A makeup and skin care company might not be the first that comes to mind when thinking of big names at the annual Mobile World Congress technology show, but developments in mobile and artificial technology is changing that.
Olay, possibly best known for its anti-aging moisturizers and body washes, is making its first appearance at MWC in Barcelona this week with the unveiling of a new platform that not only directs users to other Olay products but might also help produce the perfect selfie.
Dubbed Olay Skin Advisor, the online service relies on artificial intelligence and proprietary deep learning technologies to analyze a user’s skincare needs.
To use, Olay outlines a four-step process: A simple no-makeup (yes, #nomakeup) selfie; a questionnaire about the user’s current regimen and requirements (similar to an in-store consultation with a beautician); analysis about Olay’s pre-determined “aging zones” (the forehead, cheek, mouth, crow’s feet, and under-eye); and product recommendations.
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These recommendations—for Olay products, mind you—are personalized to the user based on data and best practices derived from Olay’s own skin care experts and scientists as well as its customer feedback. Users will get recommendations specifically for which areas could use “improvement” but also for which areas are already doing well and are considered “best.”
Skin Advisor itself is supposed to improve with age as the platform is said to improve results with the more photos and data processed, in turn offering more specialized results to consumers based on age as well as skin type, concerns, and preferences.
A beta version of web-based platform has already been available since late last year, but the new and improved 2.0 version is scheduled to roll out in the United States in mid-March. A preview of the new version will be available to press attending MWC. Olay, a subsidiary of personal and household goods conglomerate Procter & Gamble (PG), boasts that the service has already received nearly 1 million visits to date.