L’Oréal tends to flex its innovation muscles at CES every year, the Consumer Electronics Show held annually in Las Vegas. This year’s new product debut is no exception.

The multi-national beauty tech firm is furthering its 80-year commitment to sun safety with the unveiling of two technology products. UV Sense, the first battery-free wearable electronic UV sensor, and a limited-edition of the award-winning My UV Patch, both of which look to provide consumers with crucial information about their individual ultraviolet (UV) exposure levels. Both technologies will be available from the La Roche-Posay brand this year.

La Roche-Posay launched the first-ever stretchable skin sensor to monitor UV exposure, My UVPatch, in 2016. Since the technology’s debut, the La Roche-Posay brand has distributed more than one million patches to consumers in 37 countries free of charge to encourage safe sun behaviors.

Through consumer studies and feedback of My UV Patch users, L’Oréal learned that although users changed their behaviors – with 34 percent applying sunscreen more often and 37 percent trying to stay in the shade more frequently – they wanted a smaller wearable with longer wear and real-time data.

Building on the architecture of the original patch, UV Sense allows further monitoring of UV exposure, to show trends of exposure over time with instant updates. It is the first battery-free wearable electronic sensor to measure individual UV exposure and can store up to three months of data. The wearable is less than two millimeters thick, nine millimeters in diameter and designed to be worn for up to two weeks on the thumbnail. The sensor can be reapplied to the nail with additional adhesives, which come in the packaging. The wearable has an accompanying mobile app, available on both iOS and Android, which translates and transfers data from the sensor using Near Field Communication (NFC)-enabled technology. The app delivers consumer-friendly information detailing when the wearer should be mindful of UV exposure. Data is included in a profile within the app that outlines a user’s exposure levels. Sun-safety habits – like spending time in the shade or reapplying sunscreen – are encouraged with facts about sun exposure and additional tips for protection.

“Design and technology are inextricably linked, and as products become more personalized to individuals, both elements are integral to providing people with seamless experiences,” said Yves Behar, designer entrepreneur and founder of fuseproject. “By working with L’Oréal, we are able to pair deep expertise in beauty tech with an effective design that enhances consumers’ wellbeing without distracting from their everyday lives.”

Both UV Sense and the limited-edition of My UV Patch draw from research L’Oréal conducted in conjunction with MC10, Inc., a leading wearable technology company, and professor John Rogers at Northwestern University, through his portfolio of intellectual property (IP) and innovation around flexible, stretchable electronics. This research has provided valuable insights into the human skin, such as the calculations of personal daily safe UV doses around the skin phototype and minimal erythema dose.

UV Sense will be available on a limited basis in the U.S. for the 2018 summer season with a global launch following in 2019. For more information and product availability, visit www.laroche-posay.us.