L'Oréal Canada, Shoppers Drug Mart launch virtual makeup try-on service

By

Jennifer Braun

Published
Oct 23, 2019

A new virtual makeup try-on service is coming to Canada, via L'Oréal Canada’s latest acquisition of augmented reality and artificial intelligence entity, ModiFace.

 
Together with Shoppers Drug Mart, the companies are launching a new digital virtual try-on beauty service for online consumers in Canada that will allow consumers to virtually try-on different make-up products and shades in the comfort of their home.
 
Available via beauty.shoppersdrugmart.ca, the platform will allow users to see how shades and products -- from beauty brands such as Maybelline, L'Oréal Paris, NYX Professional Makeup, Lancôme, Yves Saint Laurent and Urban Decay -- look on their skin prior to purchase, by using their webcam or uploading a photo. 

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“This new service harnesses the power of AI and AR to provide personalized experiences and enhance consumer engagement in digital touchpoints,” explained Robert Beredo, chief digital officer of L'Oréal Canada, in a news statement.  
 
“It is key for product and brand discovery and it removes friction from the shopping journey in a seamless, engaging, and playful way. Gaining consumer trust and attention is critical for us, and this new service helps us create even more intimate relationships with our consumers."
 
The uniqueness of the ModiFace technology lies in its photo-realistic results and automatic, AI-enabled shade calibration, which is based on AI-powered analysis of information provided by makeup brands, but also images and descriptions of the product available on social media. 
 
Earlier this year, ModiFace began providing make-up testing technology to Amazon, allowing customers of the shopping site to try on lipsticks using mobile phone videos or photos. L'Oreal has also already used ModiFace by pairing it with Facebook.
 
L'Oreal Canada bought ModiFace in March 2018 as it continues to invest in technology.

L'Oréal Canada is a wholly-owned subsidiary of L'Oréal Group, the largest cosmetics company in the world. Headquartered in Montreal, the company had sales of $1.280 billion in 2018 and employs more than 1,300 people.