Online shopping has a lot of perks—especially in a year marred by a global pandemic. However, some products are better examined up close and in person, which is why Google is launching new shopping features this week, including the ability to “visualize” makeup looks and try on items.
“Say you want to know how sheer a lip gloss is, how much pigment is in an eyeshadow, or what a product will look like on your skin tone. It can be difficult to understand these things without seeing the products up close,” according to Archana Kannan, Google Shopping group product manager.
To easily answer these questions from the comfort of your couch, Google teamed up with augmented reality firms ModiFace and Perfect Corp to help customers visualize thousands of lipsticks and eyeshadow palettes from brands like L’Oreal, MAC Cosmetics, Black Opal, and Charlotte Tilbury.
Search for L’Oreal’s Infallible Paints Metallic Eyeshadow, for example, and you can see exactly how different colors look against different skin tones and eye shapes. Or, virtually try makeup products on your own face, directly in the Google app.
“Find the perfect nude lip by searching for MAC Powder Kiss Lipstick and quickly trying each shade in the collection,” Kannan suggested. “If you’re looking for a velvety matte lipstick for your holiday video calls with family and friends, search for NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment and find the color that matches your style.”
As an added perk, users can find recommendations from beauty, apparel, and home and garden enthusiasts and experts, including professional makeup artist Jonet and candle maker Homesick. The feature is currently available only in the US; those hunting for products elsewhere will still find comparison sites, pricing, and user reviews, but can’t test drive any of the products.
YouTube introduced a similar function last year, inviting folks to digitally sample products with AR Beauty Try-On. For items that don’t make sense to try on virtually, Google rolled out Swirl and Poly, which allow brands to present goods as interactive 3D objects.
