It may sound odd for beauty giants to take part in an event like the Consumers Electronic Show. But L'Oreal's Technology Incubator global vice president Guive Balooch was in Las Vegas on Wednesday to launch its latest wearable technology.
The company rolled up its curtains for a smart skin patch that can monitor the amount of UV rays the skin has been exposed to. Dubbed as the My Patch UV, L'Oreal's new smart patch contains stretchable sensor and flexible electronics that allow users to basically place the patch on any part of their body, just like Band-Aid.
The heart-shaped printed with tiny blue squares patch contains photosensitive blue dye that will fade the longer the person is exposed to UV rays. However, the user must take a photo of the patch and upload it to the app to determine the results. Also, the app can be utilized to find out what particular time of the day UV levels are at peak.
Rather than looking like a typical wearable bracelet or necklace we see these days, the skin patch resembles more like a temporary tattoo or a fashion statement. With its modern design, it can be worn on the exposed skin and even when under shower or at the beach up to 5 days. The patch has only an inch in diameter and 15 microns thick.
The app for this patch will be available soon to both iOS and Android. It will function as a patch scanner and an informational tool to alert users what time they are at greatest risk and what they can do about it.
L'Oreal schedules the patches to come out of the market by the end of the year. "Creating something that enhances consumer experience is what drives business," Mr. Balooch said.
Although KWP Comtech chief of research Carolina Milanesi thinks that the new wearable is pretty amazing. "I wonder if rather than seeing the cumulative impact in an app I would prefer to be alerted when my UV exposure will cause sun burn or worse," she suggested.
