Shiseido has announced the acquisition of Giaran, a data technology company specializing in artificial intelligence platforms, a move which will develop the Japanese beauty giant’s personalized beauty offerings.

Giaran is powered by artificial intelligence and offers technology such as virtual make-up testing, tutorials, color matching, personalized recommendations, face tracking, and skin tone detection. Offering consumers full accessibility, the technology can be used across mobile, desktop and tablets. There is also a smart mirror powered by ‘full HD augmented reality.’

Marc Rey, President and CEO of Shiseido Americas, said, “Raymond and the Giaran team have created truly novel AI technologies for cosmetic applications, and we are thrilled to welcome them to the Shiseido family. Building on our acquisition of MATCHCo earlier this year, Giaran will provide Shiseido with immediate expertise and advanced technologies to further expand our digital capabilities, while also allowing for greater consumer intimacy through personalized offerings and enhanced user experiences.
We share Giaran’s philosophy that digital is a mindset rather than a tool, and we look forward to bringing more disruptive innovation to reinvent the beauty industry business model.”

Based in Boston, Massachusetts, where it will remain, Giaran will become part of the Shiseido Makeup Centre of Excellence, working together with Global Digital Center of Excellence and the global technology team in Tokyo.

The acquisition is said to complement the recent Shiseido purchase of MATCHCo, a beauty personalization start-up, and will further drive the company forward in beauty customization in order to achieve its goal of ‘driving consumer engagement.’