MAC Cosmetics AR App
MAC Red is is an AR app designed for an experimental MAC Cosmetics store in NYC. The store is a test concept primarily for Virtual Try On. Partnering with YouCam technology we designed an experience for customers to try on makeup virtually from a lipstick to an entire look created by a MAC Cosmetics artist. Other services offered on the app include browsing artist portfolios, booking services with featured artists, customizing one’s own eye palette, and printing custom packaging right in the store. The experience begins on tablet devices which also act as a mirror. The experience can be transferred to your personal device and everything you’ve enjoyed is transferred to your My MAC account. UX partner: Rainnie He
The Lookbook
The Look Book is where customers can browse through the MAC featured makeup artists available at the individual store for in-person services. From here the user can also browse all of the products used in the look, explore a product detail page and add products to their favorites on their My MAC account.
Process
We actually found that printing out the flow was the most efficient way to see the entire process for each experience. We needed to work at lightening speed on this project and there were many product features launching at once. Flow sketches by UX partner Rainnie He.
Lip Library
When a customer approaches the lip area of the store they can start by picking up a lipstick and the color will be detected by the system. One can also start by choosing a color family to explore. From there one can virtually try on lipsticks and compare both to their natural color or compare with up to four other colors via split screens.
Tap and Try
Making use of customer RFID technology, Tap and Try allows a customer to VTO a product simply by picking it up. Instead of scrolling through the options on the screen in the app or at one of the stations, simply pickup a product. The technology recognizes the product in the consumer’s hands and instantly try’s on the product on a virtual mirror facing the customer.
“Tap and Try is a beautiful solution that merges our omnichannel and store experience into a digitally driven world. The seamless use of mobile technologies, RFID, augmented reality and data analytics delivers an unparalleled experience to those who visit our store.”
Lou Lionetti, Vice President, Interconnected Retail Technologies, The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.
iPad Touch
The team identified the safe zones and most intuitive gestures for the virtual try on experience.
User Testing
We conducted live user testing using our prototypes in the office. We paid users and organized through the service Maze. We had the participants go through each service offered and took notes on success and failures of our designs.
We acted quickly to revise each experience before launch.
A few statistics from the success of the new store:
300% Increase in customers trying on cosmetics in the Queens location
70% of customers chose to customize their product
200% increased engagement in the first month.
Bazaar Feature
Featured on Baazar as a top AR try on app of 2021
Customize Lipstick Packaging
Lipstick packaging can be customized with a message and emojis. The customer can use their receipt number to confirm their purchase and send their design to the printer to be picked up.
Make Your Own Palette
From the MYOP area of the app the customer can create their own custom palette of eye colors. To begin you choose an eye “look” that can be created with a specific color selection. You may then swap out colors to make it yours.
Foundation FinderHigh
The Foundation Finder uses YouCam’s technology to match the user’s skin tone and recommend a line of products based on selected tone. The user can always change the tone chosen by the system and browse an entirely new set of products based on their choice. I designed the split screen to show the before and after effect of each product demonstrating the difference, for example of a matte versus satin finish of each tone selected.
The Store
Photos from the MAC concept store.
Above- Make your own palette
Right- Shade finder with virtual try on capabilities
