L’oréal and Facebook bring virtual try-on to Instagram

Beauty shoppers looking for inspiration on Instagram can now virtually try on a range of makeup products from L’Oréal’ brands, including NYX Professional Makeup and Lancôme, thanks to a new partnership between Facebook’s and the beauty giant.

A new technology platform integration between Facebook’s AR platform and L’Oréal’s augmented reality and artificial intelligence (AI) company ModiFace allows shoppers to navigate to a brand’s Instagram page, find a product and virtually try it before they buy.

Urban Decay and Maybelline New York are among some of the other brands to first arrive on Instagram Shops with AR try-ons for their lipstick products, with more of the group’s brands and makeup categories to follow.

ModiFace Chief Executive Officer and co-founder Parham Aarabi said: “ModiFace has pioneered AR technologies and developed realistic and accurate virtual try-on experiences for more than a decade.

"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,” Sue Young, head of Spark AR at Facebook added.

Facebook will also integrate ModiFace AR try-on into new advertising formats on Facebook app.