Times are changing, and trade shows like CES are no longer just about audio and video technology. Over the years, CES has expanded to cover everything from mobile technology and accessories to vehicle tech, health and wellness tech, food tech, software and services, and yes, even beauty tech. Next year, already added to the keynote line-up is L’Oreal Groupe CEO Nicolas Hieronimus, who will deliver the company’s first-ever keynote at CES 2024, and the first keynote from a beauty brand ever, at the major event.
This isn’t the first time L’Oreal has had a presence at CES, however. The company has unveiled new consumer technology at CES every year for nearly a decade and is a nine-time CES Innovation Award honouree with its past products and innovations revealed at the show. Last year, L’Oreal showcased HAPTA, an innovative device for aiding in make-up application for people with limited arm mobility. The handheld computerized makeup applicator is a motion-stabilizing device that assists those who have difficulty raising their arms due to limited mobility issues, people with limited grip strength, and anyone with limited wrist mobility who may find it difficult to get a comfortable angle when applying lipstick or mascara.
In his keynote, Hieronimus will discuss how the company is using technology to help keep it prepared for “a future of its business that is at once physical, digital, and virtual.”
L’Oréal’s keynote will showcase the role that sustainable, accessible, and inclusive beauty tech plays in driving positive impact at an individual and collective level. Some of the innovations include a sustainable showerhead that leverages rocket technology to conserve water, AI-powered mobile applications that provide skincare guidance, augmented reality makeup try-ons, and new codes and forms of beauty expression in virtual environments.
L’Oréal says technology, powered by advanced data and AI capabilities, is an essential tool for creating new connections and experiences for its consumers. The goal? To help solve long-standing beauty challenges and offer tools for “discovery, self-expression, and personalization.”
“Beauty is a timeless pursuit, and technology adds to its enjoyment while unlocking a world of possibilities,” says Hieronimus. “The first wave of beauty tech changed how people discover, evaluate and buy beauty products. More recently, we’ve seen how it can better serve the underserved, by democratizing skin health and increasing access to self-expression through innovations like HAPTA for people with limited arm mobility.
“This is just the beginning,” he continues. “L’Oréal envisions a future where no one feels left out by beauty trends, because they will have the power to create their own trends – whenever, wherever – with products and tools inspired by their own stories, experiences and identity.”
“We are thrilled to welcome our first beauty company to the keynote stage to highlight innovation in the beauty tech category,” adds Gary Shapiro, President and CEO, Consumer Technology Association, producers of CES. “L’Oréal has a powerful story to tell of its vision for what’s next for beauty, and how technology enables it to meet the needs of its consumers and outperform the beauty industry today, and prepare it for the consumer revolutions of the future.”
Other award-winning highlights from L’Oréal at CES include wearables for detecting one’s individual exposure to the sun’s harmful rays and handheld devices that dispense personalized makeup and haircolour at home.
Over the years, L’Oréal has built a global ecosystem of technology partnerships with start-ups, tech powerhouses, and academic institutions, has invested billions in its in-house research and innovation capabilities, and invested in a worldwide network of start-ups through its Open Innovation model, through start-up accelerators like Station F in France, and through its BOLD venture capital fund.
Hieronimus will speak following the CTA State of the Industry Address at 8:30 a.m. PT on January 9, 2024, in the Palazzo Ballroom at the Venetian.
For the latest information on CES 2024, visit CES.tech.