During these difficult times, technology has made our lives immensely easier, allowing us to stay connected, work remotely and plenty more. Now, thanks to augmented reality, beauty services are going digital, with our favourite beauty brands launching their own beauty apps and virtual makeover tools. Whether you’re looking to play around with a new hair colour, or make sure you’ve found the right shade of make-up before committing to a purchase, these digital beauty services from Chanel, Mac, Nars, L’Oreal and more have you covered.
Using exclusive AI and AR technology, the brand-new Chanel Lipscanner app allows you to upload any image of a colour you’d like to replicate and find a match from Chanel’s extensive lipstick library. Whether you’re looking to copy a model’s runway look or find the lipstick shade equivalent of a favourite dress, the app will check through the brand’s collection of over 400 shades and formulas, including matte, satin and gloss finishes, to find the closest possible match, which you can then virtually try-on before purchasing.Â
The comprehensive make-up brand is famed for its extensive range of colours, and thanks to its new Virtual Try On Tool, you can indulge in trying on as many as you’d like. Featuring over 800 shades of eye and lip colours, as well as mascaras, foundations, false lashes and more, there’s plenty to play around and experiment with before committing to your purchase.Â
With a focus on the eyes and lips, Bobbi Brown’s Virtual Try On website tool uses facial mapping technology to allow you to see which shades and shimmers work best for your complexion. If you don’t feel ready to use the live camera function, you can opt to upload a selfie or select a model’s image to try on the metallic eye shadows, plumping lip gloss or matte lipsticks. For more specific advice, you can also book a video call with one of Bobbi Brown’s make-up artists for a personal consultation.
Of all the beauty products available, foundation is undoubtedly the most important one to try on before purchasing. Thankfully, Nars have launched their matchmaking tool that uses AR technology to detect your skin tone. Once that’s been found, the tool reveals your perfect shade and different formula options, ranging from matte to dewy. The technology will even layer the foundation over your image, allowing you to see the before and after effect.
Estee Lauder has successfully managed to digitise nearly every aspect of its beauty services. First, there’s a selection of free 1-2-1 virtual consultations to get expert advice on self-care essentials, beauty questions and the perfect presents to gift your loved ones. Then, there are the virtual try-on services, broken down into tools for finding your ideal foundation or lip colour. They’ve even made online shopping easier with a Whatsapp bot to answer any skincare questions and a number of quizzes to help you find the best products for your skin type.
While it’s clearly not the first brand to launch a virtual try-on tool, L’Oreal is the first to launch a digital-only make-up line. The Signature Faces collection features 10 different products co-created by its global make-up director Val Garland that can be used as a filter on video calling platforms, Snapchat and Instagram. Broken down into three looks — Volumising Capsules, Plump Shot and Fire Match — the colourful eyeshadows, gold false lashes and statement lips are certain to spice up your selfie game. L’Oreal also has an extensive virtual try-on library, letting users virtually test over 100 lip shades and 150 hair shades from across the brand’s collection.Â
If you’re toying with the idea of making a change and dying your hair, consider using Redken’s hair colour virtual try-on tool first. With over 70 shades available, from bright pink to honey blonde, they’ve got every possibility covered. Either pose for the live camera or upload a picture to see which colours best suit your skin tone, and if you need some extra advice, you can book a virtual consultation with one of Redken’s stylists.
