L’Oréal and Instagram owner Facebook have announced a technology platform integration with ModiFace, L’Oréal’s augmented reality and artificial intelligence company, to bring AR make-up try-ons to shopping on Instagram.
Provided by Facebook’s AR platform – Spark AR – and ModiFace, the technology will let consumers navigate to a brand’s Instagram page, find a product and virtually try it on before buying.
The first L’Oréal products to arrive on Instagram Shops are lipsticks from the brands NYX Professional Makeup, Urban Decay, Maybelline New York and Lancôme, with more brands and make-up categories planned to follow, according to the group.
“ModiFace has pioneered AR technologies and developed realistic and accurate virtual try-on experiences for more than a decade,” Parham Aarabi, CEO and co-founder of ModiFace, said.
"In an age where social commerce is becoming increasingly important for consumers, this new step in our collaboration with Facebook will contribute to make shopping for beauty products on Instagram more convenient, easy and fun.”
“AR Try On is an exciting new foray within Facebook that’s already helping people shop online with more confidence. Through this new integration with L’Oréal, shoppers can expect a more personal shopping experience from even more of the brands they love, right where they’re already finding beauty inspiration: on Instagram,” added Sue Young, Head of Spark AR at Facebook.
Facebook also plans to integrate the ModiFace AR try-on into new advertising formats on the Facebook app.
When it comes to beauty buying, Facebook is ramping up virtual try-on services via its namesake platform, having this month announced a link-up with AI provider Perfect Corp.
And L’Oréal is likewise covering all options in the social space. At the beginning of June, the group announced that it would be using TikTok for its social selling capabilities, enabling customers to buy select products from its Garnier and NYX Professional brands without leaving the app.