Perfect Corp, Mineral Fusion partner for virtual beauty try-on in Whole Foods

Dive Brief:

• Perfect Corp. has teamed up with natural cosmetics company Mineral Fusion to roll out a virtual makeup testing tool in Whole Foods locations, the companies announced Monday.
• Mineral Fusion’s virtual try-on tool, which is powered by Perfect Corp’s AIand AR tech, allows customers to access the beauty brand’s full range of cosmetics through Mineralfusion.com.
• Using their smartphones, Whole Foods shoppers can scan a QR code on in-store displays to virtually try on beauty products, the company said.

Dive Insight:

Over the past few years, Perfect Corp. has been busy releasing new AR features and raising capital.

In 2019, the company debuted its AR cosmetic testing tools for small businesses, which allows them to integrate virtual testing technology onto their website. The company recently introduced tools to virtually try on eyewear and lipstick, and in January raised $50 million in Series C funding.

Mineral Fusion’s partnership with Perfect Corp. is indicative of how customers shop for cosmetics today, Alice Chang, CEO of Perfect Corp, said in the announcement. Chang pointed to customers having a personalized in-store experience using AI technology through their smartphones.

“The Virtual Try-On-Tool is a safer alternative to testers allowing online and brick-and-mortar customers to find the products and the shades of their choice. Shoppers can try on shades using a preselected model image, uploading a photo, or even via live cameras,” Stella Huang, director of digital marketing for Mineral Fusion, said in a statement.

While Perfect Corp. creates more AR tools for safe accessory and cosmetic experimentation, Whole Foods joins other grocery stores in venturing further into beauty. Grocery retailers have the advantage of frequent repeat customers, but they’ll also need to distinguish themselves from more other beauty and wellness retailers.

Whole Foods, which celebrates an annual beauty sale and identifies trends in the space, forecast this year that consumers will continue to simplify their beauty routines. “The beauty industry has seen significant consumer shifts this year due to COVID-19,” Amy Jargo, global beauty buyer at Whole Foods, said in a statement. “Customers are looking to streamline their beauty routines, while also seeking out brands that align with their values like those that limit their environmental impact with waterless and upcycled products.”

Source: Retail Dive