New Yorkers can now buy beauty products from subway vending machines

Japan, of course, has the most active vending machine culture in the world, automatically dispensing everything from snacks and sake to fresh eggs, fried chicken, and Smart cars. New Yorkers, on the other hand, are not as automat savvy and for them the installation of machines vending something other than soda is a game-changing innovation. L'Oreal Paris has partnered with the city's Metropolitan Transit Authority to allow straphangers to buy over 700 beauty items on-the-go. What's especially cool about this initiative is that, before vending, the machines scan the prospective buyer's outfit to detect his or her colors and style. It then suggest beauty products that will "match or clash." Will "shoppable displays" like this catch on with New Yorkers and become part of the city's fabric? Considering that we have seen other such initiatives pop up in cities around the world, we think this is the beginning of a trend.