Clarins unveils “very first” GenAI customer care bot “Clara” and discusses sustainability

31 May 2024 --- Global cosmetics giant Clarins says it wants to ensure customers get around-the-clock attention, so it launched Clara, the “very first generative AI-powered customer care bot in the prestige beauty industry.”

The bot is live on Clarins’ American website and offers live consultations, beauty classrooms, live streaming and customer care services. It leverages Clarins’ proprietary data, including predefined customer care questions and product training content from its beauty coaches. 

Powered by Microsoft Secure and Azure OpenAI, it integrates natural language interactions to improve understanding of customer requests and resolve matters so that customer care agents can, during the day, “respond swiftly to more complex inquiries that cannot be handled by a conversational bot.”

The family-owned company was founded in Paris in 1954 and is celebrating 70 years of its “pioneering vision of effective beauty.”

To that end, it recently acquired Domaine Sainte-Colombe, a natural area of 115 hectares located in the communes of Saint-Gilles and Générac near Nimes in the  south of France. Clarins says the 50 hectares of farmland will become a plant production and processing site with a laboratory dedicated to studying and researching new plant species.

Personal Care Insights speaks with Marie-Hélène Lair, head of global responsible communications for Groupe Clarins, to learn more about the company’s sustainability initiatives and why it continues to thrive.Clarins says Clara is the “very first generative AI-powered customer care bot in the prestige beauty industry.”

Clarins is seen as a pioneer in the clean beauty space. What motivates the company to carry on with sustainability efforts?
Lair: In 2020, Clarins structured its CSR strategy and defined its raison d’être as ‘making life more beautiful, passing on a more beautiful planet.’ It drives every decision we make. It means that beauty, according to Clarins, is a source of generosity, well-being and self-esteem for women and society. ‘Passing on a more beautiful planet’ means affirming that it isn’t only about correcting or reducing our impact but also about acting voluntarily to fight inequality, pushing for equal development and leaving a healthier planet for the next generation.

How will Groupe Clarins use the land at The Domaine?
Lair: The estate, with its 50 hectares of arable land, is intended to become a place for the production and exploitation of plants according to the standards of regenerative agriculture, as well as a laboratory for the study and research of new species. It offers Clarins the opportunity to pursue its ambition to combine the traceability of raw materials, the quality and effectiveness of formulas and constant innovation in the service of ever more responsible beauty.

Is this part of Clarins’ philosophy, “from farm to skin”?
Lair: Through these areas (the first in the heart of the Alps and the second in the South of France), which benefit from specific microclimates — mountains and scrubland — and a remarkable land, Groupe Clarins has a unique source of supply, allowing it to combine the quest for excellence in its assets with its constant aspiration for greater transparency and sustainability. With the first cultivation scheduled for this fall, nearly 50 species of trees and plants will eventually be grown there. Prickly pears, quince, almond, apricot, lavender, lemon thyme, milk thistles, blueberries, saffron and many others will soon be one of the main sources of supply of quality and organic raw materials used in Clarins’ formulas.Clarins acquired Domaine Sainte-Colombe in France to create a production and processing site to research new plant species.

Can you explain why “integrated sourcing” is essential to Clarins?
Lair: Creating Domaines Clarins is integral to our logic of sustainable agriculture, vertical sourcing and short-circuit production. This symbolizes our ambition to become an exemplary brand in ingredient sourcing and traceability. In 2022, we launched the Trust platform, a unique tracking system guaranteed by blockchain technology.

Since Clarins was created in 1954, two underlying principles have remained central to the company’s development: listening to women and a love of nature. These principles guide us always. They are passed on from generation to generation and help make Clarins a company that is naturally responsible, committed and carried by a long-term vision.

By Anita Sharma