Pinterest is growing out of its existence as a simple platform for exchanging ideas, as it gears up to explore other domains. The social media platform has released its first Pinterest Try On feature, lipstick, on January 28. The newly added feature helps users try out different looks with the aid of augmented reality (AR) technology. Its new update lets users gain a better idea about how a product would look on them in a virtual environment, before going ahead with the purchase.
The company is harbouring plans to extend the Try On feature across other categories, following the launch of lipstick. Users can use the Pinterest camera to put on several lipstick shades virtually, to choose ones that suit them the best. The lipstick Try On feature lets prospective buyers test out products from many well-known retailers, such as Sephora, Neutrogena, YSL Beauté, bareMinerals, Estée Lauder, Urban Decay from L’Oréal, Lancôme and NYX Professional Makeup.
The new feature can be accessed by going over to Lens, the integrated camera icon situated right by the Pinterest search bar. Users then have to tap the Try On button, which shows them a gesture shortcut. Users interested in buying a product after trying simply have to swipe up.
Pinterest has made the new AR feature integrated with its skin tone range system, letting users seek out makeup looks and sorting search results by skin tone. It is an innovative feature that users are likely to embrace.
The social media giant is also laying a focus on highlight reality, instead of going down the superficial route with excessive filtering. The camera will be able to add some colour to the lips of users, but will refrain from using any algorithms for skin smoothing. According to a Pinterest representative, Try On avoids using any image altering and skin smoothing effects to let users see how their real self would look like with a product on. The rep also emphasised that Pinterest was interested to celebrate people as they are, and not their selfies.
Pinterest went ahead with the decision to launch the lipstick Try On first following search data analysis, which revealed that make up related searches were rising to a rate of 217%. What they found was that an increasing number of potential buyers were now searching for shades beyond the conventional pink and red shades. The search volume of blue lip gloss went up by 61%, purple lipstick searches grew by 34%, whilst a nearly 140% rise was seen for black lipstick makeup looks. According to Pinterest, the top searches for lipstick styles were red, pink and glossy last year. Variants like Kim lip, brown, black, ombre and purple were also searched by a lot of users.
Pinterest referenced a study highlighting the fact that about 87% of the platform’s users who saved personal care and beauty pins are potential buyers. 79% of this user-base is also showing interest in Pins posted by related beauty and personal care brands.
What’s next for the AR Try On tool remains to be seen as Pinterest has not revealed further details. Brands from other product categories may get good use of this feature in the near future.
