Virtual shades: Perfect Corp. and No7 unveil AI-powered personalized foundation shade finder
09 Nov 2021 --- Perfect Corp., an artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) beauty and fashion tech solutions provider, is partnering with UK-based skincare brand No7 to launch its first virtual try-on foundation matching diagnostic solution. The idea is to match foundation to skin tone using big data techniques and comes amid a digital transformation in the beauty space.
Consumers’ lifestyle concerns that could impact skin are also analyzed to provide the “perfect” No7 foundation range match.
“The launch of the No7 Personalised Foundation Shade Finder speaks to the larger digital transformation taking place in the beauty industry,” Alice Chang, founder and CEO at Perfect Corp., tells PersonalCareInsights.
“Beauty consumers are turning to digital channels more than ever before for product advice and inspiration. From web and mobile experiences to social commerce experiences across Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram, AI and AR technology will begin to play a major role in engaging customers across all shopping touchpoints,” she says.
The analysis begins with an algorithm-based questionnaire that diagnoses customers’ personal skin needs, foundation preferences, including coverage and finish.
The No7 Personalised Foundation Shade Finder and Analysis Tool provide recommendations based on unique skin needs and skin tone.
The foundation shade finder is powered by Perfect Corp.’s AI Foundation Shade Finder Technology.
The No7 Personalised Foundation Shade Finder and Analysis tool are available to be used via mobile or tablet.
Digital transformation and personalization
AI and AR are fast becoming a crucial part of a beauty brand’s digital transformation strategy, Chang explains.
“With beauty tech, brands can significantly improve their customer experience and personalization efforts, which leads to positive sales results,” she adds.
In the future, this type of AI technology can help the personal care industry achieve new levels of customization by assisting brands in understanding consumer needs and the types of custom-made products needed to address them, Chang discloses.
Apart from the digital “transformation” that is shaping the beauty industry, the demand for personalized products is on the rise, too, according to No7.
“At No7, we’re responding to ever-increasing consumer demand for personalization and the accelerated shift to digital beauty behaviors due to the global pandemic,” explains Kiran Sandhu, global innovation manager at No7 Beauty Company.
“Through qualitative consumer research, we discovered that finding the right shade is just one half of the picture for foundation users. Finding the right range that works with individual skin goals and concerns is the other.”
No7 Personalised Foundation Analysis, offers a holistic solution that combines skin and color analysis to provide a personalized recommendation, explains Sandhu.
Foundation based on skins needs
No7’s Skin Expert technology analyses skin tone in real-time against 10 million samples across nearly 90,000 diverse samples to provide customers with one No7 foundation shade.
“This analysis not only provides customers with the right foundation shade but also offers the right foundation based on the customer’s unique skin needs,” explains Chang.
The AI and AR technology help customers find and test their “perfect” foundation match with true-to-life results.
“We tested the Personalised Foundation Analysis experience with a consumer panel of 932 users, and 84% agreed it gave them confidence in finding a foundation match.”
The No7 Personalised Foundation Analysis uses adaptive environmental lighting adjustments and guidance to capture the optimal image for analysis and skin tone shade matching.
Once customers are matched with their best foundation range and shade, they can instantly virtually try on their match and experiment with shade options.
The before and after sliding function allows for comparing the shade match against the customer’s natural skin tone through a live camera view. It also provides information about the matched foundation range and delivers personalized matches across other face products, including powders, concealers, primers and fixing mists.
“It can be challenging for customers to find the right foundation that is an exact match with their skin tone and skin needs. AI-powered beauty tech solutions can simplify this process by using precise technology to analyze the skin and identify the best product match,” says Chang.
Future of AI and AR services
As consumers and brands shift to digital platforms for product advice and recommendations, AI and AR technology will continue to evolve to serve customers better and solve consumer pain points, notes Chang.
“Perfect Corp. is currently expanding its AR and AI services to new categories, including eyewear, jewelry, accessories, men’s grooming and nail care.”
Perfect Corp. has been driving change in the industry with its AI and AR technology tools.
Yesterday, Perfect Corp. gave insight into social commerce and how online beauty technologies lead to a “digital revolution” in the beauty space. Meanwhile, Coty used Perfect Corp.’s AI technology to boost personalization for Covergirl and Kylie Cosmetics.
By Nicole Kerr
