How Cosmetics Companies Save Dollars With Software Testing

Revolution of the Make-Up Industry

Individuals now definitively have two identities: their real self and their digital self. Digitization of most businesses has resulted in a deep appreciation for body image and modern day society is increasingly image conscious. This has become the foundation of why there has been a steady increase in investment in cosmetics. A couple of decades ago, it was only the movie stars, politicians, and businessmen that were in constant public-eye through relentless shutterbugs.

Cut to present day, where having a social media account validates a person’s existence, and most recruitment agencies see it as a precedence. It is a welcome parameter to gauge a potential candidate’s cultural and professional fit with the organization in question. The cosmetic industry has always had big market players, and in light of the current situation, they have become behemoths! With more choice in media channels, cosmetics companies are looking to reach their target audience by more innovative means.

For instance, “TryItOn” is a makeup app, revolutionary in nature. Introduced a few years ago into the market, it allows the user to try on a range of beauty products virtually. The way it works is astoundingly simple, yet unbelievably effective. Through barcode scanning, the product code is taken in by the application. The scanned code would then be applied to the pre-loaded photo of the user’s face, so that the user would get a complete picture of how the makeup would look on them. Redefining the concept of “window-shopping”, this concept saves time, gives so much breathing room for healthy experimentation and ultimately guarantees a winning deal for the user.

Another such example is the app “Think Dirty”, which goes a few steps ahead and promises to expose products that contain potentially toxic chemicals. The app is capable of informing the user whether the makeup or shampoo they pickup has proper chemical balance and is “clean”. Users have reported to finding it massively helpful in terms of being able to foresee whether a product could be carcinogenic in the long run.

Naturally, such transformation can only be seamless and effective with the integration of technology. With 87 per cent of people expected to be shopping online and 45 per cent via mobile phones by 2020, cosmetics companies need to use the most advanced technology available to introduce products to digital consumers (source). Recent research from the Future Foundation found that “in-store experience needs to work ever harder to excite and ‘close the deal’ while the customer is on site”.

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There are apps in the market that are allowing users to be able to use their font camera as a mirror of sorts, while applying make-up virtually. Such technology has only been used either in Hollywood or in the gaming industry, previously.

This video at techcrunch demonstrates one such example

How Software Testing Helps

Quality Assurance (QA) has never been more relevant to the cosmetics industry. With numerous innovative mobile applications in the market, cosmetic companies are using technology to provide cutting-edge services. In order to ensure that they are successful, cosmetic companies need software testing services now more than ever before. Complicated cosmetic processes that use innovative technology require end-to-end testing to guarantee quality. In-depth research and development is required for products and applications to be bug-free and fully functional.

Acceleration of product development is key to achieving breakthrough in the market. The acceleration can only be done through rigorous testing. The more the testing is automated, the faster are the iterations of development and testing cycles. While working on the development of new features, the daily tests to be performed can be verified at a glance and the results can be conveniently compared by varying parameters.

Continuous integration ensures effective results faster and guarantees a faster time to market, and subsequently, higher return on investment. Functional testing helps immensely in spotting and immediately fixing bugs in the code. As part of functional testing, unit and integration testing help assure that the systems are operating as desired, and results are as expected.

Test Automation carried out by Cigniti Technologies Helps a Leading Cosmetic Provider Save Costs by 40%

A leading cosmetic provider, a client of Cigniti Technologies, faced technological obstacles in its endeavor to innovate its services. Due to lack of a centralized QA methodology and testing process, and due to a lack of a dedicated QA environment altogether, a QA release plan was not in place. There was little to no collaboration between the development and QA teams, due to which the ROI was being heavily impacted.

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The Client was looking for a vendor to provide functional testing, performance testing, and overall test automation. Cigniti Technologies proceeded to swiftly analyze the Client’s existing Quality Engineering process and implemented suitable test automation tools across all the projects. Cigniti also provided a single team with both manual (functional) and automation knowledge, in order to leverage easy resourcing and optimum resource utilization. By successfully implementing the shift-left QA model, Cigniti was able to quickly identify defects in the early stages of the QA cycle.

As a result, Cigniti’s testing services offered an increased visibility of the QA process and reduced defect leakage. Overall, Cigniti’s approach resulted in about 70% reduction in test efforts and 40% cost savings through test automation.

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About Cigniti Technologies

Cigniti Technologies, a leading independent software testing services provider, understands that as businesses undergo a digital transformation, it becomes crucial to be able to meet customer needs in time and with no compromise on quality. BlueSwan is Cigniti’s IP proprietary, a testing platform that offers a range of several types of testing services. Cigniti understands that client requirement takes precedence, and has thus partnered with few leading vendors that provide specific testing tools in order to assure best-of-breed services.

Here at Cigniti, our aim is to help industries transform and innovate their services and gain their footing on a digital platform. Whether BFSI, airlines, restaurants, or cosmetics industries, our goal is to assure quality and provide space for quick innovation and seamless integration. To know more about us, visit our website www.cigniti.com.