Coty employs Perfect Corp. AI tech to ramp up personalization for Kylie Cosmetics and Covergirl

27 Sep 2021 --- Coty is entering a multi-channel agreement with Perfect Corp. enlisting the latter’s augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) technology to boost personalization and improve consumers’ digital experience.

The move comes as Perfect Corp. unveiled its new AI Face Analyzer technology to help brands better understand their customers’ facial attributes and deliver personalized product recommendations – eliminating the use of questionnaires.

“Beauty and cosmetic brands have realized that one-size-fits-all products are no longer relevant, as each consumer has their unique needs, concerns and characteristics,” Sylvain Delteil, assistant vice president of business development, Perfect Corp. Europe, tells PersonalCareInsights.

“Our AI Face Analyzer utilizes the latest advancements in AR and AI technology to provide an analysis and recommendation tool. These advancements allow the technology to provide accurate readings from a live image in a matter of seconds, measuring more than 70 facial traits and color palettes, providing a complete personal profile of the shopper.”

Also included in the long-term agreement between Coty and Perfect Corp. is a development roadmap for co-creation of exclusive technologies for Coty brands.

Beauty e-commerce thrives
In its collaboration with Coty, Perfect Corp. will provide virtual try-ons, online skin diagnostics and data-driven personalization for brands including Kylie Cosmetics, CoverGirl, Sally Hansen and philosophy, among others, as well as for Coty’s broad fragrance portfolio.

In addition to enhancing e-commerce experiences, the partnership promises to enrich in-store shopping with touchless product experiences at a time when hygiene and safety are dominating retailer operations and consumer mindsets.Coty and Perfect Corp. will also develop a roadmap for the co-creation of exclusive technologies for Coty brands.

“This partnership adds a new dimension to Coty’s digital journey, incorporating some of the best augmented and virtual reality technologies that will help the full portfolio of our brands unlock the best digital user experience and, as a result, help advance social selling,” says Coty chief digital officer, Jean-Denis Mariani.

“It is key for us as a leader in beauty to select the right technology partners that will help our consumers discover, try and shop for our brands, online and offline, in the most personalized and easiest ways possible.”

“Our extensive partnership with Coty helps propel some of the world's largest brands further into the new age of social commerce and DTC selling with unmatched personalization, live-steam and leading technology-driven capabilities, which is becoming increasingly important for consumers when shopping with their favorite brands,” notes Perfect Corp. founder and CEO Alice Chang.

Also included in the long-term agreement between Coty and Perfect Corp. is a development roadmap for co-creation of exclusive technologies for Coty brands.

Understanding consumer needs
Perfect Corp.’s AI Face Analyzer technology detects facial characteristics, including face, eye, brow and lip shapes, as well as color and shade detection for eyes, eyebrows, lips, hair and skin tone.

This allows the AI Face Analyzer to understand a user’s attributes and generate a personalized beauty profile before providing tailored product recommendations for makeup.

The AI Face Analyzer recommends personalized product matches across a range of categories, including makeup, eyewear, perfume and fashion.

Personalized shopping experiences have become important to consumers and the AI Face Analyzer technology provides a solution that can be integrated across the omnichannel shopping journey.

“The new generation of tech-savvy consumers expect instant access to expert advice. Moreover, with COVID-19 restrictions moving many businesses online and leaving shoppers without the option of a face-to-face chat with an in-store specialist,” details Delteil.

“Our solutions provide the personalization and recommendation elements that were previously lacking in the e-commerce space,” he adds.Perfect Corp.’s AI Face Analyzer technology detects more than 70 facial characteristics.

“Thanks to the advancements in AI & AR technologies, personalization and access to expert advice is now more accessible than ever before,” adds Delteil. “All consumers need is their smartphone with a camera, and they can easily receive personalized recommendations for their concerns.”

Potential increase in sales
Consumers can use the AI-powered YouCam AR virtual try-on to experience the recommended products remotely on their mobile device or desktop.

According to the company, this creates a high-touch, fun, and interactive shopping experience that boosts consumer purchasing confidence and increases sales conversion.

“Seeing products that perfectly match one’s attributes and work to highlight our best features not only leads to a dramatic increase in sales and conversions but also builds brand loyalty and ensures customers return again and again,” adds Delteil.

“Each consumer, after the image scan, can then decide if they wish to receive personalized product recommendations that would take into consideration all the analyzed information and recommend remedies for skin issues or a set of accessories fit to an individual’s face attributes.”

Giving more detail on how the AI Face Analyzer works, Delteil adds that “once the image scan is complete and the key facial features and colors have been identified, the solution can be paired with algorithms that work to provide a set of personalized product recommendations that can all be purchased with just one click.”

Previously, Perfect Corp. partnered with Avon México to merge augmented reality and artificial intelligence in the latter’s digital platforms.

By Nicole Kerr, with additional reporting by Kristiana Lalou.