From diversity to accessibility, can technology change the way we think about beauty for the better?

(CNN) — When Bold Glamor launched on TikTok earlier this year, it took social media by storm. The viral beautification filter uses machine learning technology to edit the user’s facial features in photos and videos, sculpt cheekbones, smooth skin, and brighten eyes, all with unnerving realism. To do.

While some people on social media were impressed with the technology, many also expressed concern that the filters could promote unrealistic beauty standards.

Concerns are growing about how technology is impacting the way we think about beauty, but some believe it could change our attitudes towards beauty for the better. .

CNN asked experts to identify innovations that are having a positive effect.

Digital filters and augmented reality (AR) have become an essential part of how people express themselves online. City University of London reported in 2021 that 90% of young women surveyed in the UK would use filters when posting selfies. More than half of these said they use filters more than half the time. A study by the Dove Self-Esteem Project found that 80% of girls surveyed in the United States had a skewed view of them online by the age of 13.

But for those who grew up with social media, it’s not all bad, according to Hannah Moser, a beauty analyst at consumer trend forecasting firm WGSN. She points to positive movements on platforms like TikTok, from #AcnePositivity to #BodyHairPositivity, encouraging people to embrace their skin.

“Gen Z has played a big role in de-stigmatizing these beauty stories as they confidently say no to ‘normal’ and challenge previously taboo topics,” she said. Told.

Florencia Solari, creative AR technologist and filter creator, agrees. “Social media has given us access to a diverse pool that expresses what beauty looks like,” she said.

“Instagram filters help us experiment and play with different looks. Instead, it could be a tool for experimentation.”

Solari added that thanks to AR, there’s room to experiment with different personas, gender expressions, different faces, different makeup, and hair colors.

Sampo Parkkinen, CEO of Revive Inc, a beauty technology provider that offers personalized digital beauty experiences, said brands are leveraging AR to allow customers to virtually try out cosmetics without “beautification” or other filters. says it can.

“While this ‘real try-on’ feature may not look as shiny or beautiful as an artificially ‘glamourized’ virtual try-on, it ultimately provides consumers with a better real-life experience of the brand. ” he said.

Olivia Houghton, head of beauty and wellness at Future Laboratory, a strategic visionary agency, said consumers wanted “more empathetic, intimate and personalized access to technology.” .

She gave the example of Trendio, a new beauty commerce app that offers a personalized and curated shopping experience. “This provides live and pre-recorded video content to help users make informed decisions about products before purchasing,” she said. “Users can experience her TikTok-like scrolling experience, flicking through product videos to see what intrigues them in full.”

Trendio develops artificial intelligence (AI) models to automatically edit videos and display user-specific content.

AI-powered personalization technology can also deliver a more holistic experience, says founder and CEO of Yuty, a platform that uses AI to achieve “hyper-personalization” and make shopping for beauty products easier. said Simi Lindgren,

She said finding the right beauty products can be difficult, especially for consumers in an underrepresented demographic. “From shade mismatches to product availability, undervalued beauty consumers face challenges in finding compatible products,” Lindgren explained. “AI-enabled personalization can restore social equity in the beauty industry.”

This year, beauty industry giants developed technology for people with disabilities.

The Estée Lauder Companies has released a voice-enabled Makeup Assistant (VMA) app for the visually impaired. The app uses smart mirror technology to identify makeup on the user’s face and uses voice prompts to explain where adjustments need to be made.

In January, at the tech show CES 2023, L’Oreal unveiled a handheld makeup applicator called HAPTA designed to help people with mobility and tremors.

L’Oréal’s President of Technology and Open Innovation, Guib Baruch, said one day technological advances will make it necessary to reduce the ability to exercise due to conditions such as spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. He said he expects to be It does not prevent the use of beauty products.

“These technologies are meant to help people get the beauty they want. It’s really about personalization and beauty for everyone,” he said.

Our idea of ​​beauty is reflected in the characters in our video games and the avatars that people use to represent themselves in virtual environments. Beauty analyst Moser said the brand aims to make avatars more inclusive in video games.

In 2022, beauty brand Dove partnered with Women in Games, Epic Games and female-led game studio Toya to “create healthier and more diverse representations of women and girls in gaming.”

“This partnership has not only challenged the expression of beauty online, but has also included educational courses for game creators, an art collection dedicated to increasing inclusivity, and Super, the first self-esteem education platform on Roblox. We also provided U Story,” said Mauser.

In the future, Solari predicts that the way we express ourselves in digital space will be very different from how we are in the real world. She discusses the concept of avatars as “digital twins” that help us express our personas online.

“As our digital twins take over, our identities and the personas we embody will continue to flow, mutate, perhaps taking on a life of their own while preserving the essence of who we are.” she said.

Top image: L’Oréal HAPTA – handheld makeup applicator for those with limited mobility or tremors.