1 of 1 Photo: AFP
Applying makeup is an easy task for most people, but there are hundreds of people who have a hard time when doing so.
"An estimated one in ten people in the US have some type of fine motor skill challenge. Most of us know someone or have someone in our family that faces this challenge," said Guive Balooch, global vice president of L'Oreal's technology incubator.
L'Oreal revealed a new handheld makeup applicator called HAPTA at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. HAPTA will help assist people with limited mobility or tremors to be able to apply makeup independently, mainly in applying lipstick. The applicator is consisted of a base, applicator and attachment that snaps into place magnetically for easy use with a 360 degree rotation. Within the applicator is a built in smart motion sensors that recognizes patterns of tremors and unintended movements when it's held.
The initial functionality of the device is to assist in lipstick application. While L'Oreal piloted HAPTA with its Lancme lipstick brand at CES, Balooch said the goal is for users to ultimately be able to fit any brand of lipstick into the device and also expand usage to other makeup applications, including foundation, blush and mascara.
The estimated price of HAPTA ranges from $150-$200 and is expected to launch at the end of the year. Another makeup invention launched at CES was the Brow Magic, which is a handheld electronic eyebrow makeup applicator that creates a customized brow shape and color. Those who use Brow Magic will need to download the app and scan their face so they can choose their wanted shape and thickness of the brow. For more information, click here.