Beauty Tech is now inseparable from the cosmetics giant’s core business: it has grown to more than 5,900 dedicated employees, more than 800 online services with 40 million service sessions in 2022.

The novelties presented by L’Oréal this year at VivaTech include: inclusive beauty tech solutions such as Hapta from Lancôme, designed to enable people with physical limitations to apply makeup, initially displayed at CES in Las Vegas earlier this year; diagnostic and coaching tools, such as La Roche-Posay Spotscan, Meta Profiler by Giorgio Armani and Kérastase K-Scan; personalized beauty tech solutions such as 3D shu:brow by shu uemura for a professional eyebrow look at home, L’Oréal Paris Colorsonic for a mess-free even at-home hair colour and the Maybelline Beauty App virtual makeover; and sustainable beauty tech solutions with Water Saver from L’Oréal Professionnel, which was launched in 2021 and has saved over 42 million litres of water to date.

Focus on four novelties

Four innovations particularly got our attention:

Shu Uemura, Phygital Stickers
Inspired by Japanese calligraphy, Shu Uemura’s phygital stickers are driving a bridge between physical and digital beauty experiences thanks to the latest NFC technology. Each Shu Uemura sticker is a ‘wearable accessory’. Upon scanning them, the users are directed to Snapchat, then the app uses face recognition technology to unlock an associated augmented reality experience – through A/R lenses, that enhances the user’s looks, based on Shu Uemura’s Japanese themes.

Kérastase, K-Scan
This handheld AI-powered scalp and hair smart camera can scan, diagnose and track scalp and hair health-related conditions. K-SCAN uses three kinds of light (white, cross- polarized and UV) to analyse all types of hair and scalps and give stylists the insights they need to address the needs of their clients.

Giorgio Armani, Meta Profiler
Giorgio Armani’s Meta Profiler service is an in-store, 10-minute diagnostic consultation that analyses the consumer’s skin in high precision, to then deliver a tailor-made Crema Nera routine and a personalized Armani beauty “Meta Sculpt” boosting protocol.

La Roche-Posay, Spotscan
Developed with leading dermatologists, this free diagnostic tool for acne sufferers has been validated by a clinical study. From just three selfies, Spotscan analyses and scores imperfections to recommend a personalized La Roche-Posay routine. Targeting teenagers and young adults, Spotscan doesn’t replace an appointment with a dermatologist, but provides a vital first step in understanding their skin condition in a simple way.

In addition, L’Oréal also gave details on its partnership with Impact+ to measure the impact of its digital media activities and on its three-year partnership with Alibaba to reduce the impact of its e-commerce activities in China.

“This level of innovation would not be possible without the growing complementary expertise of Beauty Tech teams, as well as, our open innovation program via partnerships with some of the world’s most exciting startups and tech leaders,” said Barbara Lavernos, Deputy Chief Executive Officer in charge of Research, Innovation, and Technology, L’Oréal Groupe. “Technology and science enable us today not only to offer unmet services to our consumers, but also to transform ourselves from research to human resources to manufacturing or retail to invent the future of beauty.”