Living in a smartphone-driven society means that we have access to (almost) everything at our fingertips. With just one click or swipe, we can check the weather, send emails, and even give ourselves a makeover. While tech and beauty have been mingling for some time, recently, the relationship has really taken off .
Earlier this month, beauty company Mélange developed an app that invites users to find and purchase a foundation shade based on a selfie, while the Kardashian and Jenner sisters launched personalized apps to share beauty tips with their fans. For its Spring 2016 show, Dolce & Gabbana sent models down the runway with smartphones so that they could snap selfies that were uploaded instantaneously to Instagram. And let’s not forget the innumerable photo editing programs available for download that allow you to change/enhance your look.
L’Oréal Paris is another major cosmetics company to turn to technology; the beauty house that owns over 32 international brands—including Lancôme, Giorgio Armani, and Ralph Lauren—just launched the first virtual makeup app.
Called Makeup Genius, the app lets you try beauty looks and products using your smartphone or tablet, and showcases the results in real time.
To use the app, you must first scan your face using the built-in facial recognition technology, afterwards, you can try on a variety of beauty looks or the brand’s products, including eyeshadow, bronzer, and lip liner, from its catalogue. The app also gives you the option to purchase the products after virtually trying them on.
I found the app extremely easy to use; it helps decide whether a certain product or makeup look will flatter. The app is quite impressive in aligning the makeup with facial features, although the lipstick took a bit of adjusting before it sat perfectly on my lips. It works on all ethnicities and skin tones, and in over 400 lighting conditions to ensure accuracy.
While makeup apps have been around for a while, the Makeup Genius sets itself apart for being the first to use facial recognition technology to capture facial points in real time. Gone are the days of scribbling eyeliners and lipsticks on the back of your hand to test the color..
