This year, for the first time at CES, gadget makers got it right, with an entire array of new technology and devices that sparkle, shine, and made me seriously swoon. Here's what caught my eye:
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
Panasonic's Magic Mirror gives you that fairy mirror-moment that every girl dreams of. It's a super high-tech mirror that analyzes your skin, gives you scientifically-backed beauty tips and — this is the best part — can actually show you what you'd look like with a different hairstyle, various makeup looks, and an array of accessories.
Within a few seconds of sitting down, the mirror told me I need more sleep and that my skin is dry. I wanted to yell, "hello, I'm in Las Vegas, of course I'm tired and thirsty..." but the smart mirror was already making recommendations for how I could fix it (sleep, drink more water, use moisturizer and sunscreen, um, duh, but awesome at the same time). The mirror can also track the progression of crow's feet and smile lines over time, to let you know whether that fancy cream you paid a fortune for is really doing what it says it will. It even shows you how you look in different light, from outdoors to the funky fluorescents in your office.
What surprised me most checking it out at CES, was how many men rushed to get in front of it. Geez guys, vain much? Turns out men love the facial hair feature, which shows them what they would look like with everything from a goatee to a Fu Manchu.
Panasonic says to expect this to pop up in department stores over the next year, and come to our homes after that. I want this. Now.
Wondrous Wearables
I already liked the Misfit Shine as a fitness and activity tracker, but now I'm absolutely in love with the Misfit Swarovski Shine. Seriously. I want to marry it (and it's not a stretch to think that a bride will wear it this year). The new connected-crystal baubles snap into Swarovski pendants and bracelets. There's two versions: One clear ($169.99 at Swarovski outlets) and the other is a brilliant blue solar powered sparkly crystal. They both snap into a reversible pendant or wrap bracelets. This one comes out later in 2015 and of all the gadgets I saw at CES this year, this is the one that I plan to buy for myself.
Of course I can't mention wondrous wearables without talking about the Logbar Ring. This tiny little gesture-minded wearable detects finger movement and translates it into input for your smartphone so you can control apps and even smarthome devices with nothing more than a few flicks of your finger. It'll be on sale in March with a price of $130.
Then there's the tasteful Bellabeat Leaf activity tracker, the LookSee e-ink smart bracelet, and Cuff's super stylish smart jewelry that vibrates when you have a notification.
iGrow A Thicker Head of Hair
It's hard to see the iGrow laser hair therapy system as a "beauty" gadget when it looks more like some kind of futuristic mind-control device, but its creators swear that it's a great way to promote hair growth. iGrow's angle this year is that while it was designed to give bald men a boost in the follicly-challenged department, it's also great for women who want thicker, fuller, more lustrous hair — and they have a double-blind clinical study to back up their claims. At $695, I kind of want to make fun of it, but with how much I spend on keeping my long hair healthy, glossy, and full, maybe it's not so crazy after all…
Stellé Audio's Earbud Locket
You'd never know Stellé's chic little high-tech locket is anything other than a stylish piece of jewelry, but it hides a secret: It's actually a set of Bluetooth headphones that connect wirelessly to your smartphone. You can even wear them while keeping the locket hung around your neck, which is super convenient. There's a high-capacity battery built right into the jewel for hours of music playback, and the headphones tuck away when not in use. This stylish music accessory will carry a price of $199 when it launches early this year.
Is That a Gym In Your Pocket Or…
There were so many new and improved fitness wearables at CES that all do pretty much the same stuff; track steps, calories, sleep, and provide motivation to be healthier overall. The smartphone-sized Tao WellShell promises something a little different — to provide an entire gym's worth of isometric exercises that you can do anytime, anywhere — right in the palm of your hand. The idea is you squeeze the WellShell in different ways, with your arms, legs, hands — there are more than 50 different exercise examples — to sculpt and tone your muscles. Built-in sensors give feedback to an app on your smartphone to let you know how you're doing. You can also play mobile games while you go through the workouts — the harder you squeeze, the better the slalom skier goes down a course. It's expected out this summer, price is still to be determined.
