Research: Apps in the Health and Beauty Sector

In this blog, we examine how apps are influencing the health and beauty industry and consider how businesses can connect with consumers through them.


Published by Hamish Kerry

All organisations should keep up with industry trends, but when it comes to creating software, understanding and utilising trends can mean the difference between a product's success or failure. In 2021 we saw businesses in the Health and Beauty industry take bold leaps into the metaverse, NFT’s and AI to accompany their product offering and enhance user experience. 

This year we’re broadly seeing a continuation of that trend, however, with greater consumer engagement. In order to find out how impactful these advancements are for the industry, we 

recently conducted market research to learn more about how companies can use apps to interact with their customers better and diversify their product offerings.

We hope you like what we discovered!

A little bit about our experience in the sector

We’re no strangers to the sector. In 2021 we helped the disruptive Health and Beauty community start-up, SKIN, launch their flagship app. The iOS and Android app (developed in the Google backed language, Flutter) features a personal inventory of products or 'shelf' with which users can interact to showcase their most used skincare products. As well as sophisticated social networking protocols that allow users to interact with other passionate members of the beauty community, follow influencers and share new products with their friends.

You can read more about the app and its success here: Our work with SKIN

The health and beauty app landscape

Traditional retail and service-based industries have seen enormous growth in demand from a constantly shifting customer landscape since the popularisation of brand-based apps in the early 2000s. In 2020, 79 percent of smartphone users made an online purchase using their devices, generating mobile revenue sales of £259.65 billion ($308.28 B USD). The advantages of a consumer-based sector like health and beauty are now beyond dispute.

Here’s a few reasons why we’re excited about the future of cosmetics apps:

Average Age Group Index Among Top Apps Per Category

Beauty and cosmetic apps have secured a market share that defies generational boundaries. While younger consumers are inclined to enjoy diverse featuresets, uptake is strong in older generations where simplified shopping and information services form part of core functionality.

 

Industry Statistics

Exciting use cases in industry

Lancôme

With the capacity to identify up to 22,500 different skin tones, Lancôme Shade Finder offers accurate foundation shade matching and is available both in-store and online in more than 30 countries.

Yves Saint Laurent

Rouge Sur Mesure is an AI-enabled, at-home system offering the ultimate in lip colour personalization. With just a touch, the device analyses thousands of bespoke lip colour options to match the wearer's skin tone or attire, and within seconds, creates a customised shade that is kept in the detachable compartment for usage on-the-go.

SkinCeuticals

Customers will have access to a private, one-on-one video consultation with a licenced medical aesthetician through SkinCeuticals Pro 1:1 to get dermatological guidance online. In order to assist the customer present their best self, this complimentary service will evaluate their specific skincare requirements and provide a specialised regimen.

Givenchy

The iconic fashion and cosmetics house launched an exclusive collection of 15 NFTs was produced by the French luxury brand in collaboration with Mexico based airbrush artist Chito at the back end of last year. The "Chito x Givenchy NFT" collection includes a variety of comical figures and symbols, some of which are animated and others of which have the Givenchy emblem.

L'Oréal

Period-tracking software Clue has teamed up with L'Oreal, to provide individualised hormone-related skincare advice. Through this partnership, Clue's leadership in reproductive health and L'Oréal's goals in beauty technologies are brought together. Additionally, Clue will collaborate with L'Oréal's Active Cosmetic Division and its clinical experts to create fresh, scientifically sound content regarding the menstrual cycle and skin health.

 

Key takeaways

Consumer interest in beauty and cosmetics apps is stronger than ever. This is seconded by the an appreciation for engaging interactive experiences that consumers can share with their friends and family, allowing them to further connect with health and beauty brands. The trend in creating these experiences is being adopted by some of the largest cosmetic companies in the world, to great success. However, that does not mean small and medium size companies within the industry shouldn’t be taking advantage of this, opportunities to increase real brand connections with consumers are omnipresent in today’s society, particularly if your goal is to create those connections with a varied audience. 

 

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