Method of evaluating cosmetic products on a consumer with future predictive transformation

• US 20020054714A1
• Filed: 05/04/2001
• Published: 05/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA (Unilever PLC)
• Original Assignee: Unilever Home & Personal Care USA (Unilever PLC)
• Inventors: Murahata, Richard Iwao, Andrew, Jeremy James, Hawkins, Stacy Susan
• Granted Patent: US 6,959,119 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/276
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 44/005 for selecting or displaying personal cosmetic colours or hairstyle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/442 Evaluating skin mechanical properties, e.g. elasticity, hardness, texture, wrinkle assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation

Abstract

A method kit is provided for demonstrating the effects of a cosmetic product on a consumer'"'"'s body, especially effects over a period of time. The method includes applying a cosmetic product to the body, capturing an image of the consumer, displaying the image on a monitor and digitally transforming the image to reflect the effect of using the selected cosmetic over the period of time. Among transformed attributes of the body are those of glow/color, sags/wrinkles, pores and combinations thereof. The original and transformed images are juxtaposed on a screen. Consumers are required to select between transformed and displayed images, preferably repetitively, until the consumer has chosen their most appealing transformation.

Claims

1. A method for demonstrating effectiveness of a cosmetic product on a consumer'"'"'s body parts when applied over a period of time, the method comprising:

(i) selecting a cosmetic product for trial on the consumer'"'"'s body and identifying a body feature being observed over the time;

(ii) capturing an image of the body part;

(iii) displaying the image on a monitor;

(iv) digitally transforming the selected body feature on the displayed image in conformance with a predicted effect of the cosmetic product and displaying the digitally transformed image;

(v) allowing the consumer to compare results of the transformed versus the displayed image; and

(vi) optionally repeating steps (iv) and (v) till the consumer has chosen an optimal transformation.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the body feature being transformed is that of lines and wrinkles.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the body feature transformed is that of glow and color.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the body feature is that of skin pores.

5. A method for identifying cosmetic needs of a consumer that are personal to the consumer, the method comprising:

(i) gathering information from the consumer concerning the consumer'"'"'s cosmetic needs in treating a body feature;

(ii) capturing an image of the consumer'"'"'s body feature;

(iii) displaying the image on a monitor;

(iv) digitally transforming in a manner reflecting the effect of a recommended cosmetic over a period of time a property of the body feature selected from color, sags, wrinkles, texture, radiance and combinations thereof, and displaying the transformed image;

(v) requiring the consumer to select between transformed and displaced images; and

(vi) optionally repeating steps (iv) and (v) till the consumer chooses an optimal transformation.

6. A kit for displaying a consumer'"'"'s skin image and transforming the image into consumer-defined composite attributes, the kit comprising:

(a) a camera for obtaining an image of the consumer'"'"'s skin or hair;

(b) a screen for receiving and displaying the image;

(c) a memory program for transforming the displayed image in a manner reflecting an effect achievable by application over a period of time of a cosmetic product and for displaying the transformed image in close relationship to the non-transformed image.

7. A method for identifying progress of a cosmetic product treatment affect upon a consumer, the affect being personal to that consumer, the method comprising:

(i) selecting a cosmetic product for trial on the consumer'"'"'s body and identifying a body feature being observed over a period of time;

(ii) capturing an image of the body feature;

(iii) displaying the image on a monitor;

(iv) capturing a further image of the body feature at a later time after the product has been applied by the consumer;

(v) allowing the consumer to compare results between the captured and later time captured images; and

(vi) optionally digitally transforming the captured image of step (ii) in conformance with a predicted affect of the cosmetic product and displaying the digitally transformed image thereby allowing comparison to the later time captured image representing an actual cosmetic product treated body feature as obtained from step (iv).