Recently, the male personal care market has seen significant growth, with this trend showing no signs of slowing down. By 2025, it is expected that this market will reach a staggering total of $166 billion. An increasing number of men are venturing into using makeup products, with a reported sales increase of 23% between 2019 and 2021 in the men’s beauty segment.
A primary contributor towards breaking down barriers and enhancing customer engagement in cosmetics and beauty is the use of AI and AR technologies. A notable partnership in this regard is between Perfect Corp and NuNorm, a men’s makeup brand. They aim to address the common issues male consumers face, such as discomfort and unfamiliarity with cosmetics.
After incorporating Perfect Corp’s technology into their operations, NuNorm reported a 40% increase in onsite dwell time. Furthermore, 75% of their sales now originate from customers using these unique tools.
Alice Chang, CEO of Perfect Corp, and Brooke Williams, Creative Director at NuNorm, had a conversation on how AI-powered tools like the virtual try-on and Shade Finder give men the confidence to invest in the products they want. They shared their thoughts on the significant role technology can play in establishing trust with first-time buyers, thereby creating inclusive shopping experiences.
To deliver realistic and accurate virtual try-on experiences for various skin tones, Perfect Corp uses extensive and varied datasets to train their AI models. These datasets include images of people with different skin tones, undertones, and textures. Apart from this, the technology incorporates real-time adjustment capabilities that allow the virtual try-on experience to adapt dynamically.
Perfect Corp’s tools have significantly impacted consumer trust and engagement across the brands they’ve partnered with. By enabling consumers to see how products will look on their skin before making a purchase, it reduces uncertainty and boosts confidence. The outcome is an enriched interactive shopping experience encouraging consumers to spend more time exploring and experimenting with different looks.
Feedback from customers plays a significant role in refining AI tools, like the Shade Finder. Perfect Corp takes into account this feedback when refining their AI Shade Finder tool, enabling it to meet the needs of consumers by providing accurate virtual shade matching results.
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. The Shade Finder and Virtual Try-On tool were integrated to provide a personalized, interactive shopping experience, allowing men to explore and experiment with makeup products virtually before purchasing.
The adoption of AI/AR tools has drastically transformed NuNorm’s approach to product development and customer education. These tools assist NuNorm in gathering feedback on product performance and preferences, which, in turn, inform future product formulations and enhancements. Moreover, the Shade Finder tool plays a crucial role in building customer confidence and driving higher sales.
While introducing makeup products to men using this technology has had its challenges, primarily around breaking traditional stereotypes and overcoming initial hesitations about using makeup, Perfect Corp and NuNorm continue to see exciting future potential of AI and AR in the men’s beauty market. The integration of this technology will ensure make-up application and shopping is far less intimidating, more accessible, and highly inclusive, hinting at a promising future for men’s beauty.
