Digital innovation driving change in beauty-care retailing

2 min readUpdated May 25, 2025Jan 9, 202011:14 PM

In this article (5)

During the recent Singles’ Day sales, more than 1 million orders were placed and processed through voice command via Alibaba’s Tmall Genie.

What do such observations mean for beauty-care retailing? Besides increasing digital savviness, the adoption of voice command is one of many examples of how the line between the offline and online experience is almost seamless. In the case of beauty-care products for example, we know that the success of the product is dependent on the user’s offline experience and how they share that experience online. As such, it is even more important for retailers to keep up with changing consumer buying preferences and apply new ways of retailing across offline and online platforms. This means giving our consumers the options to buy products online, in-store, or even via voice command on e-commerce channels.

When we speak about user experience, there is an element of exploration and discovery. The online space levels the playing field and is fast becoming a platform where new brands and products can suddenly skyrocket into prominence as the next best thing in beauty care. Digital innovation is also influencing the way retailers interact with consumers. For example, the concept of the “capsule wardrobe” has influenced the way consumers select their clothes, by choosing quality over fast fashion. In beauty care, we see concepts like “bare-faced”, “self-love”, and Schwarzkopf’s “blonde me” resonating with consumers.

It is important to share content which is relevant to consumers and to establish close and trusted collaboration with influencers who provide authentic endorsements. Digital innovation is about technological disruption. It is also about leveraging data to steer our growth strategy.

The future of beauty care retail

“Through this partnership, we aim to expand our footprint across Southeast Asia, reaching out to 700 million consumers across various touchpoints.”

We are already seeing some indications of how the future of beauty-care retailing will look. Today, consumers can check out the products in-store, make online purchases and have the products delivered to their homes.

Some retailers have begun to use artificial intelligence to cope with the abundance of data, assist with efficient last-mile delivery and cater to product customisation. At Henkel, we have experienced some success using live broadcast for our homecare products in Asia Pacific to raise product awareness and boost sales. Many brands, including our own beauty-care brands like Beology, GlissKur, Schauma Nature Moments, Freshlight and Got2b are available on different channels, such as chain stores, online platforms and specialised online stores.

We have also developed strategic partnerships with local e-commerce start-up Synagie, for example, which owns the Beautiful.me platform. Synagie manages the go-to-market strategy of Henkel across the entire value chain – from logistics and warehousing to customer management and brand advertising. Through this partnership, we aim to expand our footprint across Southeast Asia, reaching out to 700 million consumers across various touchpoints. We are also working closely with key retailers such as Watsons, Dairy Farm International Holdings and Lazada.

AdvertisementAdvertise with usMobile 320×100

What this means

Henkel's multi-channel approach and strategic alliance with Synagie to reach 700 million consumers in Southeast Asia marks an assertive play in the region's evolving digital landscape. This initiative pressures traditional brick-and-mortar competitors like Sephora, which recently welcomed PharmaResearch in Singapore, to rapidly accelerate their own digital transformations beyond just physical store experiences. The key risk lies in whether Synagie’s expertise can truly differentiate Henkel amidst the proliferation of beauty-care brands online. Success hinges on continued precise data use and effective local market engagement, demonstrating if this model can significantly increase their market share, particularly against emerging direct-to-consumer brands.

Minjun Park · Retail News Asia newsroom

Questions & Answers

How is digital innovation changing the way consumers explore and discover beauty products?

The online space is levelling the playing field, allowing new brands and products to quickly become prominent. This creates an environment for exploration and discovery for consumers.

What examples show how digital innovation is influencing retailer-consumer interaction in beauty care?

Concepts like 'bare-faced', 'self-love', and Schwarzkopf’s 'blonde me' resonate with consumers. Retailers also share relevant content and collaborate with influencers for authentic endorsements.

What role does artificial intelligence play in the future of beauty-care retailing?

Some retailers use AI to handle large amounts of data, improve last-mile delivery efficiency, and offer product customisation to consumers.

Which partners is Henkel working with to expand its beauty-care footprint in Southeast Asia?

Henkel has a strategic partnership with e-commerce start-up Synagie, which owns Beautiful.me. They are also working with key retailers like Watsons, Dairy Farm International Holdings, and Lazada.

Reader pulse

Will Henkel's digital strategy significantly boost its Southeast Asia beauty-care market share?

21,986 votes so far