How to develop the best skin care routine app?

Is Skin Care Routine App a Trend?

The skin care business is expected to become a $189.3 billion US dollar industry. Don’t confuse cosmetics with skincare. People right from Asian countries to the Western and European shores— everyone prefers organic items. Getting those skincare tips and products online. How did it sound? Lucrative, right? A Skin care routine app is made for that very same purpose. 

Why know all this? Because knowing people’s demands is the utmost step before you start with your own skin care routine app!

Related Read: What Are Skincare Apps? | Idea Usher

Why you should invest in the skin care routine app business?

In 2018, before the Corona pandemic hit the world, people had become conscious of their skin health. And skin health significantly indicates your internal wellness. If we consider the preferable brands, then it is estimated that 1 out of every four consumers of a skincare product will prioritize an eco-friendly brand in the near future. 

The above data shows the reason for people’s interest leaning towards organic beauty products. Out of all the cosmetic products categories, skincare is one of the top categories with a 39 % market share. And this figure is expected to increase in the coming years. 

What are AI (Artificial Intelligence) Skincare apps?

In many European countries, a single visit to a dermatologist is more expensive than doing an in-app purchase on any skincare app. Share on X For Instance, In England, a single visit to a dermatologist costs approximately 100 pounds per hour. On the other hand, downloading a free app with AI features identifies your acne scars and other skin issues with AI-powered functions like Magic mirrors, Spotscan, virtual artists, etc.

Some apps are free of cost. While some other apps have in-app purchasing schemes. The apps are mostly gender-neutral and are designed to promote skincare among everyone.  So, AI-powered features are the topmost beneficial features of any skin care app.

Features of the skincare app

User Panel

This panel is built to provide the following features for the user platform:

• Login detail form
• Browsing details of salon, products, ingredients checker tool, etc
• Payment system integration
• Rating and reviewing section
• App browsing, buying history backup
• Subscription Plans
• Chatting with experts section
• Appointment booking tab

Beauty Experts Panel

This panel is built to provide the following features for the user platform:

• Login detail form
• Browsing details of salon, products, ingredients checker tool, etc
• Payment system integration
• Rating and reviewing section
• App browsing, buying history backup
• Subscription Plans
• Chatting with experts section
• Appointment booking tab

Admin Panel

An admin panel is the central control unit from where the administration team helps coordinate the entire app services and experience:

• Expert Panel management
• Customer care management
• Payment option control
• App management and pricing control
• Marketing and promotion

Salon Owner’s Panel

If your app is collaborating with salon owners and creating an online market for them, then you would need to create a panel from where they can get access to the app and perform their tasks as well:

• Registration option
• Calendar option
• Booking and scheduling tool
• Decline/Accept customer request
• Rating and Reviewing option

Add-On Features

An essential app model can have the above features. And an app with a more interactive UI would have to create some additional features that give users a never-before experience. Some of them could be:

• Subscription Plan

Some beauty apps don’t add any subscription plan and make their app available for download and use free of cost. But apps have a large number of beauticians, hairstylists, and other groups of people associated with their skin routine app. To make their facilities available at different ranges, you can decide on a standard 3 level subscription model. 

• Integrated In-app Social Media

Social media presence, as we talked about in the starting also, is of utmost importance.  With social media buttons, our app will get more views through social media sharing activity.

• Product Shopping

Some apps are marketplace apps created to give a common platform for all salon owners and professionals. But some specific brands like Nykaa get their app made with the aim of getting higher sales of their products. So, this feature is added by those companies who also want to earn benefits out of their product business.

• Blogs by Skincare Professionals

Skincarebyalana.com is one such app with blogs updating stories about skincare products, how to use their skincare tracker app feature, what daily skincare habits to follow, etc. Keeping a blog also is a way to bring traffic to your app. However, you must keep updating it to keep the traffic coming.

• Notifications

The push notification option is provided to inform the app users about new offers, discounts, free deals, coupon offers, etc. Notifications option with an on/off button is in more use today. So that casual users of the app can turn off the notifications when not in need.

• Skin Care Video Uploading Section

A video section can be installed for the audience. This section will upload various videos with home facial app videos, DIY products for skin allergy remedies, etc. This part would also bring many potential customers to actually trust you for the credibility of your products that you claim to be organic.

• Skin care routine app tracker

Instead of using an excel sheet as if working for an office job, or writing on a notepad which you’ll forget to open and read again, a skincare routine tracker app with a tracking feature will give you notifications to help you follow a beauty regime. A skincare calendar tracking feature could help your app users build healthy skincare habits and increase app usage. The app with the beauty routine option can save time for many customers.

You can add any new features that can help set a distinct image of your app and gain popularity. Although, sometimes a basic and simple app can also rank high. That said, an app should have high loading speed, an interactive and appealing UI, and great marketing tactics.

Working Model of A Skin Care App

Like most others, the skin care app industry has two types— well-established businesses and newly emerging startups. Whichever one you have or are considering, each one needs an online presence. 

Social media does half the work. But what if we tell you that you can virtually present the store to people and urging them to buy your products or services from their homes. So, do these both models have two different business models? They sure do:

Skin Health App Business Model Type 1: Dedicated Business Model

When any known salon chain or skincare brand builds its skincare app, they want to promote their offline stores to get the same experience. 

For Instance, you must’ve heard of the Neutrogena skincare brand, correct? Well, many of you must have. This same brand had got their Neutrogena Skin360 app made for both Android and iOS. Their best feature was the Shadefinder tool that lets them select products according to their skin. This lead to increased sales. They may have chosen a skincare cosmetic, but this shows that guided user experience also increases sales, rather than simple online shopping.

Also, even if you are an established brand. The online app can help you increase your sales in this pandemic-struck world also.

Besides, who wouldn’t want their natural skin to look good?

Skin Health App Business Model Type 2: Aggregated Business Model

These apps are independently built. Get your app built, and then contact experts from the skincare industry, including salon owners, hairstyle experts, makeup artists, beauty experts, dermatologists, etc. This platform brings all skincare professionals under one roof. 

Whichever one you are choosing, the result should be an excellent skincare app that functions well.

What are the Benefits of such Skin Health Apps for business owners and customers (app users)?

A skincare routine app can have several benefits. Because no business in today’s world can survive the competition without social media promotions. It is not a rule but a need of the times. A skincare health app is a profitable investment if you are thinking of building and owning one because:

1. One-stop solution

Many people don’t have much time to spare for going out to spas, therapy sessions, or even dermatologists. Skin care apps have tutorial videos, product shopping, product testing, the appointment with salons and beauticians with just a few clicks. If this is not the greatest opportunity, then what is!

2. Real-time analytics

An app with a real-time analytics tool to provide all data regarding the number of users, etc., on the admin panel can help you work on your next marketing planning.

3. Integrated Mobile Wallet

Multiple payment options should be integrated so that people from all corners of the world can use your app and make payments for availing of any product or service.

4. Strong CMS

A robust content management system (CMS), for form, filling purpose that the users, salon owners, etc., have to enter to keep track of the app activities and make the app secure. And also provide info about the app and the company.

5. Virtual product testing

Buying a product from an online website is the same as going on a window-shopping spree (except that you pay for this one!). Many skincare apps with the ingredient identifying option let you choose a product that you find suitable for your skin without any chance of allergic reactions.

6. Online shopping option

Of course, shopping online from a specifically designed skincare app would have better details about product features, pricing, and even offers. So, if given quality products and services, the number of users of your app will automatically increase.

7. Social media promotion

If you provide a sharing button integrated inside the app for some famous social media platforms, you can get many social media shares. Many cosmetic and skin product lovers share the products or services they like with their friends and family. This is a great in-built promotional tool.

Skin Care Routine App Development Process

Just like any app is developed to make it look and appear the best, a few simple steps are followed:

1. Market Research

You are choosing to develop a skin care routine app that is already an audience-specific industry. Your company has to decide what variety, demography, and strategy you are selecting for your app in that field. The first step is to identify the target market. 

Once the audience group is narrowed down, start thorough research.
What features are most in-demand?
Which apps rank more, and what is the reason they do?
Market research on your competitors is as vital as on your target audience.

2. Choosing the wireframe and prototype

Interface designing is the first step to take—this designing process of creating a pictorial representation of your app. The buttons, layouts, screen designs, etc., are designed on paper before making a real version of it.

On the other hand, prototypes are the next level of this process. When you create a demo version of your app, it helps develop an understanding of your app. The working of tools, app’s workflow, etc., are checked in a prototype.

3. App Development

The app development process includes:

UI/UX designing

The Ui designing involves designing visuals of the app, including its interface screens, the color scheme, etc. At the same time, UX designing consists of the designing of interactive elements of the app. 

Coding process

App development is the central and pivotal part of the app development process. It is a bit lengthy. An essential app development process includes three parts:

1. Back-end development

The server connections, database configurations, and other critical coding processes are done in this step only.

2. Front-end development

The front-end development is made for the user’s end of the application. The front of the app also needs coding to create a bridge between the front-end and back-end functioning. 

3. API (Application Programming Interface)

API helps an app connect with OS, servers, and the back-end with the rest of the app interface. The other tools and software used in your application also get connected through an API.

4. Testing the app

Once the app is fully functional, a group of testers can check all the tools, graphics, etc. The testing step is crucial for any new app because testing can help fix any bugs so that the first impression of the customers is as good as you imagined it to be!

5. Market launching

The market launching would also be a part of app store optimization (ASO) and other optimization strategies that your developing company will help you with. This launching step is crucial to get a good starting for your app.

6. Post-launch services

After the launch, your app would also need proper marketing through various social media and other online channels. Getting a good rating and position on Google’s App Index (API) takes some time. But the good start will eventually lead you to that. Around 96% of big and small skincare and cosmetics companies have social media accounts. 

The steps mentioned above are taken for the whole app development process, and the following features are generally included in any skincare app:

What are some best skincare apps?

Understanding the features of popular skincare apps is as important as knowing the technology and the best skin.

1. Skincarisma app

This app has a cosmetic analyzer tool that lets you check the ingredients present in your cosmetic or skincare products. The Skincarisma app also helps you compare the products of different brands and find out the best suitable choice for your skin.

2.Think Dirty app

Most users of skincare and cosmetic products are skeptical about one thing— is their product maligned? 

And why won’t they be? A recent study by some researchers at Notre Dame University found out that almost 230 everyday products of well-known brands have high levels of Flourine chemicals in them. The names of these products were not revealed. So, what to do?

Apps like Think Dirty help the consumers of such products to identify the harmful ingredients in their skin products and become careful in their usage.

Think Dirty app has one more feature that can make it a skin care scanner app also! This app has a bar-code scanner that can be used to know the product details that they are selling.

3. RYNKL app

Isn’t the name suggesting the app’s USP? Choosing a good name for the app matters too, and now, coming back to the RYNKL app. This app has got some smart AI features that can detect the aging signs on your face.

It is a popular app in the US, and many women trust it. With their busy lives and extensive use of cosmetics, many women get worried about losing luster and freshness of the skin. 

4. SunZapp

Protecting skin from damaging UV rays is an arduous task. But not always possible to apply SPF lotions, and besides, the sun-screen lotions also defer according to skin type. This app calms down the anxieties of all those who have to go out every day in the sun.

5. Hydration Reminders

A simple skincare app can also have high visibility and ranking? Yes, well, Hydration Reminders has proved so. It is an app that has got a simple feature of reminding you to get hydrated daily. 

This company has built two different apps with different names— one for apple devices, i.e., hydrate, and Water Drink Reminder for Android devices. The app is free of cost and has an easy user interface (UI). 

6. Sleepboat

We often consider the product-based companies are the only important part of the skincare industry. Though, any app that helps in improving the health of your skin can be downloaded by users because of its usefulness. 

If someone does not take a total of 7-8 hours of sleep, their skin starts getting dry, or acne appears, and many other problems like wrinkles, etc., appear in a long time. Sleepboat helps a user keep a tab on your sleeping hours, monitor your voice, and toss and turn activity.

Yes, this app also got success in the market because of its unique solution to a prevalent problem.

As such, many beauty-filter apps are present in the market. But getting naturally healthy skin is the need of many. Lockdown has given more time to people to stop and think about their overall health. And people have become aware of the perks of having healthy skin and body. 

Looking for the Right Developer?

Idea Usher always lays out the portfolio for you to look at and then decide. With a plethora of high-rating apps, expert team members, and affordable rates, we may have one more feather to our cap if we work together! 

All the same, you can take time and decide, for a free consultation to understand more about skincare app building, contact us.

FAQ

What Are Some Best Apps for Estheticians?

Estheticians also sometimes need to compare and find the app which is most profitable for them. Many apps like Mindboady Express help a beauty expert in 

What is the total cost of building a skin care routine app?

A basic skincare app can be built between the range of 1300 to 30,000 US dollars. But we at Idea Usher believe that we should first listen to your side and then decide the cost.

Does skin care routine app creation needs licensing?

If your app claims to have any special feature, then it does. Also, if you have an expert panel of estheticians, then make sure that they all have proper work licenses to ensure that you are providing good quality services only on your app.

Can a skin care routine app be built for Android and iOS?

Many cross-platform apps are built nowadays. The same codebase is built using languages like Java or Kotlin, etc., to create a cross-platform app.