – and discuss some of its plans for the future. Gogi will also discuss some of the biggest challenges facing retailers when competing in this space and discuss the power in smart collaboration between retailers and brands.

Shiseido – innovative beauty for the masses​

Japan-headquartered beauty mogul Shiseido has continued to stay ahead of the pack in beauty tech innovation over the years, offering its consumers an extensive range of tech-led tools, formulas, apps and digital engagement platforms. But how does this brand leader envision its future in an increasingly competitive market? And what has the company learned from trials and errors over the years thus far?

Juliana Chu, VP of digital and e-commerce at Shiseido APAC, will reveal what drives beauty tech decisions behind some of its leading brands and discuss some of the most successful roll outs and innovations of its time. Chu will also share what the beauty tech agenda should look like moving forward – within and outside of Shiseido – discussing some of the key opportunities the company sees on the horizon in digital development.

Orveon – driving promise in prestige​

US-headquartered prestige beauty collective Orveon has continued its innovation across luxury skin care and makeup in recent years, but how much has beauty tech shaped its efforts? And what exactly does the company have in its planning for the future?

Salima Popatia, chief digital officer at Orveon, will discuss company strategies in beauty tech across its portfolio of brands and spotlight how consumer expectations can differ in prestige beauty versus mass. Popatia will also share some thoughts on the biggest challenges ahead for prestige beauty in tech terms and share where the biggest promise lies for industry development.

Mintel – consumer insights worldwide​

International consumer insights major Mintel has been closely tracking consumer trends in beauty and personal care for decades and is now able to shed light on the impact COVID-19 has had on beauty consumption and patterns globally. And as technology continues to build momentum in beauty, the insights firm has also gathered plenty of ideas on where today’s biggest opportunities are to succeed amongst the competition.

Andrew McDougall, director of global beauty & personal care at Mintel, will present fresh data on what makes consumers tick when it comes to beauty tech and share insight on how this differs according to country and consumer demographics. McDougall will also dig into some of beauty’s success stories and what the rest of industry can learn from these, as well as analyse some of the weaker points industry ought to look at if it wants to continue its growth trajectory.

The Virtual Events Group – tech brainstorms for the future​

The Virtual Events Group has come into its own post-COVID, as the world has been forced to reconsider tradeshows, conferences and meetings, and its founder has long been tracking technology innovations across a vast number of consumer goods industry, totting up decades of insider knowledge.

Robin Raskin, founder of The Virtual Events Group, will share top-view expert insight on how technology has evolved in recent years and detail the types of innovation available to beauty brands and retailers today. Raskin will also share some thoughts on the most exciting innovations in beauty tech and discuss what she considers will be the biggest challenges ahead as more companies onboard.

Interested in all of this and more? Registration is now open for our upcoming Beauty 4.0 – Tech, Tools and Future Trends​ webinar here​. Please send in your burning questions during registration or reach out to our editors on any issues you would like to see raised and addressed by our expert panel. Set it in your agendas and share within your network – this is going to be a deeply insightful and informative in-depth discussion on the future of beauty tech.