Decoding desire: brain science investigates the cosmetics industry
How brain imaging is redefining lipstick evaluation ('neurocosmetology') ๐
Sometimes I think I should write about some soft, easy, topics. This isnโt one of those those pieces, howevet; although it is a topic all-too-easy for the uninformed to sneer at - the neuroscience of fashion - and specifically, lipsticks and cosmetics.
Fashion is a very serious business - it is approaching $1 trillion in value worldwide, if current numbers are to be believed, and it is growing quickly, year on year. Little wonder that Rhianna and the Kardashians have become seriously rich from sales of cosmetics.
Total world GNP for 2023 was $106 trillion - so fashion is getting to be about a little less than 1% of GNP worldwide. Thatโs a lot!
Itโs several times the total estimated value of sport worldwide (and all that sports apparel is part of the fashion industry, too!). Youโd be surprised with other comparisons, too (itโs larger than a famously and uselessly addictive substance - tobacco; and x4 annual coffee sales).
Iโm going to have a look at some recent neuroscientific studies of cosmetics - specifically of lipsticks ๐. There's a relatively new and quite useful brain imaging technique (called fNIRS for short - more below1) for examining changes in the brain: it is generally unaffected by motor movements or breathing (so it is quite useful for measuring certain types of brain when applying cosmetics to the face and lips, among many other uses: full disclosure - I recently got a grant award to establish a fNIRS lab in Trinity College - collaborations welcomed).
Topics
decoding desire: how brain science is reshaping the cosmetics industry
lips
when expectations clash with reality
the price tag in your prefrontal cortex
the happiness gauge in your haemoglobin
the quest for standardisation
the hidden challenges: beyond the hype
toward a new era of beauty tech
inherent shortcomings and challenges
(plus a short reading๐ list and video demo of brain imaging)
decoding desire: how brain science is reshaping the cosmetics industry
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