Chetna Khemka, SVP, Global Online, at Bobbi Brown Cosmetics sees the new mobile web technology as a logical next step in the brand’s progression. “Bobbi Brown Cosmetics has been evolving makeup artistry since 1991,” she says, adding that, “This enhanced beauty consultation video chat continues to build on the strengths of our makeup artists and improves their ability to interact virtually in a more meaningful way with our consumers, empowering them with accessible knowledge, tips and tricks which are the hallmark of the Bobbi Brown brand.”
Bobbi Brown Cosmetics merges in-person and online beauty consults with digital tech
The new on-demand beauty consultations involve real-time interaction with a brand makeup artist (MUA). And are, therefore, not available around the clock. The service is available Monday through Friday between 10am and 10pm as well as on the weekend between 12 noon and 8pm each day.
The service involves both MUA guidance and product recommendations and AR and AI virtual makeup try-on tools. Perfect Corp. the beauty tech company behind the new consult service see this as a sort of next-generation retail engagement or shoppertainment.
“We are thrilled to partner with the beloved beauty brand, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, for the launch of their interactive online beauty consultation,” says Alice Chang, Founder and CEO of Perfect Corp, in today’s media release.
“As a brand, Bobbi Brown embraces the growing demand for online ‘shoppertainment’ experiences, so we were able to work together to create and deliver the most unique digital shopping experience possible for beauty lovers to access professional consultation anytime, anyplace,” she says.
Beauty tech gains momentum as pandemic changes the ways shoppers try and buy
Perfect Corp virtual makeup, hair color, and skincare try-on technology has long been popular in the industry. And over the past year, as brands invest further in DTC solutions, the company has partnered with even more beauty brands.
Already this year, Perfect Corp has made headlines here on Cosmetics Design for its partnerships with Mineral Fusion (a BWX brand) and Decorté (a brand owned by the KOSÉ Corporation) as well as for initiatives to expand the beauty tech business further into the skin care category and into livestream retail.
Decorté teamed up with Perfect Corp in March to offer consumers here in the States skin care assessment tech, as Cosmetics Design reported. “For the first time, we are able to easily demonstrate to consumers their hydration needs and then quickly link to solutions that best fit their needs,” explained Sharon del Valle, GM of KOSÉ Americas.
The Mineral Fusion partnership, announced later that same month, means that Perfect Corp’s virtual makeup try-on technology is now available as an in-store ‘sampling’ solution at Whole Foods, where the color cosmetics brand is sold. “Shoppers can experience in-store virtual try-ons by scanning the QR code on Mineral Fusion’s beauty display at Whole Foods,” explained a media release about the partnership. “Form there, consumers are directed to a special Whole Foods virtual try-on landing page where they can virtually tap on Mineral Fusion product directly from their phones to find the perfect match before making in-store purchases.”