London studio Seymourpowell has designed concepts for a wearable collar and chaise longue powered by AI, which use atomised cosmetic products to protect city-dwellers from harmful pollutants.
The wearable collar and chaise longue, called Atmosphère, convert beauty products into fine particles or droplets before projecting them onto the user in the form of vapour.
As the studio explains, this process encapsulates them in a "beauty bubble" that is meant to shield them from toxic substances in their urban surroundings.
The duo of conceptual devices were born from research that showed a growing focus among consumers on cleansing rituals, not just for the skin and body but also for the mind.
In response to the threat of future water-shortages, both designs aim to replace "water heavy" beauty routines with new tech-powered experiences that leave the user feeling equally refreshed.
"When we project ahead, we can see that life in the urban environment is going to be incredibly tough; poor air quality, restricted resources, soaring temperatures, long commuting times, loud and uncontrollable noise," said Mariel Brown, director of foresight at Seymourpowell.
"This uncomfortable reality will take its toll on our mental health and sense of wellbeing," she continued. "The Atmosphère concepts aim to take the heat out of the situation by essentially working the beauty/brain axis."
Designed to sit around the user's neck, the wearable Atmosphère Collar combines environmental protection with on-the-go personalised beauty treatments.
The device collects information on the wearer's location and syncs this with their personal data, such as skin type and bodily needs.
Sensors embedded into the device then respond to this data accordingly – filtering the air around the user as well as adjusting temperature and humidity levels to suit their needs.
As cities get warmer, the collar would also generate a cooling sensation to offer respite from excessive heat.
Atomised cosmetic ingredients, like sun-protection products, are also released in response to the user's condition. These are stored inside a small, removable module that slots into the back of the collar.
The collar is designed in three different colours of olive green and two shades of brown. Vents featured around the rim of the collar make it lightweight enough to wear around the neck.
The accompanying Atmosphère Chaise Longue is a smart-furniture concept for the home. It works in the same way as the collar, by regulating the surrounding temperature and air quality to offer optimum conditions for the user's health.
Designed to create an environment similar to a spa or health retreat, as the user reclines in the chaise longue the input product is released as vapour and cocoons their body with "biologically nutritious" air.
Atmosphère represents Seymourpowell's vision of a future in which people would have technology apply their skin care for them, using AI to customise it to their particular needs.
Users can monitor the vapour at work via an app. This shows the type of pollutants that have been detected, such as micro-plastics or high UV-levels, and illustrates the progress of the device as it cleanses their surroundings.
"Given the state of our ever-shifting urban environment, it is important for companies to consider the impact the environment around us can have on both our physiological and psychological wellbeing," said Seymourpowell designer Jonny Culkin.
"Atmosphère seeks to explore how beauty brands can help not only to protect their customers from the changing climate, but also provide a more mobile offering and service that actively works to respond to a user's environment," he continued.
"For beauty brands to successfully meet the demands of future consumers, they will need to stretch their thinking far beyond a formula in a pack," Culkin added. "Instead they should explore the rich alchemy that is possible when you combine disruptive tech with new beauty behaviours."
Atmosphère is the third release in a series of speculative designs by Seymourpowell that explore the integration of advanced technologies in beauty products.
The first concept, called Identité, is a subscription service that uses AI to collect data on the climate and style trends and combines this with the user's personal data to devise personalised packages of skincare and beauty products.
The second concept, Élever, envisions a makeup printer in the form of a handheld mirror, which would be able to use 3D-fabrication, facial-recognition technology and AI-powered image analysis to download certain makeup looks seen online before printing them directly onto the face.