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Putting on makeup is a cakewalk for many of us; we simply swipe on our go-to lipstick or mascaras, but millions of people worldwide have impaired fine motor skills that make these daily routines more difficult for them. Fortunately, that is beginning to change, courtesy of L'Oréal.
At this year's Consumer Electronics Show 2023 (CES) in Las Vegas, L'Oréal debuted a new handheld smart makeup device called HAPTA, which is designed to help people with restricted mobility or tremors apply makeup independently. Alphabet, Google's parent company, collaborated with Verily, its life sciences research subsidiary, to create the device. Verily, a biosciences research firm under Alphabet (Google's parent company), collaborated on the device's development.
HAPTA is a play on the word "haptic," which describes the vibrating motor technology found in many mobile devices and assistive tools for people with physical impairments.
The device's base, applicator, and attachment all snap into place magnetically for quick and easy assembly and removal, and it allows full 360 degrees of rotation in all directions. Interestingly, holding the HAPTA activates smart motion sensors that detect habits of essential tremors and unintentional motions, and its rechargeable battery allows for continuous use for about an hour!
Other than HAPTA, L'Oréal also took the opportunity to reveal Brow Magic, a handheld electronic eyebrow makeup applicator to create customized brow shapes at CES 2023. Together with Prinker, a Korean tech company that creates printed temporary tattoos, they developed the device to help people replicate professional brow looks at home using only their natural brow and facial hair features.
Using the Brow Magic app, you can scan your face with the Modiface AR technology, and then select the desired shape, thickness, and effect from a menu of suggested treatments like microblading, microshading, and fillers. Note that a primer should be applied first, and then the device should be swept in a single motion across your eyebrow.
The Brow Magic utilizes 2,400 tiny nozzles and printing technology with up to 1,200 drops per inch (dpi) printing resolution to discharge removable ink on the skin, and each ink cartridge should last six months.
It is expected that L'Oréal will release the HAPTA and Brow Magic for sale by the end of the year at a price range of $150 (approximately RM639.90) to $200 (around RM853.20).