The world of beauty is constantly evolving with many beauty brands emerging and products becoming more innovative each day. It’s crucial for brands to stay ahead and continuously innovate to increase engagement with customers.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced everyone to think creatively to stay connected despite the distance, and one innovation that has stepped up the beauty industry is Virtual Try-On Technology. Throughout the pandemic, virtual try-on has offered a sweet sense of relief to fashion and beauty brands unable to demo their products offline.
Many Things to Try, Yet So Little Time
The convenience of online shopping saves customers time, but when it comes to shopping for makeup, there are undeniable challenges such as matching colors to skin tones. However, the innovation of Virtual Try-On has come to the rescue.
Virtual Try-On is a game-changing innovation designed to provide customers with a personalized and convenient shopping experience. On a larger scale, Virtual Try-On extends to Augmented Reality (AR), where customers can clearly visualize a range of beauty products, from makeup to skincare items and hairstyles, all in the context of their own face or image. Virtual beauty try-ons use AR technology to superimpose makeup products on a customer’s face in real time, allowing them to visualize how the products will look before purchasing.
Face Filters as Virtual Try-On
This time, Virtual Try-On is tapping into the social media trend; face filters. Social media is a platform that is always within reach. Besides being a means of communication, social media is also an entertainment hub that people turn to during their leisure time. Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat have long been known for their entertainment with a variety of face filters that users can apply.
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Many beauty brands are leveraging this behavior by creating face filters that showcase looks from their makeup lines. These filters not only display their range of products but also show the look that users can achieve, sparking curiosity to explore their products. Some easily noticeable face filters we can find on TikTok are Somethinc Shade Finder, Luxcrime Radiant Silk Foundation, and Studio Tropik Your Shade Matters!.
Opportunities
Virtual beauty try-ons offer many benefits to consumers and beauty brands alike. Through online makeup simulation, customers can experiment with a wide range of beauty products without having to physically apply them. This saves time and effort and reduces the risk of allergic reactions or skin irritation that can result from testing products on the skin. Moreover, augmented reality in beauty enhances the overall customer experience by providing a realistic and immersive virtual makeup try-on experience. Face filters for virtual try-ons make it easy for potential consumers to become aware of existing products. Without needing to download any apps, they can find these filters on the social media platforms they frequently use.
Challenges
Some challenges with virtual try-ons are the product’s accuracy in real life. Each smartphone has different types and qualities of cameras, which will affect the final appearance of an image, so not all smartphone cameras will perfectly replicate the texture and finish of a product. Additionally, variations in room lighting will also affect the final look of the virtual try-on.