What started as a playful experiment to help consumers dodge bad hair days soon became a landmark in digital innovation. Beauty tech is now undergoing a revolution: generative AI, virtual try-ons, and record growth in the at-home hair color market. Garnier, which today relies on Drew Barrymore to embody Nutrisse, had already laid the foundations for this transformation in 2016 with Mon Coloriste Privé. A bold digital initiative that heralded the era of intelligent beauty assistants.
2016: Innovation Ahead of Its Time
Under the leadership of Alexia Pascon, Garnier launched Mon Coloriste Privé, a Messenger service able to recommend personalized hair color based on a simple photo uploaded by the user.
“At the time, everyone was still focused on banners and viral videos. We decided to experiment with a conversational bot. It was a complete rupture, and I knew it would be a visionary bet,” recalls Alexia Pascon.
Alexia Pascon and the creative partner Publicis developed a daring digital campaign supported by four humorous online films. The goal was not only to promote Garnier’s Olia, Belle Color, and 100% Ultra Blond ranges, but also to invent an entirely new way to advise consumers.
“The hardest part was convincing people that Messenger could become a space for personalized advice. We turned a social platform into an intelligent beauty touchpoint,” adds Alexia Pascon.
From Skepticism to Breakthrough
At the time, nothing was guaranteed. Chatbots were in their infancy, Messenger was not seen as a customer relationship channel, and image recognition technology was still limited. The team faced a double challenge: convincing internal stakeholders the project was worth pursuing, and reassuring consumers confronted with a completely new experience.
“We were stepping into uncharted territory. Neither the tools nor the consumer habits were ready. But that’s precisely what made it a breakthrough: offering an instant, personalized recommendation from a simple photo felt like science fiction to many people in 2016,” remembers Alexia Pascon.
This combination of strategic boldness and technological experimentation made Mon Coloriste Privé an ultra-revolutionary experience for its time.
2025: When Vision Becomes the Norm
Nine years later, AI-powered beauty assistants are everywhere. Perfect Corp, Revieve, Sephora Virtual Artist, and L’Oréal’s Colorsonic now shape a global beauty tech market valued at over $8 billion.
“What we tested in 2016 is now integrated into every consumer journey. Back then, we didn’t call it ‘generative AI,’ but the intuition was the same: personalize, simplify, reassure,” analyzes Alexia Pascon.
The European AI Act, which came into effect in 2024, formalizes this transformation: AI is no longer a free playground for experimentation but a regulated field. This shift underscores the pioneering nature of Mon Coloriste Privé, which had anticipated a future where technology would be inseparable from beauty.
Garnier Today: Between Technology and Culture
In 2024, Garnier named Drew Barrymore as the ambassador for Nutrisse, proving that innovation is not limited to technology but also embodied through familiar and inspiring faces.
“In 2016, we started with a faceless bot. Today, the brand combines the emotion of a global celebrity with digital expertise. It shows that innovation and storytelling must evolve hand in hand,” concludes Alexia Pascon.
Interview with Alexia Pascon
In 2016, what made you believe in such an experimental project as Mon Coloriste Privé?
Alexia Pascon: I was convinced the future of beauty would be all about personalization. Technology was only just starting to make that possible. My intuition was that consumers wanted more than a product: they wanted direct, accessible, and instant advice.
What were the biggest challenges at the time?
Alexia Pascon: The technology wasn’t ready, and neither were people’s mindsets. Internally, we had to convince teams that a Messenger bot could act as a colorist, and externally we had to prove to consumers that the experience wouldn’t be intimidating. It really was a leap into the unknown.
Seeing the explosion of AI today, how do you view that campaign in hindsight?
Alexia Pascon: I see it as proof that true innovation means daring before the market is ready. Today, everyone is talking about AI, but in 2016 launching a digital beauty assistant was a genuine rupture.
In your view, what is the legacy of Mon Coloriste Privé in Garnier’s history?
Alexia Pascon: It laid the foundations for what Garnier is doing today: combining technological innovation with cultural storytelling. The choice of Drew Barrymore as Nutrisse’s ambassador is part of that continuity - an experience that is both technological and human.
The story of Mon Coloriste Privé demonstrates a brand’s ability to be ahead of its time. Conceived by a visionary team and orchestrated by Alexia Pascon with Publicis, the project foreshadowed a decade of beauty tech. In 2025, as AI becomes indispensable, the at-home hair color market continues to grow, and Garnier relies on powerful global ambassadors, Mon Coloriste Privé stands out as a foundational milestone in the digital transformation of beauty.
