As discussed in more detail in “Are Beauty Devices Changing the Rules in Skin Care?”, demand for high-tech treatments at home has given rise to a range of electronic devices whose claims range from improving the efficacy of skin care products to replicating anti-ageing treatments in salons.

       Facial cleansing remains the entry level category for brands across both the premium and mass segments, with competition intensifying in the premium segment. While Clarisonic, which is available in over 30 countries, remains a market leader in the US, newcomers like Swedish company Foreo, with its silicon made Luna devices, have been expanding rapidly. Both companies remain focused on the US, with Foreo opening both a manufacturing unit and offices in the country in 2014. Despite Asia’s penchant for technology, the abundance of local players and the availability of cheaper technology create higher barriers of entry for companies specialising in premium beauty devices. Outside the US, where beauty devices have penetrated both the anti-ageing and face mask categories, beauty devices specialists, like Unilever’s and Syneron’s joint venture, Iluminage, have been expanding in Europe, with the UK and France as priority markets.