With major cities in China experiencing lockdown and forcing consumers to go online for their shopping needs, a trend of self-diagnosis is taking higher precedence via AI developments and social media platforms. The heavy investments by both tech and pharmaceutical giants, along with consumers being homebound, will expedite the timespan need for this trend to surface and mature.
Direct-to-consumer assessment applications or kits further motivates the desire to have visibility and taking an active role in mapping their own health going beyond the customary skin diagnostics.
Looking specifically in the beauty category, consumers are used to and trust the customised in-store beauty advisors and their diagnostic tools, but this behaviour is shifting. The reliance now leans on trusted peer and KOC reviews to learning how to correctly diagnose their skin conditions and solutions.
So, the question to be asked is how can we leverage digital technology (AI apps and social media platforms) to continue to stimulate behavioural change?
What that translates for Beauty Brands:
Opportunity to create a personalised routine, tailored improvement plans for consumers to understand how lifestyle choices affect their health. A designed program for those who will appreciate the control given to them in terms of how and when to treat their skin as data is easily accessed. Beauty platforms must be inclusive and recognise multiple complexions with different skin requirements. Thus, the brand must help consumers look beyond their own brand in order to filter through multiple reviews.
Imagine waking up to a notification from your personal skincare app/programme that recommends you the products to use (that’s in your bathroom shelf!) in view of the current pollution levels + weather + skin condition + health. The app is aware of differing income levels and locations, from their product recommendations are made and pointing out the missing ones from your current skincare routine/shelf.