Over the past few years, artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed numerous industries, and the eyewear and beauty industries are no different. Virtual try-on technology driven by AI is changing the way customers engage with eyewear and beauty products, providing unprecedented levels of personalization and convenience. Whether one is trying on a pair of sunglasses, testing out a new shade of lipstick, or selecting a frame for prescription glasses, virtual try-ons are revolutionizing the way consumers make their buying decisions.
The Virtual Try-On of Eyewear and Beauty
Virtually trying on products has not been around for long, but AI has revolutionized the experience, and it is now more realistic, precise, and convenient.
Eyewear: Revolutionizing the Way We Select Frames
In the case of eyeglasses, finding the perfect frame is usually a tiresome exercise. Customers need to make several considerations, including the shape of the frame, color, size, and material, as well as whether the glasses fit their facial shape and enhance their personal taste. Virtual try-on technology powered by AI has changed all this by offering customers the convenience and ease of experimenting with numerous frames from home.
Using facial recognition and AR, virtual try-on platforms apply AI to scan the facial contours of a user, enabling the system to provide an accurate view of what different eyewear frames would be like on their face. It negates the need for actual fittings and enables customers to test different styles, colors, and shapes to see what works best for them. The technology offers personalization previously unseen. Customers can submit their own image or use the live camera display to determine whether various eyeglass frames would fit and be a good size for them before they make an actual purchase.
Beauty: Transforming Makeup and Skincare Retailing
The beauty sector is also adopting AI-powered virtual try-ons, enabling consumers to try out makeup and skincare products without actually applying them. Virtual makeup try-ons have been a game-changer for both consumers and beauty brands, providing a personalized and distinctive experience for users to discover makeup products, ranging from foundation shades to lipsticks, eyeshadows, and blushes.
Several beauty companies have already incorporated virtual try-on technology into their apps and websites, giving consumers an engaging experience.
L’Oréal, for example, has collaborated with several tech firms to create AI-based virtual try-on platforms, including the Modiface app. The app employs AI to offer real-time makeup simulations, assisting users in selecting the appropriate makeup products based on their facial features and preferences. Likewise, Estée Lauder has a virtual try-on feature where customers can try out makeup products and see how they would look on their skin tone. Sephora and Maybelline are also among the beauty giants that provide virtual try-on services, enabling customers to try out makeup virtually before deciding to buy.
Some virtual try-on sites do even more and include the skin tone, hair color, and eye color of the user as well in making more accurate recommendations. This amount of personalization makes for a more enjoyable and effective shopping experience, as consumers can quickly and confidently reduce the options available to them.
Such personalization not only makes users wiser in their decisions but also builds brand loyalty since customers prefer coming back to platforms that deliver personalized experiences.
The Future of AI in Eyewear and Beauty
As technology advances, the virtual try-on experience will only get more advanced and immersive. With AI and machine learning, virtual try-ons will be more precise in tracking a user’s facial structure, forecasting how a product will appear, and providing real-time suggestions.
A future development with great potential is combining AI with augmented reality (AR) and 3D modeling, allowing customers to visualize products in higher definition and more accuracy. Customers might be able to feel a product’s texture, how it looks on their face, or how it changes in response to different lighting. This could be an even more immersive and interactive way of shopping, particularly for big-ticket items like eyewear and cosmetics.
