In 2022, no longer does the beauty industry solely cater to the mass market. With self-care on the rise and the influx of beauty-related content across the internet, today’s consumers are well-informed, aware of their needs and increasingly seek solutions targeted to their specific needs which has led to the advent of greater demand for personalisation in the beauty category.

According to Mintel, 40 per cent of beauty and personal care shoppers think it’s difficult to know which products are right for them. This percentage increases to 56 per cent among 16–24-year-olds. Today’s consumer is knowledgeable and sophisticated, and this changing attitude and self-care have caused a surge in brands offering grooming and beauty products/services that are best tailored to suit one’s specific needs and desires.

Customisation has been around for years. Think back to the 1600s when apothecaries were the tried-and-true approach to buying cosmetics and medicine then came the industrial revolution, which led consumers to believe that mass production was the right and only answer when it comes to producing products at scale. However, with the rise in technology and the shift to ecommerce, the concept of personalisation in beauty is far from saturation. An influx of information online has educated consumers on their beauty needs. They know their skin, hair and body best; they also know that everyone is different and wants their requirements to be catered for. With this realisation that one size does not fit all, customisation offers a credible solution ranging from mass customisation to hyper-personalisation which has transformed the grooming industry and has taken it to new heights so much so that personalisation has emerged as a key avenue for this differentiation, to the extent that 71 per cent of consumers today expect companies to deliver personalised interactions, and 76 per cent become frustrated when this doesn’t happen (A Report by McKinsey). Customer personalisation enables brands to meet these expectations and creates the grounds for a dialogue between both sides of a transaction. The relationship this develops is unique and individualised to the consumer which can enable brands to scale growth in generating individual connections within their audience. Personalising the beauty customer experience helps position the brand as a trusted partner who understands the customers’ needs. This expert status increases customers’ trust in you and creates tangible customer retention, with consumers returning to benefit from this expertise time and time again.

How are brands implementing personalisation for differentiation and enhancing the customer experience:

· Phygital Solutions: Influx of new-age technologies

Technology advancements are creating new strategic opportunities for brands to explore the personalisation of beauty products. Phygital solutions, blending the physical and digital world, will become increasingly relevant as consumers become reliant on virtual experiences such as online try-on As a result, the grooming industry is fast becoming technology-driven with artificial intelligence (AI), 3D-printing, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and DNA analysis all helping to tap into the growing trend for products that can be tailored to suit individual needs.

The use of AR will be prominent across the buying journey from product consideration to purchasing and sharing product reviews. Going forward, the virtual makeup features will not be limited to apps but extended to desktops allowing shoppers to experience the product across devices. Consumers interacting with AR throughout the buying journey means tremendous opportunities for companies to collect real-time insights

· Digitalised and Personalised consultation

Beauty backed by science is the need of the hour. Brands are making innovative strategies to pair consumers with medical practitioners to get personalised skincare prescriptions from cosmeceutical brands - it can be a video consultation with a dermatologist, aesthetic doctor, or cosmetic surgeon. Hair and skin analysis /diagnostic tools will help companies come up with individualised product recommendations. Virtual assistance and beauty advice from experts throughout the journey will make the experience more real and seamless.

· Avoiding the one-size-fits-all approach

The one-size-fits-all approach is long gone! When it comes to personal grooming and beauty, the “one size fits all” approach usually is not the most effective solution, everyone has a unique skin tone, ethnicity, culture and choices. Brands need to invest in tailored services according to individual and unique needs.

The future of beauty is about diversity, transparency, community and personalisation. While personalisation will continue to evolve alongside digitalisation, many consumers will continue to seek convenience and safety, and therefore value the digital features of personalised beauty, from skin analysis on a mobile application to virtual consultations with a dermatologist. Moving forward, brands linking personalisation technologies to self-care and preventative health will create better brand resonance.