From intimidation to confidence: How AI tools are transforming men’s beauty
While the global men's personal care market is projected to reach $166 billion by 2025, a growing number of men are exploring makeup products, with sales in the men's beauty segment increasing by 23% between 2019 and 2021, according to research by NPD Group. With AI and AR technologies increasingly helping brands break down barriers and enhance customer engagement in cosmetics and beauty, Perfect Corp, a software company focusing on AI-driven beauty solutions, recently partnered with men’s makeup brand NuNorm to address common challenges faced by male consumers, such as discomfort and unfamiliarity with cosmetics.
Since adopting Perfect Corp’s technology, NuNorm has seen a 40% increase in onsite dwell time, and 75% of sales now come from customers using these tools. In this CosmeticsDesign Q&A, Alice Chang, CEO and founder of Perfect Corp, and Brooke Williams, Creative Director of NuNorm, discuss how AI-powered tools like virtual try-on and the Shade Finder are giving men the confidence to invest in the products they want and share their insights into the pivotal role technology can play in building trust with first-time buyers and creating inclusive shopping experiences.
CDU: How does Perfect Corp. ensure the AI/AR technology delivers realistic and accurate virtual try-on experiences for diverse skin tones?
Alice Chang (AC): At Perfect, we understand the importance of hyper-realistic and accurate virtual try-on experiences that mimic the in-store sampling experience—and it’s important to ensure that shades are accurate for a wide range of customer skin tones. One of the ways we accomplish this is by using extensive and varied datasets to train our AI models.
This includes images of people with various skin tones, undertones, and textures. What’s more, our technology has real-time adjustment capabilities that allow the virtual try-on experience to adapt dynamically to a person’s skin tone, lighting conditions, and other variables so that the virtual product matches what it would look like in real life.
By combining these approaches, we’re able to provide a virtual try-on experience that’s not only accurate but also inclusive, catering to a wide range of consumers with different skin tones and preferences.
CDU: How has the integration of Perfect Corp.’s tools impacted consumer trust and engagement across other brands you've worked with?
AC: We’ve heard from many brands and retailers we work with that our technology has helped to cultivate a more positive, trusting, and engaging relationship with consumers. Because tools like our AI Skin Analysis and virtual try-on capabilities enable consumers to see how products will look on their own skin tones and features before making a purchase, it helps reduce uncertainty and increase confidence in purchasing decisions.
These tools make shopping more interactive and engaging, allowing consumers to spend more time exploring and experimenting with different looks.
CDU: What role does customer feedback play in refining your AI Shade Finder tool for partners like NuNorm?
AC: Customer feedback is integral to the iterative process of refining and improving our AI Shade Finder tool, and it continues to influence the tool’s development and effectiveness to ensure it meets the needs of consumers by providing accurate virtual shade matching results. By analyzing feedback on how well the tool matches consumers' skin tones to various products, we’re able to fine-tune our algorithms and adjust the AI’s ability to recognize and adapt to diverse skin tones and undertones more precisely.
Since men in particular might not be as familiar with makeup or shade matching—whether physically or virtually—feedback also helps us understand their overall user experience. Insights on ease of use, interface design, and features allow us to enhance the tool to make it more intuitive and user-friendly.
CDU: What inspired NuNorm to adopt Perfect Corp.’s AI/AR-powered Shade Finder and Virtual Try-On tools for men’s cosmetics?
Brooke Williams (BW): NuNorm was inspired to adopt Perfect Corp.’s AI/AR-powered Shade Finder and Virtual Try-On tool to enhance the customer experience and address common challenges men face when shopping for cosmetics. When sitting down with Jeff’s son he expressed his preference to purchase online but frequently had challenges finding a shade that best suited his skin.
Comparing past images or completing surveys for shade matching just wasn’t precise enough. So, he encouraged us to consider the use of AI Technology.
This recommendation led us down a rabbit hole of options but for us it came down to Accuracy, Realism, and Ease of Use. After a referral to consider Perfect Corp, we knew we had found the right partner.
The Shade Finder and Virtual Try-On tool was integrated to provide a personalized, interactive shopping experience, allowing men to explore and experiment with makeup products virtually before purchasing. This innovation aligns with our commitment to encouraging self-expression and breaking down barriers in men's grooming by making product selection more accessible and less intimidating.
CDU: How has the integration of AI/AR tools impacted your approach to product development and customer education?
BW: The integration of AI/AR tools has significantly transformed our approach to product development and customer education. It has allowed us to gather feedback on product performance and preferences, which informs future product formulations and enhancements.
Moreover, these tools have become pivotal in educating customers on how to choose their shade while providing a huge relief to those with any preconceived concerns.
CDU: Could you elaborate on the significant role the Shade Finder tool plays in building customer confidence and driving higher sales?
BW: The Shade Finder tool plays a crucial role in building customer confidence by ensuring men can find their perfect match without the guesswork and hassle traditionally associated with makeup shopping. This accuracy in shade matching not only boosts user confidence but also leads to higher satisfaction and reduced product returns, thereby driving higher sales.
The tool’s ability to provide personalized recommendations helps us strengthen our customer relationships and brand loyalty.
CDU: Have there been any challenges in introducing makeup products to men using this technology, and how have you addressed them?
BW: Our biggest concerns were around the challenges, primarily around breaking traditional stereotypes and overcoming initial hesitations about using makeup. Then with our products being sold online as a result of convenience, we knew there would be a challenge to locate one's preferred shade.
The solution for us was investing in a user-friendly AI/AR tool that provides realistic simulations, which help men see potential results in a pressure-free environment.
CDU: Can you share insights into any upcoming AI/AR technology innovations that Perfect Corp. plans to introduce in the beauty space?
AC: We’ve been at the forefront of integrating cutting-edge technology into the beauty space for almost 10 years now, and we’re continuing to innovate with several exciting advancements on the horizon. Specifically, we’re excited to launch PerfectGPT as the next iteration of our generative AI capabilities.
PerfectGPT will serve as consumers’ personal beauty assistant, delivering personalized product recommendations in a real-time, interactive chat and merging Perfect’s makeup VTO and skin analysis technologies into one groundbreaking customer service experience.
CDU: How do you see AI/AR technology evolving in the men’s beauty market, and what future trends do you anticipate?
AC: The future of AI and AR in the men’s beauty market is an exciting frontier with the potential to revolutionize grooming and skin care. At our company, we’re driving innovation to meet the evolving needs of male consumers by focusing on creating personalized experiences, and advancing the integration of this technology to help ensure inclusivity.
AI and AR can play a pivotal role as men become more interested in personalized grooming solutions. AI can offer tailored skin care and grooming advice based on individual skin types and concerns, while AR can provide realistic virtual try-ons for products such as beard grooming tools, hair color, and skin care routines.
As we look ahead to the years to come, AR technology will increasingly be used to create interactive and engaging experiences for men, like virtual try-ons for different hairstyles, beard styles, and grooming products, that allow men to experiment with looks before making a purchase.
