Google bets big on AR beauty: Virtually trying on beauty products to become better and easier

In a bid to make augmented reality (AR) features more accessible for mobile users, Google is rolling out a range of new AR tools designed for beauty enthusiasts and brands. The tech giant's latest move includes the expansion of virtual product try-on and AR advertisements, all while extending these capabilities to the mobile web.

Starting today, Google users can virtually experiment with hair colours and foundations, both on their own images and on model representations, within the Google app and on mobile web platforms. This marks the first time that Google has made AR beauty try-on available on the mobile web, having previously confined it to the Google app.

Over the next few weeks, Google plans to extend this functionality to cover all AR beauty categories, encompassing eyes and lips. Already, 50 prominent brands, including Mac, Urban Decay, and Covergirl, have integrated AR try-on features for beauty products through Google. Additionally, brands like Revlon, Splat, and L’Oréal's suite of brands have embraced AR for at-home hair colour experimentation.

To further enhance the AR experience, Google is also introducing AR beauty advertisements for lip and eye products, with plans to include foundation advertisements in the near future. This means users can now explore beauty products in ads displayed on various model images.

The newly introduced hair colour category is set to be gradually incorporated into Google AR Beauty, enabling users to preview different hair dye shades, starting with L’Oréal's offerings. Shades from other brands like Revlon and Splat will be added soon. The foundation category is also expanding, allowing users to virtually try on foundation shades to find their ideal match.

Google's internal data reveals that the presence of AR leads to a 10% increase in user interaction with beauty products. Shoppers are also more likely to spend more time on brand websites and take action, such as researching products or making purchases, after interacting with AR beauty tools on Google.

Additionally, users can now access Google's AR beauty tools directly from their mobile web browsers, as the hair and foundation categories are rolled out. The eye and lip makeup categories are expected to follow in the coming weeks.

Moreover, brands can now utilise these AR beauty tools in place of traditional product images in Google Shopping ads. This offers potential customers a more inclusive experience by displaying cosmetics on models with diverse skin tones. The first ad tools to launch will cover lip and eye products, with foundation shades coming soon.

it's worth noting that enabling AR on the mobile web is more challenging than within standalone mobile apps. The limited computing power and reliance on internet connections in mobile browsers present unique hurdles. This stands in contrast to apps, which can support more complex features independently.

Historically, AR experiences have primarily been offered within apps, including brands' proprietary apps or social media platforms. Even industry leaders like Snapchat have faced challenges in delivering AR experiences on the mobile web. Last month, Snapchat announced the discontinuation of its AR enterprise services due to its inability to meet brand AR requirements on the mobile web. It resulted in the loss of 170 jobs. "It would take significant incremental investment to grow our enterprise offering for retailers and we simply cannot make that investment at this time," CEO Evan Spiegel said in a note to employees.

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