Contributor
Carli Gernot, Content Development Specialist
Move over, Pantone: there’s a new color specialist in town. Powered by Perso, Yves Saint-Laurent’s Rouge Sur Mesure is a smart device that lets users customize lip colors at home. The AI device — which retails for USD $299 — uses the accompanying app to match a lip shade to an uploaded image of a specific color, or can recommend personalized shades based on an outfit. After the user decides on a shade, the bespoke product is mixed and served up in a single-use portion and can be applied with the included lip brush.
Inside the device, color cartridges in four color families — reds, nudes, oranges, and pinks — are used to mix a brand new shade from YSL’s velvet cream matte finish lipstick range. The lid of the device also functions as a compact luxury case and can be removed to allow users to bring extra applications of the personalized lip color.
YSL is part of the L’Oréal Group, and the debut of this consumer product falls in line with L’Oréal’s long-term sustainability goal. The beauty giant pledged that by 2025, all of its plastic packaging will be reloadable, refillable, recyclable or compostable, and that 50% of its packaging will be recycled or bio-sourced.
Throughout COVID, so many shoppers have re-evaluated what products and brands they choose to support. The option for personalization has become an expectation for a significant majority of consumers. According to McKinsey’s Next in Personalization 2021 Report, 71% of consumers expect personalization and 78% said they are more likely to make repeat purchases from companies that personalize.
This AI device from YSL delivers custom color, meeting this modern expectation of personalization. While the luxury status — and price tag — of the lipstick dispenser may indicate that smart tech is only for the luxury consumer, its launch also spotlights how smart tech is positioned to help brands across businesses give consumers what they want.
Matching colors is one way serve up personalized products — but customers want customization across industries. Retailers in particular need to make use of tech that’s already available. Walmart has introduced virtual fitting rooms, and Snap’s Shopping Lenses allow users to virtually try on beauty products — which has resulted in 30M product trials and $6M in purchases for Ulta Beauty. These virtual try-on tools are easy ways to facilitate a personalized shopping experience, on or offline.
Brands and retailers alike should embrace customizable products and services as a way to stand out with shoppers. Smart tech must be incorporated in these solutions, as it’s the best way to create personalization without long wait times, but can also be used to collect customer info to figure out what comes next.