The future of beauty is shifting and Essie is adapting to changing times with the launch of Essie on Hand, a virtual try-on salon that lets beauty lovers preview the nail polish brand's range of shades on-demand. The augmented reality experience was created with ModiFace and it gives consumers the chance to try on Essie shades from a computer or phone. Using a web camera or a phone's built-in camera, users can virtually try on different colors.
Essie president Alanna McDonald told Allure "All that someone needs to do is go to essie.com and they can immediately interact with [the feature] rather than putting one more potential friction point in the user experience by requiring an app download. It was really about making it as seamless as possible for consumers."
Virtual Nail Polish Salons
Essie on Hand is a Pandemic-Friendly Alternative to Swatching
Trend Themes
1. Virtual Try-on Services - Augmented reality try-on experiences will become more prevalent across the beauty industry, presenting an opportunity for brands to enhance customer engagement.
2. Seamless Online User Experiences - Eliminating potential friction points, such as requiring app downloads, can improve online user experiences and increase customer satisfaction.
3. Adapting to Changing Times - Brands that innovate and adapt to changing consumer behaviors and preferences are more likely to remain relevant and competitive in their industries.
Industry Implications
1. Beauty - Virtual try-on services are disrupting the beauty industry, allowing customers to see products in action before committing to a purchase.
2. E-commerce - Seamless online user experiences, such as offering virtual try-on services, can increase customer engagement and improve sales for e-commerce businesses.
3. Augmented Reality Technology - The adoption of augmented reality technology in industries such as beauty presents opportunities for tech companies to provide innovative solutions and services.