The development of a device like HAPTA marks the beginning of a revolution in the world of beauty.
Earlier this year, French beauty powerhouse L'Oreal revealed the upcoming launch of their first computerized, hand-held makeup applicator, designed for people with limited hand and arm mobility. This is only what the beauty giant calls the first step in its journey of inclusivity through the use of technology, research, and development.
"Inclusivity is at the heart of our innovation and beauty tech strategy," said Barbara Lavernos, Deputy CEO in charge of Research, Innovation, and Technology at L'Oréal. "We are dedicated and passionate to bring new technologies powering beauty services that augment and reach every individual's ultimate desires, expectations, and unmet needs." The HAPTA device, which has been described by users with limited mobility as "ergonomic," "easy to use," and "malleable," will be available in the US at the end of this year and globally by 2024.
The development of a device like HAPTA marks the beginning of a revolution in the world of beauty. This billion dollar industry has seen slow progress regarding diversity, inclusion, and representation. Not too long ago, it was hard for people with deeper skin tones to even find a makeup match. The norm was for most makeup brands to have entire lines of products dedicated to white/light skin consumers, which sent a clear message to a vast sector of the population that beauty brands were not catering to them.
This has gradually changed with revolutionary brands such as Rihanna's Fenty Beauty, which entered the beauty space with a 40-shade foundation line, or celebrity makeup artist Pat McGrath, who has used diverse talent in her marketing from the beginning. After Fenty's iconic debut, most makeup and beauty brands were forced to respond to the wake-up call, setting a new standard for brands and pushing a beauty boom in the last few years. Still, foundation and concealer shade range is only the beginning.
Although slow and gradual, change in the beauty industry is inevitable. L'Oreal has been pioneering the use of research and technology to make makeup and other beauty products more accessible, this time for consumers with disabilities. With the release of HAPTA, L'Oreal hopes to provide independence and confidence to makeup users who otherwise feel excluded from using their products.
HAPTA is set to work only with L'Oreal lipsticks, but the brand hopes to expand its uses to pair with more of its products. Guive Balooch, the global chief of L'Oréal's technology incubator, spoke to Business Insider about the creative process for HAPTA, and how it was a collaborative effort that included the people they are trying to reach with this kind of technology: "This was codesigned with people with cerebral palsy, people with Parkinson's, and experts in the field," Balooch said. Although L'Oreal is not the first beauty brand to attempt to cater to users with reduced mobility, it is the first big company to dedicate significant investment to its technology innovation efforts with a focus on this sector of the population.
The creation of HAPTA is only the latest development coming out of L'Oreal's extensive innovation efforts. The conglomerate counts with "20 research centers across 11 countries around the world and a dedicated Research and Innovation team of over 4,000 scientists and 3,000 tech professionals" and hopes to unveil at least two technology-driven beauty products a year, a feat that they accomplished this year not only with HAPTA but also another product called Brow Magic, a product that facilitates the creation of instant brow looks and eliminates the hassle of brow pencils or powders.
With these innovations, L'Oreal hopes to inspire other brands to expand their lines to bring greater inclusion and accessibility to the beauty world and to continue bringing the worlds of technology, beauty, and creativity together for a good cause.
Sources:
HAPTA, Enabling self-expression for beauty lovers with limited hand and arm mobility https://www.loreal.com/en/articles/science-and-technology/hapta-ces-2023-lancome-innovation/
HAPTA Testimonial Natasha https://www.loreal.com/en/videos/hapta/testimonial-natasha/
Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty Foundation https://fentybeauty.com/collections/face-foundation
12 Black-Owned Beauty Brands Celebs Adore: Skincare and Haircare to Shop for Black History Month and Beyond https://www.etonline.com/12-black-owned-beauty-brands-celebs-adore-skincare-and-haircare-to-shop-for-black-history-month-and
L’Oréal's Hapta is an assistive grip that keeps lipstick level while it's being applied https://www.engadget.com/loreal-hapta-lipstick-applicator-at-ces-2023-080653733.htm
L'Oréal made a handheld, motorized device that helps people with disabilities apply lipstick. It's meant to give users independence https://www.businessinsider.com/loreal-lipstick-makeup-applicator-people-with-disabilities-hapta-accessible-tech-2023-1
L’Oreal Unveils HAPTA And Brow Magic, Two CES Innovation Award-Winning Technologies https://www.forbes.com/sites/sharonedelson/2023/01/04/loreal-unveils-hapta-and-brow-magic-two-ces-innovation-award-winning-technologies/?sh=428c24987e42
BROW MAGIC CES 2023 Innovation https://www.loreal.com/en/articles/science-and-technology/brow-magic-ces-2023-innovation/