Personalization drives beauty’s future: L’Occitane’s Duolab and Revieve launch Online Skin Diagnosis tool
09 Jun 2022 --- With the COVID-19 pandemic popularizing digital beauty solutions, L’Occitane Group’s start-up brand Duolab has launched its Online Skin Diagnosis tool in partnership with Revieve. The company shares expertise in developing personalized digital experiences within the beauty, skin and wellness space.
“Even before the pandemic hit, we recognized a growing demand for personalized, high-level digital brand experiences and a need to help our partners serve their customers across all channels,” Sampo Parkkinen, CEO and founder at Revieve, tells PersonalCareInsights.
“During the pandemic, we also recognized that brands and retailers desire to create more meaningful customer engagement, leading to higher post-purchase retention and customer satisfaction. In this way, we noticed how likely consumers are to buy from brands or retailers that provide enterprise-grade artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) powered solutions.”
The partnership allows Duolab to enable Revieve’s Health-Beauty-Wellness Platform and its AI Skincare Advisor. The company says that it combines computer vision algorithms and statistical methods, with more than 200 sub-metrics measured and 20 main metrics analyzed.
Pandemic-influenced shifts
Parkkinen shares that the pandemic sparked a growing appetite for information among highly engaged beauty consumers who have become more tech-savvy and are willing to dive deeper into skincare education to choose what’s necessary and best for them.
“The sudden change in consumer behavior accelerated by the pandemic left consumers craving the same in-store experience but entirely online. Consumers now expect beauty brands and retailers to have a certain level of digital-driven services,” continues Parkkinen.
“Alongside this shift in consumer behavior, the past years forced brands to experiment with technology and deeper levels of personalization to engage, educate and guide consumers, ultimately driving sales.”
This has led brands like Duolab to partner with tech specialists like Revive.
The Online Skin Diagnosis combines consumers’ observations with AI – analyzing aspects of their skin to recommend a prescription.
“By working with Revieve, we can combine consumers’ observations with smart AI technology that analyzes multiple aspects of their skin and recommends a tailored ‘prescription’ to deliver on their needs,” adds Alain Harfouche, managing director at Duolab.
“Adapting and tailoring a flexible skincare routine for each person is what Duolab is all about. So, of course, the most important first step is to identify the customer’s personal needs: their skin type, goals, lifestyle and preferences,” he continues.
Personalization and digitalization
Duolab specializes in a beauty system that allows consumers to mix-and-match two face formulations from up to 20 options. This will enable consumers to take their environment into account.
“Personalized and customized skincare is no longer just an option for customers; it’s the norm,” asserts Parkkinen.
“However, skincare today has become commoditized, and the options for consumers are endless. Looking for the right products in a sea of options is overwhelming.”
He confirms that a dermatologist is always essential if people desire to treat complex skin conditions.
The attention economy
Parkkinen believes the future will be about coaching customers about their skin and helping them achieve the best skin.
“We see the future as an integrated ecosystem of technology with beauty clinics, digital beauty advisor experiences and platforms (such as the metaverse), where brands can continue to provide shoppers with the ultimate personalized beauty experience,” he says.
“As more consumers move online, there is an increased need for personalization because, as a brand, you’re competing today for customer attention and engagement. Brands that can truly treat each of their customers as individuals are the ones to win customer loyalty today and in the future.” 
Parkkinen believes the future will be about coaching customers about their skin.
Additionally, when physical stores shut down, consumers began experimenting and looking for ways to buy products. “This is why the beauty industry shifted to a digital-first mindset, to meet consumers where they are,” says Parkkinen.
Adding the first step
Customers can access the platform on Duolab’s website, where they will be asked questions about their skin concerns and personal needs. They will also be asked to enter their location and a selfie image.
The tool will analyze the image and prescribe capsule combinations to address the customer’s needs. Duolab is also expected to add a Skin Coach module to help consumers track their progress over time later this year.
Duolab’s blended serums and moisturizers contain natural active ingredients that are preservative-free.
In other AI beauty moves, Revive partnered with Shiseido to provide the AI Makeup Advisor.
Pour Moi also emphasizesd the importance of choosing moisturizers by location instead of one standard to maximize hydration and anti-aging results.
Further developments in the personalization space saw Réduit’s Réduit Boost, a NASA-powered smart technology, launched in US markets. The personalization device identifies active ingredients within skincare products. It releases a waveform via pulsed electromagnetic field technology, pushing the components deeper into the skin where it is required.
By Venya Patel
