In a previous post, I discussed the value of a personalized approach to products in the context of what is called"customization". In another, I also discussed the misdeeds of a detestable technique of formulation, entitled by some of whom I am part"mixology". Ugly because it often consists in mixing anything, with anything, preferably anything (see the use of mixers in the laboratory), to try to do something, in short a formula!
I come back today to these questions to underline both the confirmation of the trend of a cosmetic"for you" rather than"by you" and to discuss again the"mixology".
Customization is not new, it is even a very old exercise that many people have encountered when developing more or less complex projects. What is new are the technological platforms that allow consumers to literally build their own products.
Beyond the projects I personally worked on in the early 70s, one of the first custom beauty product lines I remember was Prescriptives, launched in 1979 and featuring extemporaneously mixed makeup shades. For a high price, you could have your own shades of shade, foundation or even powder or lipstick compound at the counter. Estée Lauder removed it from retail stores in 2010. But Prescriptives is back suggesting that time is for a more personalized approach to beauty.
Two or three recent launches adapt the concept and have recently caught my attention.
The first is Concoction . It is a British brand of hair products that made its debut in July, inspired by the mixology of cocktails. The shampoo range promises to deliver salon-quality products by mixing perfumed bases with specific serums. The founder …
