Time UK introduces personalised mobile beauty service Powder as L’Oreal looks to strengthen ecommerce offering
Time UK has launched Powder, its new mobile-first beauty service, which provides personalised editorial content and product recommendations, as well as beauty boxes tailored to each user. L’Oreal has been announced as its primary brand partner following the launch.
On Powder users create their own personal beauty profile, with the service in turn providing each user with bespoke advice and product recommendations based on their specific beauty needs, ranging from age to skin type, beauty problems, make-up preferences, price points and more. Users can purchase product recommendations immediately or save them in their virtual beauty drawer.
Powder allows for commercial partners to utilize the platform’s highly targeted product sampling, as well as providing opportunities for native advertising and targeted advertising campaigns. L’Oréal Luxe is the first brand to partner with Time UK for Powder’s soft launch.
Marcus Rich, Time UK’s chief executive, says: “Powder signifies a step change in the way we deliver products and services that engage our consumer and commercial audiences. It’s an excellent example of us combining our traditional strengths in the beauty sector with technology to transform our business. I’d like to congratulate publisher Bethany Bolt and digital director Rich Sutcliffe for bringing this great new product to market.”
L’Oréal Luxe managing director Amandine Ohayon says: “The decision to partner with Time during the development and launch stage of Powder was a tactical one for L’Oréal Luxe. Having enjoyed a long-standing partnership with many of Time’s titles, Powder was presented as an opportunity to test a new venture online across a range of brands within our portfolio. A tailored, personalised approach to beauty on mobile was what interested us and we have gained deeper insight into customer behaviour as a result.”
Powder publisher Bethany Bolt adds: “We took a lean ‘start-up style’ approach to build Powder – beginning small, vigorously testing and continually enhancing. Gaining excellent feedback from users and also commercially, Powder is now really ready to go. I’m so excited about our pipeline of new features, product categories and extensions, as we drive to scale up this unique and powerful proposition.”
News comes after Time UK looked to create a “whole new aspect” to its business with the introduction of two retail offerings for its popular Marie Claire and Wallpaper titles last year.
The publisher inked a partnership with Speciality Stores, part of the Ocado Group, to capitalise on Marie Claire's expertise for a beauty e-commerce presence, as well as launching branded stores on the high street.