Shiseido Announces IoT Skincare System Ambitious for "Personalized Beauty"

Shiseido held its "Beauty goes Forward." presentation on November 27, introducing "Personalized Beauty" tailored to each individual customer. The company has pioneered research and investment in IoT technology within the industry, achieving the fusion of personalization and digital technology.

At the outset, Shigeyasu Sugiyama, President of Shiseido Japan, quoted management scholar Peter Drucker's famous saying, "The best way to predict the future is to create it," stating, "We will creatively envision the future. By staying close to each and every customer and combining Shiseido's beauty expertise cultivated over more than 100 years with digital technology, we aim to support our customers' beauty and fulfilling lifestyles through an innovative approach."

Next, Ayako Harada, Research Planner at i-style, took the stage to discuss personalization in the beauty industry. Drawing on women's voices shared on the company's beauty review site "@cosme," she speculated on the future of beauty. She noted that as channels diversify and information and product overload become commonplace, the desire to select products perfectly suited to oneself is growing. She presented data showing that words related to personalization, such as "personal color" and "skin diagnosis," appear with increasing frequency in the site's reviews each year.

Shiseido Executive Officer and Managing Director Yoichi Shimadani presented examples of the company's research and development. These included the "Maquillage" eyeshadow line, born from data showing that "matching eyeshadow color to iris color makes eyes appear larger," helping users find their perfect shade, and the collaboration with "BareMinerals" and the "MATCHCo" app. This app accurately measures skin tone, enabling users to purchase foundation that perfectly matches their skin.

He also revealed data showing Japanese has an overwhelmingly larger number of words to describe texture compared to other languages. "This richness of expression reflects a sensibility unique to Japan. As a brand born in Japan, Shiseido aims to delicately capture each individual's condition and provide diverse approaches," he stated.

Michifumi Kawasaki, Brand Manager of Shiseido Japan's Digital Future Group, announced the IoT skincare system "Optune," which realizes personalized skincare by combining cutting-edge dermatological research and beauty technology insights with digital technology. The name derives from "Optimize" (meaning to optimize) and "tune" (meaning to adjust). This system uses a dedicated machine installed at home. Based on skin measurement data from a dedicated app and various collected environmental data, it employs a unique algorithm to provide care tailored not only to skin type but also to each individual's current skin condition stress and external environmental factors.

The beta version machine, "Optune zero," will begin test sales on the company's e-commerce site "Watashi Plus" starting in spring 2018. Further refinement and development will follow, aiming for full-scale introduction as soon as possible. Each subsequent evolution will be numbered "Optune one," "Optune two," and so on.

Booths allowing visitors to try "Optune" and a "BareMinerals × MATCHCo" booth were set up, drawing a large crowd of media representatives.

 

Official website: http://www.shiseidogroup.jp/