L’Oréal x Emotiv Launch Neurotech Scent Selection Platform

L'Oréal has partnered with neurotechnology firm Emotiv to pair the beauty giant's proprietary scents and algorithms with a neurotech headset to help consumers make accurate and personalized fragrance choices. The system will be introduced worldwide in Yves Saint Laurent flagship stores in multiple countries in 2022 and 2023.

The retail experience will expose consumers, who are wearing the headset, to proprietary scent families. The electroencephalogram-based (EEG) headset detects neuro responses to these fragrances, which are then fed into machine learning algorithms for analysis.

These analyses reportedly "accurately sense and monitor behavior, preferences, stress and attention in real-world contexts," per L'Oréal. The result is a determination of the consumer's ideal scent "suited to their emotions."

Event: Fragrances & Emotional Well-being

According to L'Oréal, 77% of consumers want their fragrance to bring them emotional benefits such as happiness or relaxation. It's no surprise, then, that more than half of consumers ages 12-34 reportedly choose a fragrance based on their mood.

A neurotech headset, paired with fragrances and machine learning could be the key to achieving personalized scent selection, according to L'Oreal and Emotiv.

“We are constantly developing innovative, personalized experiences for our consumers,” says Guive Balooch, head of L’Oréal’s technology incubator. “The intersection of neurotech, AI and science is an exciting next step. The science of choosing a fragrance is very complex. This partnership promises innovation for the entire beauty industry as this is truly the first time that consumers will have access to a state-of-the-art, in-store experience that uses neuroscience to provide personalized, precise fragrance advice.”

“Together with L’Oréal, we hope this partnership provides unique insights into how consumers feel about fragrances and about how scents make them feel through an unbiased lens,” says Tan Le, CEO of Emotiv. “We’re simplifying the decision-making process by connecting emotion and scent through technology–in a way no one has done before. Rooted in science and powerful insights, this technological breakthrough will help consumers decode what fragrances are best suited to their needs.”

Video: Fragrance & Wellness

“There are thousands of fragrance options, and we know it can be challenging for consumers to navigate the vast number of scents and make a choice that’s right for them,” says Stephan Bezy, international general manager at Yves Saint Laurent Beauté. “Through this immersive system, we were able to get 95% of people the right fragrance personalized to their needs and desires, which is enormously higher than without this technology. It’s a huge first step in this category. Once we know which scents make people feel happy, energized, or other emotions, we can customize fragrances even more–the potential is boundless.”