Will wearable beauty devices take off?

By Simon Pitman

- Last updated on GMT

Will wearable beauty devices take off?
LED light masks are starting to make their mark in the beauty world and an expert at market researcher Kline Group believes this could be the start of a new trend.

The at-home beauty devices market has been showing significant growth, albeit from a small base, for some years now, but new technologies are pushing the boundaries of portability and possibilities for the category.

Globally, Kline says the beauty device category grew by 14% last year, driven mainly by the faster paced economies in the Asia Pacific, but interest is also being sparked in the US and Europe, on the back of the success of activity trackers such as Fitbit.

LED face mask makes a splash

Perhaps the most interesting launch in the beauty device category of late is from La Lumière, which has launched IlluMask, a wearable LED light mask. According to Kline, it comes in anti-aging and anti-acne varieties; and priced at $29.95, it is well placed to gain traction in the mass US market.

Most brands have traditionally worked on more expensive options, which has potentially excluded them from making a significant impact in the all-important mass market.

These brands currently include TRIA’s Age-Defying Laser and the Skin Smoothing Laser by Illuminage Beauty, which are still helping to drive double-digit growth in the category.

Cleansing and microdermabrasion

In Europe, Beurer and RIO have proved to be popular laser beauty device brands, while there has also been a more pronounced trend for cleansing devices.

Europe has also seen a number of devices launched to target microdermabrasion, with Beurer again tackling this market, alongside Philips and Home Skinovation.

Microdermabrasion for the lips has also made a splash, with the launch late last year of the Bliss Fabulips Pout-o-matic Spa Powered Lip-Perfecting System.

Premium and mass market device categories emerge

As the category matures, there is definite evidence that it is maturing into a more segmented market, with specific price points to target varying consumer needs.

“With price points at two ends of the spectrum from under $30 to over $500, new companies jumping on the beauty devices bandwagon, and existing brands expanding their portfolio beyond cleansing and hair removal, this market has evolved into a very competitive place for manufacturers,”​ said Karen Doskow, Director at Kline’s Consumer Products Practice.

“With a wider range of prices and product choices, it has also become much more accessible to a larger consumer base.”

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