DIGITAL BEAUTY SERVICES
Virtual "try before you buy"
Just like how some apparel e-tailers are adapting virtual sizing applications to help online shoppers find properly fitting clothes with the click of a mouse, we predict that a growing number of beauty retailers and services will harness similar technologies to allow consumers to try out new hairstyles and makeup looks without having to take a trip to the salon or cosmetics counter.
In Japan, Shiseido and Sega teamed up to create Project Beauty: The Nintendo DS game features a scanning device that transfers digital images of the user's face onto a split screen, at which point the user's facial features and coloring are analyzed and different "looks" or makeup suggestions are displayed on one half of the screen. Stateside, TheHairStyler allows consumers to virtually try on thousands of hairstyles after uploading a face photo to the site, while the similarDailyMakeover.com lets users try out celebrity hairstyles and makeup trends. As more consumers experience and become aware of these kinds of digital beauty services, which can ultimately save them time and money, they will expect their favorite beauty brands to utilize similar technology.
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