Beauty giant L’Oréal has taken a new technological approach to fragrance selection in a partnership with Emotiv, a #neurotechnology company.
The collaboration, carried out by L’Oréal’s Technology Incubator, luxury brand Yves Saint Laurent and Emotiv, involves the introduction of multi-sensor electroencephalography (EEG) headsets to stores, in a bid to enhance the fragrance consultation experience.
The headset utilizes machine learning algorithms to interpret EEG and detect consumer behavior while they smell various scent families, allowing them to determine their preferred scent based on their emotions and reactions.
The technology hopes to help make the fragrance selection process more accurate and personalized while providing insight into how customers feel about a fragrance.
In a release, the CEO of Emotiv, Tan Le, said:
“We’re simplifying the decision-making process by connecting emotion and scent through technology - in a way no one has done before. Rooted in science and powerful insights, this technological breakthrough will help consumers decode what fragrances are best suited to their needs.”
More than three-fourths (77 percent) of consumers say they want their fragrance to bring them emotional benefits. Through a blind test, L’Oréal also found that people connect various emotions, including happiness and relaxation, to their scent preference. More than half of consumers ages 12-34 say they choose a fragrance based on their mood.
“There are thousands of fragrance options, and we know it can be challenging for consumers to navigate the vast number of scents and make a choice that’s right for them,” says Stephan Bezy, International General Manager at Yves Saint Laurent Beauté. “Through this immersive system, we were able to get 95% of people the right fragrance personalized to their needs and desires, which is enormously higher than without this technology.”
With hopes to expand throughout the rest of the beauty industry, the technology will first be available at international Yves Saint Laurent flagship stores later this year and throughout 2023.
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