NFTs in the beauty sphere: Soapmaker mints cryptocurrency edition of skin-soothing bar
22 Jul 2022 --- Over the last year, the personal care sector has seen transformations in line with the emergence of the metaverse. Targeting consumers’ interest in cryptocurrency, soap brand Dr. Squatch has crafted a new limited edition bar, Crypto Cleanse.
The brand will be minting three NFTs, in partnership with artists Nychos and CryptoDads, and will be offering a sweepstakes giveaway of the digital art along with a US$500 coupon.
Dr. Squatch mined unique ingredients like exfoliating “Crypto Fortunei” and skin-soothing “Seven Golden Candlesticks” to create this “disruptive drop that gives you a verified clean”.
“The invigorating minted banana scent leaves you feeling bullish about this non-fungible freshness,” the company playfully adds.
“With the launch of this bar, we are seamlessly blending elements of entertainment and education in two areas that today's cultural zeitgeist cares about: personal care and cryptocurrency,” remarks Josh Friedman, chief marketing officer at Dr. Squatch.
Banking on blockchain
NFTs are non-fungible tokens, uniquely verified units of data stored on the blockchain, commonly represented as digital artwork.
Crypto Cleanse soap by Dr. Squatch (Credit: Dr. Squatch).Earlier this year, AI and AR beauty solutions provider Perfect Corp. launched NFT services to allow consumers and beauty brands to interact with NFTs and help them create personalized AR try-on NFTs. The company claims it is the “first” to offer an AR-powered NFT try-on for digital asset owners.
Color-aesthetic design company Pantone also recently teamed up with Paris-based multidisciplinary “crypto-artist” Polygon1993 and “eco-friendly” crypto-currency company Tezos Blockchain to announce a free NFT giveaway inspired by Pantone 17-3938 Very Peri, the Pantone Color of the Year 2022.
In its latest launch, Dr. Squatch partnered with acclaimed NFT artists Nychos and CryptoDads to create its digital art assets.
“Nychos dedicates his time to finding and supporting new artists by sharing their work and giving them a platform, just as Dr. Squatch does with emerging talent, while CryptoDads shares an interest with the brand in supporting causes focused on men's health,” says Friedman.
“While we're excited to participate in the fun of NFTs, we also recognize the impact that NFTs and blockchain technology have on the environment. Our love for the planet is an important part of who we are at Dr. Squatch, which is why we are also partnering with Aerial to track and offset the carbon emissions created when minting NFTs.”
Art translated into code
In tandem with the Crypto Cleanse product launch, Dr. Squatch is launching a sweepstakes giveaway in which three entrants will be randomly selected to win an NFT created by artist partners, Nychos, CryptoDads and an internal Squatch member.
The Crypto Cleanse sweepstakes runs from July 22 to August 5. Each winner will win a custom-sourced minted NFT with a unique rendering of the Dr. Squatch “Squatch” logo in their own individual style as well as a US$500 Dr. Squatch gift card.
“For this collaboration, I wanted to dissect the Squatch and break him down into his core elements,” says Nychos. “The soap heart pumps suds through the veins, and the remainder is his disruptive, creative expression of communicating that message”
“We felt that Dr. Squatch was the perfect partner for us because of our shared desire to educate, entertain, promote health, and make a positive impact in our communities,” comments Crypto Dads.
“In celebration of our partnership, we’re excited to announce that Dr. Squatch has offered to donate US$10,000 to St. Jude’s Children Hospital to support our shared vision to help improve lives.”
Dawn of the metaverse
Consumer interest in the metaverse grows in tandem with the growing trend of digital beauty and new commerce solutions, primarily caused by post-pandemic trends.
In this space, L’Oréal is exploring the internet-driven beauty of web3 by expanding novel services such as skin diagnosis, teleconsultation and virtual try-on platforms.
Brands are increasingly advertising AI-backed solutions, such as Proven Skincare’s expanded line of “personalized, adaptive” products backed by the company’s Skin Genome Project, touted as “the largest beauty database on Earth.”
By Benjamin Ferrer
