After more than a year when most of us had no choice but to do most of our shopping online, Lush was far from the only retailer which had to rely heavily on technology to keep going. Yet even now as things seem to be returning to something closer to a pre-pandemic reality and we look forward to going getting out of the house to go shopping (imagine!) that doesn’t mean we have to give up all the benefits that technology can add to making the retail experience better.

Lush Lens was designed to offer customers a packaging-free and contact-free shopping experience.
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With that in mind, the handmade cosmetics company has just relaunched the Lush App, developed in collaboration with Saleor using open-source technology in line with Lush’s Digital Ethics Mission Statement. It will allow customers to browse product ranges with improved search optimisation, a new checkout process, and new ways to pay.

Lush Lens has had 2.6 million scans since its launch on iOS in 2018
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The app – which is now available in the UK on iOS and Android – features for the first time one of the most successful #LushLabs features, called Lush Lens, a mobile AR feature which was designed by Lush’s in-house tech R&D team to offer customers a packaging-free and contact-free shopping experience.

Lush Lens has had 2.6 million scans since its launch on iOS in November 2018, prompting the company’s founder, Mark Constantine, to assert that the technology had the potential to revolutionize the packaging industry, and even possibly eliminate it.

“At Lush we make products by hand, with fresh and ethically sourced ingredients, and this informs our digital products too. I’m so proud of the new platform the teams have created which showcases the best of what we can do – ethical treatment of customers’ data, created using open source technologies and providing a five star customer experience, with a few Lush surprises along the way,” says Jack Constantine, Chief Digital Officer at Lush.

Lush Digital believes in ethical tech that ultimately gives back more than it takes from society and the environment
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Lush champions ethical hardware, ethical data, ethical design and open source technologies. Just as the company ethically sources ingredients, Lush Digital believes in ethical tech that ultimately gives back more than it takes from society and the environment.

Adam Goswell, Lush Tech R&D, believes that such technology can add (not replace) in giving quality, up to date information in matching customers with the perfect product.

“If we can reduce the time spent at the till or eliminate the queue (which we all hate) then technology is really going to elevate the retail experience to be much more about human interaction and experience,” he believes.

Tech Trends’  Consultancy services offer support for companies looking to enhance their brand’s digital strategy with immersive and emerging technologies such as Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality

Alice Bonasio is a technology journalist, communications consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio and @techtrends_tech on Twitter

The post Getting a Post-Pandemic Digital Makeover appeared first on Tech Trends.

With awareness of plastic pollution at an all-time high, Lush’s newest Naked shops offer literally hundreds of innovative and plastic packaging-free alternatives to your favourite cosmetics, and technology plays a key role in making that work.

With awareness of plastic pollution at an all-time high, Lush’s Naked shops offer hundreds of innovative and plastic packaging-free alternatives
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Rather than scanning labels for information, visitors to the shop will instead be able to scan products directly using the new #LushLabs app replacing packaging with a digital solution
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“We think the future implications of this technology are they we’re able to further reduce packaging and printed materials and offer a richer alternative that gives consumers education about the benefits of cosmetics plus features such as ordering and sharing.

It is only now, after 20 years of development, that we are able to fill up a whole shop with innovative naked cosmetic alternatives
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Lush Lens is an in development experience feature which enables Lush to reduce their impact on the environment by using the phone’s camera and Machine Learning to recognise products through the user’s smartphone camera, and give the customer detailed ingredient information and ‘how to use’ demonstrations via the app.

A while back the company opened the first such shop in Milan, which was a resounding success and convinced them there was definitely an appetite among consumers for this seemingly radical alternative to traditional, over-packaged cosmetics.

“Reducing packaging is something Lush has been working on for many, many years, says Adam Goswell Global Creative Technology, UX, Mobile & Innovation. “However, it is only now, after 20 years of development, that we are able to fill up a whole shop with innovative naked cosmetic alternatives, and offer a brand new shopping experience using technology alongside it.”

Technology has a role in reducing our environmental impact
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“The launch of the Lush Manchester Naked Shop, was an exciting day with an exciting and loud mix of our customers, staff and the press getting hands on with our packaging free shop concept.

“We’re using the shop as another platform to demonstrate and use our technology which is currently in R&D where we’re using Machine Learning coupled with a camera from a phone, to allow anyone to recognise one of our handmade cosmetics without the need for traditional packaging,” says Goswell.

Here at Tech Trends we’re fan of Lush’s brand of ethical innovation
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Here at Tech Trends we’re fan of Lush’s brand of ethical innovation that has been showcased at several events we’ve attended which spans not only its retail shops but also a its amazing spa treatments.

“Technology has a role in reducing our environmental impact, and we’d hope this influences other cosmetics retailers and other industries to look at this technology to also aid in reducing plastic waste,” Goswell concludes.

Tech Trends offers a broad range of Digital Consultancy services to guide companies, individuals and brands in effectively leveraging existing and emerging technologies in their business strategy.

Alice Bonasio is a VR and Digital Transformation Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post Naked Tech for a Plastic-Free World appeared first on Tech Trends.

Fail fast culture is essential to creativity and innovation, but what does good, creative failure actually look like?

One of the most overused and misunderstood doctrines in tech is “Fail Fast” or some variation thereof. We have got used to celebrating a culture where it is permissible for most start-ups to flounder in their first year (or even a few months) of poking their head over the parapet, and for entrepreneurs to squander millions on the road to that unicorn valuation.

Fail Fast is one of the most overused and misunderstood doctrines in tech
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We have got used to celebrating a culture where it is permissible for most start-ups to flounder in their first year
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Innovation does require the space for creative people to take risks and try new things, and it stands to reason that a good proportion of those ideas won’t work the first time around.

Like fat, not all failure is created equal, however. There’s definitely such a thing as “failing well”, just as eating olive oil, salmon and avocado is healthier than scoffing down a deep-fried Mars bar.

Innovation does require the space for creative people to take risks and try new things, and it stands to reason that a good proportion of those ideas won’t work the first time around
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Like fat, not all failure is created equal
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The idea behind good failure is to learn quickly from your mistakes and incrementally modify your approach until you perfect an idea enough to reach the tipping point of success – or run out of money – whichever comes first.

But what do good and bad failing cultures actually look like in the real world? Funnily enough, the best examples I’ve seen recently have come from two UK conferences, neither of which was hosted by a technology company.

The idea behind good failure is to learn quickly from your mistakes and incrementally modify your approach until you perfect an idea enough to reach the tipping point of success – or run out of money
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Failing the smart way

It might come as a shock to those locked inside the Silicon Valley bubble, but the concept of embracing failure isn’t a tech industry invention at all. It has, in fact, long been recognized as an essential part of the creative process for many industries. And UK cosmetics company Lush shows how that can work even in a, extremely competitive retail environment.

At their creative showcase in Manchester last week, Lush displayed a dizzying array of products – many of which weren’t yet available in shops – but that is nothing new in itself. From its earliest days, their R&D process involved constantly trying out new formulations, often discontinuing other products to make room for them in their shops. Customer feedback was always greedily gathered, and sales figures pored over, so that products that failed to hit the sweet spot were quickly withdrawn to make room for the next wave, and so on.

It might come as a shock to those locked inside the Silicon Valley bubble, but the concept of embracing failure isn’t a tech industry invention at all
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Over the years, that has seen the company build up an extremely loyal customer base which appreciates the fact that Lush tangibly listens to them and values their input (hundreds of punters in Manchester queued up for hours and paid over £20 a ticket for the privilege to attend the showcase, which would be a tall ask for any other retailer to say the least) and also grow into an international chain which appeals to an increasingly broader audience keen on ethical, animal-friendly and plastic free cosmetic alternatives.

Which is why, although they’re relative newcomers to the digital space, Lush sounds credible when it talks about its technology roadmap, currently being developed under the leadership of Jack Constantine, son of Founders Mark and Mo.

although they’re relative newcomers to the digital space, Lush sounds credible when it talks about its technology roadmap
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If there was ever a case study of turning failure around and coming out smelling of roses (and many other delicious things) it’s probably Lush
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From AI and image recognition to help customers navigate their sometimes bewildering products, to 3D Printing and VR/AR tech that will allow you to virtually try on their new makeup range, it all makes sense in the context of their ever-evolving approach. It’s an ethos of failure-as-a-stepping-stone-to-success that filters from the top.

Before starting Lush, Founder Mark Constantine went bankrupt with a venture called Cosmetics to Go, which drew in the punters, but ultimately could not make the numbers work to turn enough of a profit. He lost everything and went back to the drawing board with those hard lessons learned. That experience was later enshrined in the Lush Manifesto (which they printed for years on every shopping bag) which stated their fundamental belief in the right to lose everything and start again. If there was ever a case study of turning failure around and coming out smelling of roses (and many other delicious things) it’s probably Lush.

And the other way…

At the Conservative Party conference, the Chancellor of the Exchequer repeated the party line that unspecified technology can somehow magically provide a solution to fundamental and complex political problems
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In contrast, for a glaring example of what embracing failure in a counter-productive and reckless way looks like, we need look no further than the on-going Brexit saga, and a very different gathering happening this week in the UK.

At the Conservative Party conference, the Chancellor of the Exchequer (for those not familiar with UK politics, this is the man who is basically in charge of running the country’s economy) repeated the party line that unspecified “technology” (possibly Blockchain?) can somehow magically provide a solution to fundamental and complex political problems, including the extremely thorny issue of free movement across the Irish border.

For a glaring example of what embracing failure in a counter-productive and reckless way looks like, we need look no further than the Brexit saga
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Now, some might generously argue that this figure-it-out-as-we-go-along and hope for the best determination to press on with Brexit is akin to the gospel of Zuckerberg, who has done rather well for himself in moving fast and breaking things (such as democracy). Yet the really scary thing is, even Facebook seems to have a more coherent strategy for where they’re headed than the UK government at this stage.

Constructively using failure to innovate is like feeling your way around a room in the dark. The idea is to gradually build up a mental map of where obstacles and dangers might lie as you bump into them, until you find a path through.

Constructively using failure to innovate is like feeling your way around a room in the dark
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What Brexiteers are doing at the moment, however, amounts to having a map of that dark room which clearly shows a cliff and deliberately choosing to ignore it, all the while insisting that the only way forward is to run towards said cliff at full speed and with a jolly heart.

A culture of failure is in essence a culture of learning, and learning has nothing to do with stubbornly choosing to ignore facts. On the contrary, it requires the humility to recognize your mistakes and pivot accordingly. Sadly, there seems little chance of that at this point, and we’re all probably be saddled with the costly consequences of their disastrous failure for years to come. It’s a sad state of affairs when the hippies making the giant bath bombs are the sensible ones you wish were in charge.

A culture of failure is in essence a culture of learning, and learning has nothing to do with stubbornly choosing to ignore facts
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This article was originally published on The Next Web

The art of failing well https://t.co/OazzzZWFDE

— TNW Contributors (@TNWcontributors) October 3, 2018

Alice Bonasio is a VR and Digital Transformation Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post Rinse and Repeat appeared first on Tech Trends.

We’re heading to Manchester for the nicest-smelling gig in the technology calendar.

We really enjoy Lush’s soapbox activism at Tech Trends, so we were glad to be invited to come back to the company’s creative showcase, which this year takes place in Manchester.

A vibrant, varied and interactive event where bath bombs launch activism and where creativity can set you free
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If you’re wondering what a naked cosmetics company has to do with technology, take a look at our previous articles where we delved into how they not only used data and 3D printing in their product-making, but have been championing digital rights and using digital tech to advance their overall mission under the leadership of Chief Digital Officer Jack Constantine.

#bathart is about more than aesthetics. Beneath the bubbles, there’s a whole world of passions, ethics, inspiration and meaning to explore
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Check out the full agenda here, but here are some of the highlights we’re looking forward to:

Mark Constantine talks about the Secret Lush Cosmetics Masterplan

Whatever the event, when Mark takes to the stage his ramblings are almost as legendary as his colourful shirts. He’s famous for never sticking to a script – let alone a time slot. But this time it’s different. This time it’s personal. This time he has a plan. The Secret Lush Cosmetics Master Plan to be specific. Join him as he discusses his three-point plan to take over the world, one naked, solid product at a time, and how each and every Lush staff member can make it happen.

Events organisers regret that they cannot take responsibility for unauthorised rambles
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Ending Animal Testing

The Lush Prize is a major initiative aiming to bring forward the day when safety testing takes place without the use of animals. The focus of the prize is to put pressure on corporations’ who toxicity test on animals for consumer products and ingredients. Join previous winners of the Lush Prize, along with a member of the Lush Prize management committee, and be part of a conversation about the wealth of testing options available to us today and the value of the Lush Prize project.

Think Tank: What is beauty in the age of Instagram?

Social media. It gets the blame for everything, including our increasing obsession with perfection; the perfect life, the perfect clothes, the perfect face. But our relationship with beauty goes back far further than our Instagram feeds – think movie stars, Barbie dolls, royalty and goddesses. In this frank Think Tank, we give you the opportunity to examine our relationship with beauty. What is it? Does it exist? How do we redefine it? And can social media be a tool to help us on our way? Join Umber Ghauri , Kelechi Okafor, and Jay Fletcher as they help facilitate a group discussion on how we can reclaim ‘beauty’ for everyone.

Come on in and join us as we make bath masterpieces like never before
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“Alexa, Where have all the women gone?”

There is currently a higher percentage of women in the antiquated House of Lords, than there are registered female owners of emerging tech companies in the UK. Join Catherine Allen, and guests as they discuss how and why we are falling short when it comes to gender representation in the tech industry, and how we can encourage more women into tech.

Lush Giving & Regeneration

If you’ve ever wanted to know more about Lush Giving, now’s your chance. To help create a world that works for every being, Lush counts on the generosity of customers, founders and staff to fund grassroots groups that are actively trying to stop violence against people, the environment and animals, as well as those who are developing innovative and regenerative alternatives in their areas. Join us as we celebrate the projects we have funded in the past, the diversity and reach of our global giving and the evolution of some of our funds. Learn more about Re:Fund, the next stage of Slush and the Flight Tax that replaces Carbon Tax. Take a deeper dive into the three areas that Re:Fund spans: Displacement & Disaster, Permaculture & Agroecology, Rewilding & Biodiversity. Need a break? The Spring Prize Lounge is here to offer you a little rest and regeneration.

Fun House

Welcome to the house of fun. If your #BathArt rivals Picasso, and you dream in 4D, then the Fun House is the place to be. An experiential adventure playground that’ll ignite your senses, head here for an immersion in extraordinary. We guarantee you aren’t ready for this jelly…

This is a ticket to other-worldly wonders and underground campaigns. After this there is no turning back
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#Lushmood Space

How do you want to feel today? No, really! Head to the Lush Mood Space and be immersed in a multi-sensory dreamscape that’ll give you the time and space to transform your state of mind. Choose from four states of mind to gain what you really need when you really need it.

Road to Pelindaba

The Lush Showcase marks the launch of Lush co founder Mark Constantine’s biography, written by his lifelong friend Jeff Osment. This immersive installation lets you jump straight into the pages of the book, as well as the giving you the opportunity to explore how Jeff researched and wrote Dear John: The Road to Pelindaba.

Digital Ethics

Is our addiction to technology causing global destruction? As an increasingly digital society it is vital that we acknowledge the sociological and environmental issues that are fuelled by the unnecessary – yet seemingly unavoidable – upgrade cycle of smartphones. The Digital Ethics space will seek to educate our audience on the smartphone industry’s multiple malpractices, whilst highlighting the individuals and organisations fighting for a fairer future.

If you want complacency, turn back
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When? Sunday 23rd and Monday 24th September 2018, 10:00 – 19:00

Where? Manchester Central, Windmill St, Manchester M2 3GX

How Much? If you fancy joining the fun, tickets are priced at a rather reasonable £20 for adults or £7 for children and can be purchased here

What to expect:

• Innovative digital solutions
• A first look at new products
• Discussion, debate, activism and action on topics spanning human rights, animal rights, and the environment
• Immersive Lush Spa experiences
• Talks from inspirational guest speakers
• Live music from interesting and talented folks
• Hands-on opportunities to make Lush products and find out more about how ingredients are sourced

If you support the status quo, run and hide
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For all the latest keep an eye on our @techtrends_tech Twitter feed and feel free to say hello using the hashtags #LushShowcase #LushDigital and #Techforgood

Alice Bonasio is a VR and Digital Transformation Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post Tech Trends at #LushShowcase 2018 appeared first on Tech Trends.

Retailers are under pressure to cut down on unnecessary packaging, and Lush shows how tech can enable everyone to go plastic-free

It’s a sad fact that plastic debris in our oceans is killing marine wildlife at a staggering rate. With plastics pollution spiralling out of control, shops are under pressure to cut down on their use of unnecessary packaging. Some of the greatest culprits in generating harmful waste that often ends up in the oceans or landfill are cosmetics companies – just think about how many bottles and pots of shampoo, conditioner, moisturiser, shower gels and other grooming products the average person keeps in their bathroom and it’s easy to see how it very quickly adds up.

Plastic debris in our oceans is killing marine wildlife at a staggering rate
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Some of the greatest culprits in generating harmful waste that often ends up in the oceans or landfill are cosmetics companies
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The increased awareness of the problem among consumers means that this is a commercial opportunity for those offering environmentally friendly alternatives, however. And this is what UK handmade cosmetics company Lush has been doing for many years, making many products such as shampoo in solid form (which according to the company saves nearly 6 million plastic bottles a year) where they require neither packaging nor preservatives and are offered in what the company refers to as “naked” form (where at most buyers have the option to slip it into a small paper bag or have it wrapped in some greaseproof paper).

The increased awareness of the plastic pollution problem among consumers means that this is a commercial opportunity for those offering environmentally friendly alternatives
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Selling solid shampoos, Lush saves nearly 6 million plastic bottles a year
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Currently over 40% of Lush’s product range is completely free of packaging, but in early June the company went a step further and opened a shop in Milan, Italy which is 100% packaging free, relying on technology to keep customers informed instead. The trial is currently running exclusively on Fairphone, and customers visiting the Milan shop have access to four devices, yet Lush hopes to roll out the technology to global customers in the near future.

Over 40% of Lush's product range is completely free of packaging
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The Lush Lens app uses AI to eliminate the need for packaging
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Powered by Tensorflow from Google, the Lush Lens app uses AI and product recognition to eliminate the need for packaging. In its current beta version, the information comes up as a simple text pop-up, but there are plans to explore more possibilities around immersive technologies such as Augmented Reality to provide more information about the sourcing of ingredients, the process of making products, provenance about who actually made each batch, and suggestions on how to use it. For those familiar with the company’s rather eclectic and unusual offerings, those features would all make a lot of sense.

“With this prototype mobile app we’ve put new technologies such as AI to a good use in our mission to eliminate more packaging and further educate our customers on our unique cosmetics,” Says Adam Goswell, Technology R&D at Lush. “The company believes in the ethical use of data, so all the information Lush has is secure and used in a transparent way. We’re increasingly part of the tech community, providing open source solutions where before only monopolies existed. This is in line with a company ethos that aims to give more than it takes, act transparently, push innovation and raise industry standards.”

Lush believes in continuously challenging norms and driving best practice when it comes to business ethics
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Lush is well-known for its activism, and have – if you’ll excuse the pun – recently got into hot water for one of their more controversial campaigns which was meant to raise awareness against abusive surveillance practices carried out by certain police force branches in the UK. Having spoken to its founders on several occasions (Lush is very much a family business at its core in spite of its multimillion-pound global turnover) it is clear that politics and product are very much intertwined in their strategy.

In the past few years Jack Constantine – the son of Lush’s Founders Mark and Mo Constantine has focused on developing in-house technology under the Lush Digital umbrella, including building an in-house R&D team called Tech Warriors. When we last spoke they were enthusiastic about the possibility of using image recognition and AR functionality to allow people to find out about the products in a shop simply by pointing their smartphone camera at them.

Lush sees technology playing a role in achieving their goals
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Technology doesn’t have to be unethical. We believe tech can be built for the greater good and impact positive social change
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The company sees technology as playing a vital role in achieving their commercial-political goals, which translates not only in advocating for digital rights, embracing open-source technologies and adopting ethical sourcing of hardware, but also in their investment in new technologies such as 3D printing, artificial intelligence, image recognition, and immersive tech such as augmented reality.

“Technology doesn’t have to be unethical. We believe tech can be built for the greater good and impact positive social change,” Constantine agrees. “Just like its approach to sourcing ingredients and testing products, Lush believes in continuously challenging norms and driving best practice when it comes to business ethics. One of those key principles is the ethical use of data and technology.”

This article was originally published on Forbes

How technology can help tackle the plastics pollution crisishttps://t.co/3cqenFodS6

— Forbes Tech News (@ForbesTech) June 17, 2018

For companies looking to get into Immersive technologies such as VR/AR/MR/XR our Virtual Reality Consultancy services offer guidance and support on how best to incorporate these into your brand strategy.

Alice Bonasio is a VR and Digital Transformation Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post Technology Paving the Way for a Naked Future appeared first on Tech Trends.

How the Lush Spa Experiment transformed biofeedback data into meditative art.

“At Lush we’re all about feelings, from the way we work to the products and experiences we deliver to our customers and audience,” Adam Goswell, UX & Technology at Lush, tells me as he explains what prompted them to make the Lush Spa Experiment video I’m watching.

The data captured shows a clear correlation between the treatment and biometric response
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A partnership between Lush and The Mill the project involved capturing and visualizing biofeedback data to show people the effects that a spa treatment has on their bodies and minds.

“The data captured was fascinating. It shows a clear correlation between the treatment and the subject’s biometric response. You can actually see the moments when a sound or touch elicited a shift in brain wave which then triggers a reaction in breath and heart rate,” says Creative Director Carl Addy, who headed up the project at the Mill.

This project has been a process of experimentation
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“What started as a film to build awareness around the spa treatments has turned into an iterative exploration of how we can visualize the bodies reactions to varying stimuli within the treatment,” he explains. More recently, they extended the idea into a physical space – which I experienced at the Lush Creative Showcase, where people could observe their heartbeat as it triggered a lighting display. “This gets really interesting as the act itself affects the heartbeat by slowing it down as one focuses on the display.”

We wanted to create an emotive film that is driven by data rather than fixate on the data itself
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Although the feedback they captured – things like heartbeats, breath, and brainwave patterns – could be used scientifically, the primary objective of this first project was simply to visualize the data in a beautiful way, similarly to projects such as The Art of Data which we wrote about last year.

“We wanted to create an emotive film that is driven by data rather than fixate on the data itself. Our main criteria was to depict a correlation between the choreography of the treatment and the data, to see if the intention of the spa was successful.”

Harnessing a user’s biometric readings could lead to better recommendations and experiences
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Goswell adds that Lush has also been considering how such biometric data can be used to enhance the customer journey, but they are very mindful of the potential privacy implications of using such intimate data.

“If we can take a read on someone’s feeling and change it for the better and report that result to them that would be amazing….” However, he stresses the need to carefully consider the ethics of using personal biometric data, and ensuring it is clear to users from the onset what will happen to it.

You can check out this hypnotic experiential video for yourself below:

Tech Trends felt compelled to try some of the Lush Spa treatments in the name of research
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But while this is all well and good, purely in the name of scientific research Tech Trends also felt compelled to collect first-hand data by having some of those Lush Spa treatments ourselves.

Thus it was that myself and our Digital Arts Correspondent Naomi Hepwork bravely volunteered to take one for the team and head down to Bath, where Lush’s newly refurbished shop houses extensive Spa facilities in its sizeable basement. I know, it’s a hard job, but someone has to do it.

My treatment – The Spell - was a most relaxing blend of a pedicure, reflexology and head massage, delivered – as all Lush Spa treatments are - to a specially composed soundtrack
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My own treatment – The Spell – was a most relaxing blend of pedicure, reflexology and head massage, delivered – as all Lush Spa treatments are – to a specially composed soundtrack.

There were many original and interesting aspects to the treatment, but one that really stuck with me was that before we went into the room – as we sat at the wonderfully decorated farmhouse kitchen area chatting and filling out the usual form about allergies, preferences and medical conditions – I was given a fountain pen and ink pot, and asked to write down a worry on a scrap of parchment. This was then ceremoniously burned in a little kettle.

I was given a fountain pen and ink pot, and asked to write down a worry on a scrap of parchment
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These little touches were everywhere: Antique books, the beautifully delicate teacup where they made me a fresh lemongrass and mint tea, the bathroom brimming with products we were encouraged to try… I am seriously picky and borderline OCD where it comes to my spa treatments, and I tend to notice the tiniest things. I seriously could not spot a single area that did not shine with care and careful consideration. The Lush Spa is clearly a labour of love.

If they had been monitoring our biofeedback afterwards it probably would have shown one flat and happy line
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I can’t remember the last time I felt so relaxed
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As for my colleague, who was in great need of a pampering break from a lengthy spell of baby-induced sleep deprivation, she dove straight into an elaborate treatment which is exclusive to the Bath Spa, and… Well, I’ll let her tell you for herself…

What could be more uplifting in the dead of winter than a visit to Bath to try out the Lush spa?

Lush have eight spa locations, in which you can have a variety of highly customised or location specific treatments. We went into the Lush store on Union Street and were greeted at the door by friendly staff, then ushered into the basement which has been transformed into the most extraordinary setting – a fully furnished country kitchen with a corridor leading off to a suite of treatment rooms, all created with beautiful detail, something like a cross between your most tasteful friend’s house and a really high quality immersive theatre experience.

 

I had opted for ‘Tales of Bath’, a head and shoulder massage, followed by a bath, followed by a body massage, and it was like no other treatment I’ve ever received. First of all, the therapist was really top drawer, obviously highly trained and confident. She set me at ease straight away in the pre-treatment chat, and reduced me immediately to a state of near torpor as she gently but thoroughly unkinked my dodgy shoulders. The sound track for my treatment was custom made and recorded in caves under the city. As I lay in the bath, with an absolutely vast, light-up Lush bath bomb, the music gave way to a fairy tale about the origins of bath which was both calming and held my attention. I can’t emphasise enough how much care has gone into every aspect of these experiences; the Lush website talks about sending two musicians down the length of India solely to develop the music for their ‘Karma’ treatment and it was clear that this same amount of attention had been paid to every detail of the spa.

It is a uniquely creative, comfortable, multisensory experience, NOTHING like other spas
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After the bath I lay on a heated massage table for my full body massage, which seemed to synchronise with the music and was totally unhurried. It felt like every muscle in my body had been comprehensively pummelled without being painful at all. We then re-convened for tea and a chat with the staff who again seemed to have endless time for us.

 

All in all, with its immersive themed treatments, bespoke décor and custom designed sound, this was as much art installation as traditional spa experience. Now that I’ve been to the Lush spa, others will seem pretty shallow by comparison, all clichéd ‘luxury’ décor and dreadful piped music. It is a uniquely creative, comfortable, multisensory experience, NOTHING like other spas.

It’s safe to say that had they been monitoring our biofeedback after our respective treatments, it probably would have shown two flat and happy lines. I can’t remember the last time I felt so happy and relaxed.

The Lush Spa is clearly a labour of love
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Alice Bonasio is a VR Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasioon Twitter.

Naomi Hepworth is Tech Trends’ Digital Arts and BabyTech correspondent. You can follow her on Twitter @NaomiHepworth and connect with her on LinkedIn.

The post Feel-Good Data appeared first on Tech Trends.

The Lush Summit in London was a celebration of their activist ethos, but it also turns out they have a thing or three to teach companies about business, and tech.

“You don’t seem to realize what business you’re in. You’re not in the burger business, you’re in the real estate business. You build an empire by owning the land. What you ought to be doing is owning the land upon which that burger is cooked.” Harry J. Sonneborn in The Founder (2016).

The Lush Summit 2018 was a slightly chaotic whirlwind of vegan doughnuts, argan oil and papier-mâché, but make no mistake the people at Lush know exactly what business they are in: activism.

As CDO Jack Constantine put it, “We are a company of activists who make cosmetics”.

Yes, this sounds like a carefully crafted PR line, but as it turns out it’s true. Every year, Lush donates hundreds of thousands of pounds towards a number of causes from close to home subjects such as animal testing to more far reaching concerns like ocean pollution and human rights campaigns.

The people at Lush know exactly what business they are in: activism
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Lush is a company of activists who make cosmetics
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For someone like myself, who has spent over a decade working in the comms industry, corporate social responsibility too often echoes the Monsanto-esque approach to sustainability campaigns: cue accomplished looking farmer peacefully walking back home at dusk after a wholesome day of work in the fields. If you find yourself in that uncomfortable place between the need to believe that a better way of doing business is possible and having to deal with a heavy dose of accumulated cynicism, Lush might just have something to lift up your spirits.

If you find yourself torn between jaded scepticism and the need to believe that a better way of doing business is actually possible, the Lush approach might be for you
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Lush’s concept, like most good ones, is simple: make fresh handmade products that people love. The ‘how’ they do it, is the interesting bit, though. From ingredient sourcing to how staff are treated, right through to their naked packaging policy, Lush operates with a relentless commitment to “do the right thing” all businesses should strive for. Let’s set the record straight before anyone gets flashbacks of hippies dancing around a fire, in 2016 Lush made £723 million in sales – an increase of 26% over the previous year. Not too shabby.

Lush’s concept is simple: make fresh handmade products that people love. The ‘how’ they do it, is the interesting bit
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Lush has plenty to teach businesses especially those in the tech space
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So, how do you make that kind of money while running a business with a heart? As I discovered, Lush has plenty to teach other businesses especially those in the tech space. Aside from the obvious fact that we all wash and use technology daily (well, most of us do anyway), Lush has a firmer handle on their digital ethics than their glittery products might lead you to believe.

Means to an end 

Make products with a mission, let your customers fall in love with both

In 2016 Lush launched The Digital Fund to support grassroot activists and charities protecting freedom of expression and safeguarding the Internet. The fund was financed by the sale of their Error 404 special edition bath bombs, which raised well over £200,000. Bahrain Watch, Digital Rights Watch in Australia and the Association for Technology and Internet in Romania are some of the associations that received funding so far.

In 2018 Lush is focusing on e-waste, the 20 million tons produced every year to be precise, with a new campaign built around a mobile-shaped Agbogbloshie bath bomb… the only phone you’ll ever willingly drop in water.

Lush is focusing on the 20 million tons of e-waste we produce every year
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DIY tech

If it’s not good enough make your own

Tech is everywhere nowadays, have you noticed? Hence it should come as no surprise that Lush employs a 40-strong team of software developers globally, who have built the company’s POS software. The surprising bit is that the software is completely open source, which means it’s technically available to their competitors too.

Lush employs a 40-strong team of software developers globally who have built the company’s open source POS software
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Lush is planning on rolling out their hardware, tablets for their retail locations to begin with, by the end of 2018
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To take this crafty endeavour one step further, Lush is planning on rolling out their hardware – tablets for their retail locations to begin with –  by the end of 2018. Let that sink in for a moment: a cosmetics company making their own ethically produced tech hardware.

“We have no plans to take over Apple any time soon” – jokes Constantine – “But we are serious about offering an ethical alternative to mainstream devices.”

End-to-end ethics

Dissect the entire lifecycle of tech

As the folks at Oxfam know all too well, your organisation is only as ethical as its weakest link. In other words, strong ethics are only as deep as a company’s knowledge of all the steps involved in the production of a product, and its willingness to “walk the walk.” Lush partners with a number of charities, associations and likeminded companies to bring its vision to life while avoiding cutting corners. Sharing moral standards with the people you do business with, finding the informed advisors and contributing by not being part of the problem are all important steps towards this.

Lush partners with a number of charities, associations and likeminded companies to bring its vision to life
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Two examples of such partnerships that stand out in the tech space are Ethical Consumer and Fairphone, who are both working with Lush to raise awareness around the sometimes shady tech supply chain. Whether it’s the dubious work ethics of invisible tech giant Foxconn – who subcontracts for the likes of Apple – or children mining cobalt in Congo, it seems high time for businesses to question the true cost of the tech they use or make.

It seems high time for businesses to question the true cost of the tech they use or make.
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So is Lush a dream company? Perhaps. Is it perfect? Of course not. However, with a reported pre-tax profit of £43.2m in FY 2015/2016 (an increase of £18.7m on 2014/15) and fingers in all the right tech pies Lush is definitely one to watch, and at Tech Trends we’ll continue to do just that.

What an incredible two days at the #LushSummit. pic.twitter.com/Wz46OTiBBo

— LUSH UK (@LushLtd) February 15, 2018

Sole Chirco is an emotional intelligence consultant and Tech Trends’ Wellness Tech Correspondent. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn. 

The post It’s None of My Business – Or Is It? appeared first on Tech Trends.

Cosmetics company Lush recognizes individuals, groups and organizations dedicated to defending digital rights.

In 2016 Lush and Access Now joined forces for the global #KeepItOn campaign. The sales of a limited edition Error 404 bath bomb reached £213,751 and went into a Digital Fund, with Access Now receiving the first donation of £50k to continue their fight against Internet shutdowns.

“We are thrilled to continue our support of grassroots digital activists fighting to keep the Internet free, open and safe,” says Lush CDO Jack Constantine, who recently helped deliver a petition to the UN asking world leaders to commit to keeping the Internet on.

The fund received 146 applications from 59 countries for the Defenders of Digital Rights awards. These were whittled down by the judging panel, with representatives from Lush joined by Access Now, digital rights organisation Electronic Frontier Foundation, and the Centre for Communication Governance at National Law University, Delhi.

“We need more people, in every part of the world, fighting to protect digital rights. And we need these people to have resources to fight this fight,” adds Melody Patry, advocacy director at Access Now. “Internet shutdowns are often early warning signs of human rights violations, which is why it is so alarming to see their number increase.”

We need more people, in every part of the world, fighting to protect digital rights
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Education and awareness raising is a key component when it comes to digital rights
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The winners span the globe, tapping into different areas of digital rights and using a broad range of techniques. In Germany, Tails is improving safety online by preserving privacy and anonymity through free software. Meanwhile, Social Media Exchange(SMEX) has been campaigning to restore mobile Internet to the residents of Arsal, Lebanon, who have been unable to access 3G or 4G for two years. According to SMEX, mobile Internet was finally restored in September 2017.

In 2016 Lush and Access Now joined forces for the global #KeepItOn campaign
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Lush is supporting grassroots digital activists fighting to keep the Internet free, open and safe
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Education and awareness raising is another key component when it comes to digital rights. In Australia, Digital Rights Watch is piloting a series of short videos about Australia’s privacy rights and how they can be protected. On the other side of the world, the Association for Technology and Internet (ApTI) is developing an educational course for Romanian judges on Open Internet principles.

The fund received 146 applications from 59 countries for the Defenders of Digital Rights awards
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Defenders of Digital Rights Awardees

• Association for Technology and Internet (ApTI), Romania

Developing an educational course for Romanian judges on Open Internet principles.

• Bahrain Watch, Bahrain

An investigative research project aiding critical Internet users in the Gulf, who are being affected by government surveillance and hacking, which is leading to human rights abuses.

• The Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law (CIPIT), Kenya

Producing explainer videos on Internet Freedom Concepts.

• Digital Rights Watch Inc., Australia

A pilot for a brief series of short videos about Australia’s privacy rights and how they can be protected.

• European Surveillance Case Law Database, UK

The development and launch of a European Surveillance Case Law Database, cataloguing judgements, previously secret law, and witness statements.

• Facebook Tracking Exposed, UK

A tool that provides researchers with data on Facebook algorithm behaviour, and gives users insights on the quality of their information.

• The Hermes Center For Transparency and Digital Human Rights, Italy

Easy-to-use web authentication, which is encrypted and well documented. This is primarily for journalists, human rights NGOs, and activists.

• Internet Democracy Project, India

Developing and promoting new resources to build awareness around risks related to surveillance in India.

• IPANDETEC, Panama

A digital security campaign that aims to raise awareness within Panama about how to safely engage with the digital world.

• Library Freedom Project, USA

Supporting outreach needs for anti-censorship trainers working with the Library Freedom Project in the Global South.

• Point of View, India

Bringing digital rights closer to women’s lives through community-level workshops with women’s rights and sexual rights advocates.

• Rudi International, Congo

Digital rights training focused on digital security, ICT policy & advocacy for at-risk groups.

• Social Media Exchange (SMEX), Lebanon

A campaign to restore mobile internet to the residents of Arsal, Lebanon.

• Tails, Germany

A web interface for translating the Tails documentation. Tails is an open source security based operating system.

• YODET, Yemen

Research about Internet access and Internet usage in Yemen, giving insights about the Internet status in the country.

Alice Bonasio is a VR Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post Defending Digital Rights appeared first on Tech Trends.

From 3D printing to Artificial Intelligence, Lush shows how even old-school companies can embrace technology.

Over the past twenty years, Lush has sold countless tons their strong-smelling handmade cosmetics ranging from colourful bath bombs to soap which is sold by weight, cut from giant slabs in their shops. For environmental reasons, they are very much against using packaging unless strictly necessary, so prices and product information is usually written by hand in chalkboard style signs, and everything is left “naked” on display (hence the strong smell of the mingling essential oils that you get every time you walk past one of their shops, of which there are about 1000 worldwide).

Which is why it wasn’t really surprising that the most high-tech thing you could spot in a Lush shop for many years was a set of scales much like you’d find in a street market.

Sure, they had a website where you could mail order, but to be honest for many years it was rather a cumbersome affair and I always found it easier (and nicer) to just go to my nearest shop. Which I supposed was the whole idea. Instead, their main vehicle for updating the loyal customer base on product news was an old-fashioned newspaper which was printed and distributed in the shops every month. The Lush Times.

Lush has pivoted to embrace digital technology over the past few years
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But that has all pivoted a few years ago, and Lush’s transformation into modernity has been driven largely by Jack Constantine, the son of Lush Founders Mark and Mo who is currently the company’s Chief Digital Officer – and inventor. The family still owns most of the business and are very much a part of its day-to-day running (his sister Claire and brother Simon also work at Lush).

“Lush Digital is my baby. It’s been something I’ve been working on for the past 5 years and as the digital landscape evolved it became clear we needed to set up a new arm of the business,” Constantine explains.

Jack trained as a graphic designer and then as “online became a thing” moved on to digital marketing, while still getting his hands dirty with inventing new bath bombs in the Lush factory in Dorset, England. He quickly understood that for digital marketing to succeed they needed to overhaul the company’s existing website. But although these days Lush does have a perfectly adequate e-commerce setup, Constantine tells me they will soon be overhauling their online structure in a much more fundamental way. His vision for the new website is rather ambitious:

“It’s not just a website – it’s a cloud based, mobile first global technology infrastructure for the whole Lush business.  All built in-house, using open source software, and aligning to our own ethical policies,” he says.

Even Lush's till system will be entirely run on open source software
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Even the till system that all their shops use will run on open source software, which Lush believes will not only save on running costs, but also make its customer-facing operations much more customizable and efficient. And to do that, they are busy recruiting in-house tech talent for the team.

But although Poole – where Lush’s UK Headquarters and factory are still based – is one of the top 10 digital tech hubs in the country, recruiting in-house tech talent hasn’t always been easy. “It’s been challenging getting the digital community to understand that Lush  – a cosmetics company – is serious about digital and is building a software & media house, and over time our reputation has developed to where it is today.”

And where it is today involves dabbling with a lot of different tech. At the showcase I spotted 3D printers sculpting intricate bath melts, and a machine that laser-etched soap bars, as well as a fully-fledged media studio, and a setup that captured biometric feedback such as brainwaves to turn it into a relaxing “spa experience” installation.

Now that it has decided to embrace technology, the company seems determined to dabble in them all, and Constantine is particularly excited about the possibilities that Machine Learning and Augmented Reality bring. “Lush is such a tactile brand, and our products are so hands on that having tools that bridge the real world and the digital world is going to enhance everything,” he says.

Lush is keen to incorporate its trademark playfulness into their tech too
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But while it is clear that Lush is keen to incorporate some of its trademark playfulness into its technology, some of the applications I demoed had a much more practical bend. The “Lush Lens” app, for example, used image recognition technology to give users real-time information on their products. They are also looking at how best to incorporate Google Machine Learning APIs to build a “Lush Personal Assistant” functionality into that offering. Which is all really useful, considering that most people are rather unfamiliar with how you go about using things like hair oil, massage bars, solid bubble bath, shower jelly, or a “toothie tab”.

What Lush shows is that in the digital age every business is at least in part a technology business. And the more you embrace that and integrate tech into your company’s DNA, the easier that journey of modernization will be, and perhaps you can even manage to have some fun along the way.

This article was originally published on The Next Web

From 3D printing to Artificial Intelligence, old-school companies can go digital too https://t.co/5mxi5ksnp6

— TNW Contributors (@TNWcontributors) September 8, 2017

To find out how to leverage VR/AR/MR in your enterprise, Tech Trends offers bespoke Virtual Reality Consultancy support

Alice Bonasio is a VR Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio and @techtrends_tech on Twitter.

The post Hand-making the Digital Revolution appeared first on Tech Trends.

In an age of polarised politics, companies that stick to their principles and don’t shy away from activism can gain an edge  

The easiest way to find any Lush event is to just follow your nose
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The easiest way to find a Lush event is to follow your nose. As I wandered down to Old Billingsgate market in the heart of the City of London, I was hit by its familiar scent – a melee of hundreds of essential oils wafting from “naked” handmade cosmetics – from solid shampoos and massage oils to fresh face masks and hand-cut soap. I was home.

This “Creative Showcase” was their pièce de résistance, a chance to show off just how far they’ve come since opening their first shop in Poole back in 1995. Their main factory – still based in Dorset – now employs about 1500 people out of a global workforce of around 14,000 – and has nearly 1000 shops in 50 countries.

Lush has come a very long way and grown up a lot in the past 20 years
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It’s safe to say one can no longer dismiss Lush as some sort of whimsical hippy project, yet there’s no sign that they’re reining back their trademark wackiness. Within five minutes of entering the showcase, I spotted a group of dancing ladies wearing nothing but a few transparent plastic bubbles (promoting the idea of “naked” products) walked on a platform full of giant wobbling shower jellies (shower jellies are indeed a real thing) and watched Queen guitarist Brian May going down a slide on his way to inspect machines that were laser-etching soap bars and 3-D printing solid bath melts.

Willy Wonka would eat his heart out, but in spite of appearances, this was all serious business.The reason why Lush is consistently ranked as one of the best places to work in the UK and in 2016 generated pre-tax profits of £43.2m (up 76% from the previous year) is because it sells a lot more than lathers and ointments; It sells an ideology around which both staff and customers can rally.

They have a range of guiding policies around animal welfare, environmental responsibility, profit-sharing and charitable giving that are strictly adhered to, and are involved in broad-ranging activism in causes such as opposition to policies such as fox hunting and badger culling. Which is why it makes sense that Dr. May – a keen campaigner against the cull – would be a kindred spirit to Lush’s Founder Mark Constantine, who posts pictures of badgers on his Facebook, saying he “felt like a kid at Christmas” when they visited his garden.

Willy Wonka would eat his heart out, but this was also serious business
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Constantine has also taken a clear stance against Brexit, speaking up for the essential contribution that European workers make not only to Lush, but to the broader UK economy and adding a belief “that all people should enjoy freedom of movement across the world” to its core mission statement. Like many businesses, Lush simply would not have been able to grow as it did without the graft and dedication of European workers. And I should know, because I was one of them.

The European Union allowed Lush to flourish as a business
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Back in 2003, when Lush was a much younger company but already experiencing very rapid growth, I got an entry-level job at its flagship shop in Carnaby Street. It was flexible enough to allow me to work around my University studies, and in only a few months I got promoted to key holder, then assistant manager. I would stayed and gone further, but I was awarded an Erasmus grant, a scheme that allowed me to do my second year in another EU country without paying hefty tuition fees, but that involved leaving my job and moving to Italy. So it was interesting to hear Lush’s next guest of honour at the creative showcase – Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn – talk about the importance of the Erasmus programme and vow that his party would try its best to keep it, even after the UK leaves the European Union. I do wish him luck in that.

The saddest thing about Brexit is that I wouldn’t have done any of that without the European Union. I wouldn’t have got a job a Lush and been able to work there without any restrictions as an EU citizen, nor would I have received the grant that enabled me to graduate.

Lush sells much more than cosmetics. It's an ideology around which people can rally
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In fact, I would never have chosen to move to England in the first place; a huge part of the attraction was that the UK was not only a country with its own rich culture, but that it was only an hour or so away, through frictionless travel, from so many other rich cultures I could experience. It is sad to think the next generation of Brits will not have that option.

In such polarized political times it is hard to remain neutral, but companies like Lush seem quite happy to embrace this activism and incorporate it into their core business, even creating a “soapbox” space on its own website where “passionate people with strong opinions” can exercise their freedom of speech.

Lush’s Founder might well describe himself as a “wishy-washy liberal,” but the liberal left is getting increasingly angry as they watch progress in areas such as diversity, worker’s rights and environmental protection being eroded by current policy, and companies like his are becoming a beacon through which people feel they can channel some of that anger, even if it’s by purchasing a nice bath bomb.

People can exercise their activism by buying a nice bath bomb
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Lush has taken a stand against Brexit
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Any doubt that Lush are not shy of getting political was dispelled when Jeremy Corbyn was ushered in next. Before joining Constantine on stage for a fireside chat – where he toyed with the the possibility of going vegan and said he’d not hesitate to call Donal Trump and tell him that pulling out of the Paris Accord was a mistake – the Labour leader took off his jacket, put on some gloves, and made his own bath bomb. Needless to say, it proved a big hit with the audience who chanted “Oh Jeremy Corbyn” and laughed indulgently when he said he only had a shower in his house, so wouldn’t be able to use the ballistic he had just made.

“I hear Number 10 has a bath,” quipped Constantine.

 

“Well, that’s probably a good reason to move,” conceded Corbyn.

Like most things at Lush, it’s all good fun, but it doesn’t mean they’re not being serious.

@jeremycorbyn says he’s got no bath to use the bath bomb he’s made at #lushcreativeshowcase. “Number 10 has a bath” replies Mark Constantine pic.twitter.com/XtfdqOvran

— Alice Bonasio (@alicebonasio) September 4, 2017

Because the company has definitely grown up and will continue to evolve and grow as it embraces digital technology and branches out into verticals like luxury spa treatments. But unlike many businesses, Lush realizes that this doesn’t mean abandoning who you are. Most importantly for its loyal community, it also shows how – if you stick to your principles – you don’t actually have to choose between doing well and doing good.

This article was originally featured in the Huffington Post

To find out how to leverage VR/AR/MR in your enterprise, Tech Trends offers bespoke Virtual Reality Consultancy support

Alice Bonasio is a VR Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio and @techtrends_tech on Twitter.

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