Good looks matter more these days. Rather it’s about how upbeat you can be to stay ahead of the competition. Look at the way how wellness resorts, panchkarmas, yoga and spa centres are mushrooming every day. Or how scores of organic nature-based products, beauty treatments, therapies, and regimens are luring all and sundry with enticing offers for optimal well-being. The modern generation does not mind spending a good fortune on personal care products and lifestyle choices if that can improve their appearance or bring them good health on a platter.

Beauty on a platter

Recognising the emergence of a growing market, the beauty and wellness industry is shaping up in a big way; thanks to technology that is paving the way for phenomenal success. Today you have access to a wide range of apps and devices that can resolve your beauty queries, self-diagnose your problems, get product updates and gain insights into many useful tools that can meet your personal preferences. Then there are many innovative wellness gadgets that use cost-effective equipment including advanced wireless connectivity, intelligent computing, cloud storage and a smartphone for essential operations.

It is interesting how technological advances are driving the change in the beauty industry as well as peoples’ lives. Let us take a peek into some of them.

Just a click away

Smartphone mobile devices are making a significant impact on the beauty market. Most consumers use their smartphones to get the product details before making an actual purchase. You simply have to download the app. A click says it all.

So whether it is getting pinged about upcoming appointments, receiving alert messages, or having a video chat with a beautician, mobile technology has become the ideal gateway to enhancing customer engagement with beauty care providers. A video-enabled chat through computer, iPad or tablet, allows customers to interact on-one-one with beautician online, share their needs and discuss their case in detail. Beauty therapists or professionals too can access information easily enhance and share informative knowledge in a way that will help them strengthen relationships with customers and clients in a more rewarding way.

Browse as much as you can!

Creating a website is a great way to establish a connected beauty care system. A dynamic website with customer-centric content and insights into best practices will always inspire for a rich viewing, making way for prospective customers to get connected with a customised system that will fulfill their needs. Other features of the site would include beautician directories, customers’ satisfaction surveys, the platform for learning and collaboration among beautician, beautician journal articles.

The customer relationship data, appointment and beautician record management system are all nicely included in beauty care software solution package for effective operations. Currently, Codegniter or Magento is the most widely used MVC framework for developing the beauty care software solution system.

Right at home!

Those looking for start-up or entrepreneurship opportunities can easily do business sitting at home with the lowest possible investment. The digital media is literally creating a revolution with its varied platforms. Whether you want a facial or a hair spa done, you can get a salon experience right from the comfort of your home. Simply book the best beautician who will come to your house at your scheduled and convenient time and you can fulfill your every skincare and haircare requirement. In this entire process, travel costs are reduced and most importantly, the people-to-people connect becomes powerful for effective beauty care management.

Know the power of social media

According to research, online stores are flourishing like never before and are changing the entire dynamics of the beauty industry. It is found that 70% of the growth has resulted from social media platforms and young consumers. Digitisation has shown the market a new virtual reality where stores are witnessing huge volumes of footfalls day after day. Attractive advertisements and campaigns on social media prompted the customers to view the site where cosmetics are available. Beauty products can be purchased online once they are tested and without the slightest hassle. Online stores are fetching big revenues and are emerging as one of the biggest factors for elevating the market size of the beauty industry.

A new initiative, Tailify is linking major brands with Instagram platforms while Cosmos, a Hong Kong initiative is utilising location-based tech to connect shoppers to the shops, where they have had one preliminary visit.

Why beauty technology is attracting people?

Now newer technologies are evolving that can interpret consumers’ facial expressions and eye movements to determine their product preferences online. With shelves loaded with a plethora of products, consumers, hard-pressed of time are seeking a more intuitive shopping experience Interestingly, beauty apps and devices are using consumers’ biometric data to create a real-time set of recommendations to help discover the product faster and thus provide a more personalised experience.

In the years to come, the commercial use of biometric data will not be just limited to eye tracking. Body language, heart rate, and speech will be significant biometric parameters that will provide a complete insight into consumer preference and personality.

India Rising!

India is emerging as hot property for beauty brands targeting the Asia Pacific Zone and according to industry experts by 2025 the market size of India’s beauty will reach well beyond 17 billion dollars. With growing disposable incomes, progressive thinking, enhanced lifestyles, improved purchasing capabilities of people and greater visibility of personal care products, it’s a promising scenario for the beauty industry and good times are here to stay!

Good to know! (Inbox)

• Beauticians carrying mobile devices with a mobile app will be more reachable for consultation with customers. They will have instant access to complex customers data
• Through video conferencing, any beauty expert can collaborate with professionals from other networks for better learning and improved customer care.
• In a remote set up or location, a beautician can directly communicate with their staff allocated for customer care, thereby improving delivery of beauty treatment.
• Mobile technologies offer information on the newest and greatest evidence-based beautician practices.