“Seven to 10 million iPhone or iTouch users have already downloaded a beauty-related app or indicated they are very interested in doing so. And we’re just starting to see big brands get involved, which will be huge,” said Sunil Verma, a founder of Mobclix, a mobile ad exchange network. Download the Face of your Dreams, New York Times, 11/25/09 (article found via Cosmetics Makeovers. Post ranked higher on Google than the NYT article itself)

Brands are all over apps. According to the article they are becoming more utilitarian and part of everyone’s lives. They resonate best with teenagers (14 – 17) but plenty of growth is expected among older woman. Are they really going to become every women’s best friend? Are we going to be innundated with millions of beauty apps like we are with products? Are they the new "micro site"/promo sites for brands? Is this the next must have after a website, Facebook fan page and a Twitter account? I am afraid  yes, yes, yes. Apps are the mobile way of consuming content instead of web browsing. At first I thought it was a fad, but now it is definitely here to stay. The challenge is to create dynamic apps that don’t require too much maintenance like web 1.0 sites used to.

Here is a list of Aps listed in the article: Make up, Sally’s Spa, Return to Beauty, iSurgeon.

Brands with apps: Lancome, L’Oreal Paris, Avon, Mark.

Images: Used in header from NYT article by Tony Cenicola/The New York Times. Mark Get the Look from  DeCare Systems Ireland website.

Given the high touch of the cosmetics industry, many people wonder how a phone application could be relevant to most businesses. While at FIT’s Cosmetics and Fragrance Masters program, we proposed a phone application as part of our graduation Capstone back in May 2008. We envisioned that people would use their phones to track fitness, beauty and nutrition and receive recommendations based on recorded behavior. Within 2 years, iPhone apps became very popular and are slowly becoming a major communication tool for beauty brands. Here is list of a few applications that are being talked about (visit iTunes to download any of them):

Good Guide – free (via ipodrepairs.net): "Rates beauty products from 1 to 10 so that you can evaluate the credibility of the company." 

Beauty – $1.99 (via freshapps.com): "This application computes the Beauty Factor of a frontal face." 

iStylish – $2 (via geeksugar.com): Makeover app.

ColorTry – $0.99. (via allure.com): "Take a picture with your iPhone and then try out different hair colors."

Sally’s Salon – $0.99 (via allure.com):  Game format. You’re a salon owner, directing your clients from shampoo station to haircut chair to blow-dry to cash register. 

Dermalogica – free: Prescription tool.

Have you used any of these? Can you recommend other tools?