Together with P&G, we set to disrupt the conventions of the beauty industry by creating a pop-up smart store in Shibuya—one of Tokyo’s trendiest neighborhoods. We were on a mission to elevate the skin-care experience and deliver a curated journey using the powers of emerging technology.

Skin is unique, but skincare retail is one size fits all, so we started with one question: How can we use emerging technologies to create a store that truly adjusts to individuals? Using facial recognition, computer vision, machine learning and sensor technology, we created a revolutionary and highly personalized destination for a new and tech-savvy generation of shoppers.

Visitors could create a custom art piece based on real-time facial expression; use a proprietary skin scan that analyzed both visible and invisible issues—without anything touching their skin; and experience custom skincare advice and product recommendations, unlocked using crowd facial recognition technology.

But we didn’t want to just throw technology at the problem. We wanted that technology to fade away so our shoppers could focus on their skin story. Every interaction within the space surprised and delighted our guests without them always knowing the complex tech powering it all.