Technology vs Nature - Will holistic beauty lose out to AI?

The beauty industry is considered to be one of the most lucrative markets today. It was reported the UK health and beauty sector is set to surpass all other sectors and projected to generate over £26.7bn by 2022. 

The heavily saturated industry has continued to thrive in recent years with the emergence of the latest beauty trends from the around the world, including the global adoption of K-beauty and methods to achieve the ideal ‘glass skin' look. 

Two of the main trends dominating the sector are technologically advanced beauty and skincare devices, and holistic beauty, a movement which encourages consumers to use vegan-friendly skin care, cosmetics and tools. There has long been a divide between the two narratives, especially on the best approach for safe and effective beauty routines.

With invaluable insight from social media, organisations from both sides have gained a greater understanding of what customers want in their beauty regime, and have illustrated this through creative campaigns that exploit the latest trends online. The emergence of beauty/fitness influencers has transformed the way businesses communicate with consumers, driving customer demand through influencer/business partnerships and resulting in propelling once considered niche beauty and skincare products into the ‘must-have' item for consumers. Beauty and healthcare companies have fast adopted influencers in their marketing strategy, amplifying major campaigns and product launches.

Since this development, there has been much debate on the best options for the ideal beauty routine. Will technology be able to outperform holistic beauty in the health and beauty industry?

Let's take a look at both trends in more detail.

Au Naturale 

A major trend changing the face of beauty through the rise of social media, holistic beauty products with natural ingredients have become a go-to for many beauty gurus and their fans, in fear that harsh chemicals and foreign tools could do more harm than good. The holistic beauty movement has become somewhat of a community, with many members conveying polarising opinions on beauty products developed through science and technology online.

Many businesses have capitalised off this notion by developing ‘vegan' products, which are meant to contain all natural ingredients and are animal-friendly. However, using all-natural ingredients can be costly across the board, which can be a gamble when developing new products for the marketplace.

Meet Alexa: Your New Beauty Advisor

At the other end of the spectrum, technology has been another element in pushing the industry forward. Leveraging the latest innovations, customers can learn more in-depth about their skin, taking their beauty and skin care to the next level. 

Integrated technology such as Augmented Reality (AR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have proven useful in this sector. Customers can now test make-up looks without physically putting make-up on their faces, get an accurate foundation match, track their hydration and skin texture all at the touch of a button. 

As a relatively new vertical in the industry, there have been a few hiccups regarding user experiences and applications. However, most devices are constantly updated to become more user-friendly in hopes for a seamless process for customers.

Who Takes All?

Technology vs holistic beauty, who will win over the community? Both trends have USPs that have a great appeal for the masses. While all-natural ingredients provide relief to customers who dislike the idea of synthetic materials in beauty and skincare regimes, technology brings a level of convenience for the user that has never occurred before. As the industry advances, we'll be sure to see what will stand the test of time.