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How AI is changing the male grooming landscape

The male grooming landscape now has a new paradigm. Powered by cutting-edge technologies and continuous innovation, it is riding high on the metrosexual man’s desire to always appear well-turned-out.

So, you have artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and augmented reality (AR)—all pitching in to innovate products that will make personal care routines of men superlative experiences. The beginning perhaps goes back to 2021, when Perfect Corporation, an artificial intelligence and augmented reality beauty and fashion tech solutions provider, expanded into the male grooming space with ‘AI Beard Dye and Beard Style’. A first-of-its-kind, the sophisticated technology enabled true-to-life virtual try-on for beard colour, beard style and beard removal.

It was a gamechanger: one that has spawned an eco-system of innovations to transform the grooming routines of men—quotidian or otherwise. Products are now landing thick and fast on the scene, offering customised experiences accessible in just a few clicks.

Admittedly, the virtual personalisation trend using technology is not a new one. However, it is only of late that the tempo has exploded in the male showground. In fact, 2023 could very well be the year of the man in the personal care industry, with multiple male grooming brands leveraging artificial intelligence, augmented reality and virtual reality technology to create immersive personalised and customised experiences.

Virtual Try-Ons

While AI Beard Dye and Beard Style technology helps try on AI-powered facial hair styles ranging from full beard to trim beard, stubble beard, soul patch, moustache, goatee and even beard removal—with advanced AI algorithms digitally reconstructing areas of the face covered with facial hair to present true-to-life clean-shaven emulations—UK-based men’s skincare label Bulldog uses an AI-based tool for bespoke skincare recommendations. Called Skin Advisor and accessible on Bulldog website, the easy-to-use tool gives information about your skin and suggests a customised skincare routine. Just register, add location (for environmental factors affecting the skin), answer a series of questions on skin type and needs, upload a selfie and Viola!

Similar AI-powered tools are Phillips GroomTribe, an application that lets you test various beard styles and get shaving advice, and SkinDiag, Biotherm’s skin diagnostic tool. In fact, AI-powered beauty tools provide men with digital skin-care analysis which help in receiving appropriate product recommendations depending on skin colour, type, texture and issues—a boon for those who want a self-care routine for younger glowing skin. AI beauty technology analyses eye dullness, dark spots, pimples, wrinkles and other issues and sends product recommendations through emails.

With many a modern gentleman opting for concealers and foundations to create a perfect and natural makeup look, choosing the right shade that complements the skin tone has also become easy. Online software tools allow testing of product colour using phone or laptop camera to see how it will look on your skin. In virtual try-on, you even receive a mock-up picture of how it looks after application. True that technology cannot give the touch-and-feel experience of offline shopping, but you have your mock-up image to ponder on for as long as you wish before taking a decision. And that is a huge plus.

At The Core

Even at the daily-regimen level, grooming tools have undergone a technology-driven evolution. Today, be it trimming the beard or shaving for a clean suave look, it is electric razors and beard trimmers powered with advanced technology that are the genies. Leading razor brands have now gone a step ahead by integrating AI for a personalised shaving experience. So, you have AI-powered razors that are synced with a user’s smartphone to provide recommendations on best shaving practices based on specific preferences!

Of course, AI in the grooming market is still nascent, but the roadmap is distinct. Shift in male beauty perception and rise of male beauty influencers have already laid the ground. Now it is technology that will shape and add value. In some time, men will also be paying in blockchain-based currencies to look and feel good.