The Future of Beauty Looks Promising — and Scientific
For its nearly 30-year history, Allure has been steeped in science. But working with mascara, serums, and mousse is sometimes unfairly written off as frivolous. While Allure editors may be testing brow pomades one minute, they’re often interviewing a cosmetic chemist about molecular science the next. So this month, in our Future of Beauty issue, we thought it would be fun and eye-opening to explore how science, technology, and innovation will shape beauty in the next decades of Allure’s history.
Beauty was already on a trajectory for a tectonic shift, thanks to innovations that are being rolled out and refined today, including augmented reality, injectables, 3D printing, and skin-care personalization based on DNA. Then came COVID-19.
This story originally appeared in the September 2020 issue of Allure. Learn how to subscribe here.
The ensuing lockdowns turned time itself into a loose, sometimes confusing construct (what day — or even month — is it anyway?), upending our sense of what’s to come in the near and distant future. Suffice it to say, exploring the future of beauty has certainly taken on a whole new meaning.
As has the future of wellness. I’m particularly excited that we were able to partner with another brand that loves science, Wired, for a special feature package. They bring their expertise to bear on how approaches to wellness will change as we lean on technology more in a post-pandemic world.
Before you check out the other stories, I want to leave you with one note: The forecast for beauty only looks bright if there’s a positive future for our planet. Before COVID-19 turned our world upside down, many brands were launching serious initiatives on sustainability and reducing waste. But the pandemic has overshadowed and, in some cases, reversed those efforts.
Makeup and skin-care testers have been — wisely — phased out of stores for public safety, but that’s given way to more single-serving samples and the waste they produce. Similarly, an eye shadow palette once used by a makeup artist on multiple clients is now a major hygiene issue. And it’s not just beauty. Given the unease about traveling via public transportation, many have chosen more carbon-intensive solo travel by car. And in some places, reusable grocery bags are again being replaced by disposables.
We certainly don’t have all the answers, but we’re committed, like others in the industry, to being part of the solution. So check our site over the coming months for more stories on how we can all be part of the change. The future is always uncertain. But if we meet it with curiosity and compassion — and an eye to science — I know we can make it beautiful.
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Originally Appeared on Allure
