Virtual reality, be it in the form of VR, AR, or AI, is not a novel concept in the domain of the beauty industry. But it is an incredible one nonetheless. Virtual reality has caused new anticipations and invokes curiosity among tech-savvy consumers. The stirring digital experience is being rigorously put to test by leading mass brands, such as IKEA and Nike, or luxury fashion brands like Louis Vuitton and Gucci. Despite its varying outcomes, it is comprehensively proved that augmented reality has become a one-niche concept within the industry that is veering from the conventional ways of shopping.
The global pandemic has significantly fuelled digital innovation within the space of beauty and fashion. As retail stores around the world were forced to shut their doors, customers have been driven to take the online route for all their beauty needs. Grabbing the opportunity and aiming to enhance the online customer experience, leading beauty brands have notably employed AI technology and augmented reality, and it seems to be working phenomenally.
five-fold growth
In an interview with POPSUGAR, Erin Schmidt from Coresight Research stated that Ulta Beauty from the US reported five-fold growth in its consumer engagement for its exclusive GlamLab virtual reality tool since the pandemic outbreak. There had been a record 19 million try-ons of shade as found since the early months of the global lockdown.
AR and Ai
Thanks to AR and AI technology, it is not just beauty retailers that are experiencing growth. Estée Lauder, one of the global leaders of beauty and fashion items, rolled out the iMatch Virtual Shade Expert tool across various divisions in December 2019. Since the launch, the brand reported that virtual try-out of the products has pushed the digital engagement twice the usual rate. It also resulted in higher customer conversion and retention for the brand.
AR and AI
With the latest AR and AI tools available in the beauty industry, customers can now test different beauty products virtually. They can use the technology to create a bespoke lip color, decide their next hair color, or try a new shade of eye shadow without ever leaving the couch. Chanel, one of the pioneering beauty brands has taken the affair to the next level with their new Lipscanner technology. The AI scanner allows the users to scan any image, be it a social media post, a photograph from a magazine, or a selfie, and match the photo with an exact lip color within its vast collection of more than 400 shades. The scanner will be available for iOS from February 22. The Lipscanner technology is a result of “intensive algorithm-training”, developed together by Chanel Makeup Creation Studio and CX Lab team.
new avenues
But Chanel is not the only brand to master AR and AI technology to help customers navigate the new avenues of e-commerce. M.A.C. another leading beauty brand has launched in-store VR mirrors back in 2017. Redken and L’Oréal Paris too have their own virtual tools.
Lipscanner
It is evident that virtual try-outs are exploring bundles of possibilities. And it is certainly supporting the growth of sales. Utilizing this trend, Chanel is not only leveraging the technology to boost engagement but also creating its own mark. The Lipscanner ensures the technology is getting one step ahead of the existing virtual try-ons by molding the color result as per the user’s lip structure, rather than just placing it in the designated area. Its speed, accuracy of analysis, and precision make it stand apart from the rest.
For the beauty industry, the future is indeed looking very colorful!
