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From global companies to indie, purpose-driven private businesses, today’s skincare companies agree that advancements in artificial intelligence have dramatically helped brands connect with their customers.
Today’s consumers want personalized shopping experiences when considering skincare products and routines. They want to understand their skin health and find the products that best match their particular needs.
Recently, AI skin tech was discussed at the Global Beauty and Fashion AI Forum in New York, where Alicia Criner, the global head of digital and media for Galderma, sat down with Brent Ridge, the founder of Beekman 1802, an indie, purpose-driven beauty startup.
They both agreed that partnering with Perfect Corp.’s AI technology allowed their companies to reshape their customers' skincare journeys.
How AI Influences the Skin Health Industry
“There is no better time for skincare and AI,” said Criner, whose company was recently publicly listed on the Swiss stock exchange.
She also said that AI gives customers better access to different diagnoses by providing them with real-time, personalized analyses of their skin health. For example, psoriasis and eczema can look different when present on pale and dark skin tones. With AI, consumers can learn about the condition of their own skin, rather than general information that may not apply to them.
Plus, AI helps doctors gain confidence in the accuracy of their diagnoses. They have access to clinical data and can integrate studies to support their findings. As a result, AI is creating a more empowered group of patients and specialists in the skincare industry.
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How AI Is Changing the Skincare Consumer Landscape
Skincare brand executives may disregard the reality that many of their customers don’t fully understand their bodies or their skin — let alone the products and services that could benefit them. But AI technology bridges this gap. Criner said that less than 30% of Americans have access to a dermatologist, so they need different options to help themselves. AI tools that provide skincare scans using a customer’s face can put the power back in their hands.
“Is that a mole or a pimple or acne or what?” Criner asked. “Thankfully, we do have clinical studies that can be accessed.”
This gives consumers a better understanding of their skin health, while also providing an exciting opportunity for skin health brands to further educate them and offer new solutions. Customers will have more realistic expectations about the results of their treatments and products as well. This individualized power also creates more confidence — which, in turn, can drive more sales.
How Smaller Skincare Brands Can Harness AI for Growth and Innovation
Ridge’s company, Beekman 1802, focuses on harnessing the benefits of goat milk on the skin’s microbiome. However, this complex concept requires some education before the company can convert prospects into sales. One way it's achieved is with AI.
When company representatives launched their brand in Ulta four years ago, they offered an interactive experience for in-store shoppers. Customers could scan a QR code and take a virtual goat shopping with them throughout the store. Or they could turn their smartphone to selfie mode and apply a fun goat filter using the AI facial scanning technology.
“We had to figure out how we could engage and entertain the customer and get them deeper into the brand,” Ridge said. “We had 3 million impressions on Snapchat in the first year.”
Another clever marketing campaign involved augmented reality and a partnership with Netflix’s Bridgerton series, in which Beekman 1802 created series-styled, AR-fueled twists for its product packaging.
What’s more, Ridge said he saw AR as an exciting way of improving his brand's sustainability. Each consumer could have a different experience with a package simply by holding up their phone and using an app that customizes what they see. There would be less of a need for excess plastic if the package itself could serve as a new communication channel, like current social media platforms.
Another tool that Beekman 1802 uses to educate consumers is an AI skin biome assessment. It worked with Perfect Corp. to design a customized educational tool that can identify dry, red, oily, or wrinkled areas of the face. Then, based on the personalized results, the tool can explain how an imbalance in the skin’s microbiome could be a cause.
“Many consumers hadn’t heard of the skin microbiome. We wanted to educate them,” Ridge explained. “There is an ecosystem, and we have a solution to keep that ecosystem healthy.”
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How Social Media and Technology Impact the Skincare Industry and Consumer Behavior
AI skin analysis isn’t the only technology changing the skin health industry. Criner said that social media is also helping to change consumer behavior. When people see things like injectables, prescriptions, and other treatments online through influencers and friends, the processes become destigmatized.
“People want to look like themselves, and social media helped them see what injections can look like,” she said.
Galderma offers an AI tool for dermatologists, too. As social media may destigmatize treatments, AI skin tech can help specialists show their patients the results they can expect on their own faces. They can tailor their treatments based on the personalized feedback that comes only from that real-time information.
But this company didn’t just stop with specialists. It created a Cetaphil AI skin analysis tool for consumers, too. Customers can scan their faces using a mobile phone or desktop and receive a skin score based on redness, oiliness, and other skin conditions. That first-party data can then be used to offer personalized recommendations.
Galderma took this tool to New York Fashion Week to demonstrate how science and fashion can intersect. It showed models and influencers how some fabrics cause skin sensitivities and offered solutions for aggravated skin.
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AI Skin Tech Modernizes the Industry
Ridge said he’s excited to use AI as a tool to educate people about their skin health, an increasingly difficult task as attention spans decrease over time. When brands integrate interactive AI tools, they can provide personalized messaging and skincare solutions that customers appreciate.
Criner agreed that AI is helping the skincare industry evolve with better access to information as well as improved product distribution. Customers can now find products anywhere in the world after they're empowered with a better understanding of their personalized needs.
Large skincare brands like Galderma and smaller ones like Beekman 1802 will need to continue to integrate AI into their campaigns if they want to keep up with the competition. To learn more about opportunities for AI skin tech, check out Perfect Corp.’s AI Skin Analysis tool today.
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