News 15.01.2020

Need to Know

Smart mirrors enter the bathroom, FasTeesh’s toothbrush cleans in 10 seconds, and Americans feel uneasy about how their luxury purchases are portrayed.

Poseidon is an intuitive smart mirror for holistic health

CareOs Poseidon Smart Mirror

US and France – A smart bathroom mirror created by wellness company CareOS promises to cater for families’ overall wellbeing and long-term health.

The Poseidon made-to-measure mirror has the CareOS platform built in and functions as a private personal care device for total wellbeing. With a price tag starting at £2,310 ($3,000, €2,695) the mirror can be customised according to individual user needs, be it families with children or adults following particular care regimes.

For children, Poseidon can be programmed to feature interactive games to inspire teeth-brushing and bathing, alongside individual skin analysis for teens and adults, and tutorials for everything from posture to make-up application. With features including mood and eco-lighting, 360-degree visualisation and magnification, the mirror demonstrates how technology can help to drive daily wellbeing practices, while also tracking individual family habits through a supporting app.

As beauty technology gains momentum, artificial intelligence and bespoke algorithms are beginning to shape personal care and beauty regimes. We explore similar devices in our macrotrend, Algorithmic Beauty.

The FasTeesh toothbrush cleans in 10 seconds

Y-Brush by FasTeesh Y-Brush by FasTeesh
Y-Brush by FasTeesh Y-Brush by FasTeesh

France – The next-generation electric toothbrush by FasTeesh aims to simplify and speed up the daily chore of teeth-brushing – cutting it down to a 10-second task.

Introduced at this year’s CES, the Y-Brush is a curved toothbrush that mimics a flexible gum shield with nylon bristles. In a move away from hand-held brushes, the full-mouth device is said to remove 15% more plaque than a regular traditional toothbrush. Users fill the mouthpiece with toothpaste before placing it in their mouth and biting down to activate its cleaning mode.

Launched as a full kit, the Y-Brush features a handle, brush, USB charger, toothpaste applicator and storage container, with users encouraged to replace the bristle heads – available in adult and children's sizes – roughly every six months. According to the company, one charge of the brush will last up to a month, while its 'simplicity in use of makes it ideal for children with disabilities as well as for dependent people living at home'.

With dental care brands innovating to transform our daily routines, once-mundane activities are turned into new healthcare experiences. We explore other dental innovations in our Dental Rework microtrend.

American consumers feel awkward about luxury

US – A new paper featured in the Journal of Consumer Research suggests that luxury purchases can make consumers feel inauthentic.

While the ownership of luxury products can often yield status benefits, the research – carried out by academics from Harvard and Boston University, among others – highlights how many people commonly feel a sense of imposter syndrome in relation to high-end purchases.

According to The Impostor Syndrome from Luxury Consumption paper, many consumers were found to behave less confidently when wearing or interacting with luxury goods – often as a result of feeling ‘a lack of self-authenticity’ and ‘a growing cultural preoccupation with authenticity’. In nine studies across sites including Martha's Vineyard, a luxury shopping centre and the Upper East Side in New York, the researchers report similar results in all scenarios, with such feelings often less pronounced among consumers who display high levels of psychological entitlement.

With a collective backlash against ostentatious spending growing among luxury consumers, brands and retailers are being forced to rethink how they target affluent shoppers amid their shifting values. Often requiring a more social, accessible and supportive approach, our Uneasy Affluence macrotrend reveals more.

Zizi Donohoe campaign. Photography by Nadia Lee Cohen

Stat: The growth potential of second-hand beauty

New data from Vogue Business and Ipsos reveals that 37% of people are interested in buying pre-owned – but crucially unused and unopened – beauty and fragrance products.

While already growing in Asia, where the Mercari app has become a lead platform for beauty resale, the second-hand beauty market holds potential for Western consumers and brands alike, in particular, where niche colours, end-of-line products and limited-edition goods can achieve demand from beauty fans. According to Vogue Business and Ipsos, nearly half of respondents surveyed (49%) named better value as the driving trend for beauty resale.

While fashion and luxury resale has become a booming market, as reported in our Pre-loved Premium listicle, the beauty industry has been slow to respond. Yet with Generation Z fuelling the circular economy in fashion, beauty brands should take inspiration from such new models of selling. To better understand this mindset, read our Fashion Recommerce market.

Previous News Articles
Polaroid champions an analogue way of living amid AI hype

News

Polaroid champions an analogue way of living amid AI hype

Polaroid has launched The Camera for an Analog Life, a campaign designed to push back against screen fatigue and AI overload. The initiative celebr...
Technology : Design : Advertising
Zalando shifts from algorithm discovery to beauty expert authority with Insider’s Edit

News

Zalando shifts from algorithm discovery to beauty expert authority with Insider’s Edit

Zalando is rethinking how it sells beauty with the launch of Insider’s Edit, a new shoppable content series that blends expert advice with curated ...
Beauty : Retail : Fashion
Stat: AI’s impact on traditional search is already impacting ad spend

News

Stat: AI’s impact on traditional search is already impacting ad spend

As AI agents begin making purchases on behalf of consumers, retailers must redesign websites and rethink advertising strategies to remain visible a...
Technology : Retail
Iris van Herpen unveils Sympoiesis at Paris Haute Couture Week

News

Iris van Herpen unveils Sympoiesis at Paris Haute Couture Week

At Paris Haute Couture Week, Iris van Herpen unveiled Sympoiesis, a collection steeped in material innovation.
Couture : Fashion : Bioluminescent Algae
Foresight Friday: Dan Hastings, deputy foresight editor

News

Foresight Friday: Dan Hastings, deputy foresight editor

Every Friday, we offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about.
Fashion : Luxury : Pop Culture & Media
Stat: Global spending on leisure travel will triple by 2040

News

Stat: Global spending on leisure travel will triple by 2040

A new report by Boston Consulting Group reveals that the global leisure travel market is set to triple in value, growing from £3.51 trillion ($4.25...
Travel : Hospitality : Tourism
Tripadvisor rebranding elevates travellers’ voices

News

Tripadvisor rebranding elevates travellers’ voices

Tripadvisor has unveiled a major rebranding led by creative studio Koto, marking its evolution from a pioneering travel guide into a global booking...
Travel : Hospitality : Design
Atlanta’s first women’s sports bar Jolene Jolene redefines the game

News

Atlanta’s first women’s sports bar Jolene Jolene redefines the game

Jolene Jolene, Atlanta’s first-ever women’s sports bar, is proof that interest in women’s sports is reshaping the traditionally male-dominated spor...
Hospitality : Sports : Leisure
Stat: Gen Z aren’t quitting alcohol after all

News

Stat: Gen Z aren’t quitting alcohol after all

New research challenges the narrative that Gen Z are the sober generation.
Statistic : Generation Z : Alcohol
Pattern Beauty brings authenticity and curl culture to tv with first-ever commercial

News

Pattern Beauty brings authenticity and curl culture to tv with first-ever commercial

Tracee Ellis Ross has launched Pattern Beauty’s first ever tv commercial, a 60-second spot that blends humour, nostalgia and a celebration of textu...
Haircare : Pattern Beauty : Beauty
You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN