We can contour, face map, pick the perfect eye palette for our skin tone and get an appointment at a nearby salon within minutes, all from the comfort of our smartphone. Co-Founder of on-demand beauty app Glamazon Lauren Silvers tells us more about the role and relationship of technology and the beauty industry.
We wake up to an alarm set by Alarmy Pro, get a lift to work with Uber, buy our morning coffee and pay using Apple Pay. We book a vacation with Airbnb, order lunch (and have it delivered) via Foodora, book a mid-afternoon mani/pedi through Glamazon and get an Uber back home where we gorge on Netflix, watching our TV on demand. Every aspect of our lives is now connected to our smartphones. Inclusive of our beauty routine.
Smartphones are the heart of our digital lives. Mobile and app technology has taken the hassle out of our beauty regime and has changed the way we search, trial and shop for beauty products and services on a daily basis.
Over time, this on-demand mentality has trickled into the beauty industry. More and more consumers are wanting last minute appointments, spontaneous treatments and have stopped planning so far in advance. The integration of technology into the beauty industry makes it easier for consumers to book, pay and find appointments; creating a win-win for salons with dead space and booking cancellations.
The latest beauty apps allow everyday consumers to virtually try the product, access makeup tutorials and schedule on-demand appointments, or get top stylists straight to your home, office or hotel.
As an industry, beauty has been one of the last to take the plunge and use technology as a focal element, however the value that can be added to stylists and salons by shifting gears and integrating technology to their services is endless and can lead to generating new customer leads and increasing revenue for salons.
The beauty industry’s relationship with technology has so much potential, still existing in the nascent stage of development. Beauty companies are placing technology at the forefront of their strategies, with YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest becoming an intrinsic aspect of how they do business and promote their services and stylists. Cosmetic brands and stylists are curating masterpieces on their snap chats, taking all the viewers behind-the-scenes of fashion shows, editorials and new product launches.
Smart salon owners and businesses are harnessing technology, not only for promotion and marketing purposes, but also to deliver a stronger seamless customer experience, allowing users to book an appointment, select their stylist and pay all in the touch of a button or tap of a smart phone screen.
The rise of the beauty blogger and Instagram influencer has changed the role of technology in the beauty industry. Customers can now amass the secrets of beauty professionals anywhere, anytime, accessing information that was formerly only attainable at your next makeup, tan, manicure or hair appointment.
A $5 billion per year industry, hair dressing and beauty services in Australia is becoming lucrative for app and tech developers, as the opportunities and advancements are endless. With tech, creativity remains in the hands of innovative start-ups, and the beauty industry is just ripe with opportunity for the next big thing.
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