The concept of living beyond reality has been extensively explored in popular culture. Box office darling Ready Player One (2018) presented it as an exciting world with limitless possibilities. And controversial visionary Elon Musk mocks the idea without restraint.&nbsp;The Metaverse is a dividing concept. The term was coined by science-fiction writer Neal Stephenson in his 1992 book Snow Crash. It alludes to a virtual place where people can assume a digital personality and interact with others over work or play.&nbsp;The immersive environment is a limitless, unregulated place where people can be anybody and have everything they ever wanted. And none are trying to monetise that fact more than businesses. Tech, fashion, and art has already begun investing heavily in the Metaverse, primarily in the form of NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens), digital collectables that function as cyber assets.&nbsp;But beauty's recent foray into the Metaverse seems to have taken everyone by surprise. The industry makes its money from customised sensorial experiences, treatments, and products intended for long-term use. So what's it doing in the Metaverse?
Beauty brands don't seem to care about this contradiction.&nbsp;Charlotte Tilbury, Saint Laurent, Est&eacute;e Lauder, Nars and others&nbsp;have set a precedent. Cosmetics giant L'Or&eacute;al has already brought the concept of virtual perfumes to life. Industry big-wig Est&eacute;e Lauder partnered with the Metaverse Fashion Week in early 2022 to release an NFT of its iconic Advanced Night Repair Serum. To target the biggest Metaverse audience, female gamers, Charlotte Tilbury sponsored the GIRLGAMER Esports Festival 2021. But even with big names, the beauty industry's presence in the Metaverse feels detached and out of touch.&nbsp;Beauty NFTs have largely failed to gain collectable status compared to fashion brands like Burberry or Louis Vuitton. Fashion can cash in on digital artistry, but a beauty product has to be tried and tested to be trusted. And people are coming off of digital event overdose post the pandemic. This begs the question, will you cherish a Chanel N&deg;5 on your avatar's vanity as much as actually experiencing it?
The Metaverse presents access to social shopping hubs, industry experts, exclusive masterclasses, games and virtual tryons. But so does social media. Metaverse's experience needs to evolve and encountering products in the virtual space must translate to real life. Till then, I will stick to my favourite stores to experience the best of beauty!

It's so Meta!

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