Don’t you hate trying on makeup samples and rubbing them off until you find the right one?
YouCam Makeup(2020) is a free app that provides a virtual makeover which is supported by hundreds of cosmetics products. The app was developed and built by Perfect Corporations in 2014. According to the company’s website(Perfect Corporations, 2014), the app uses advanced artificial intelligence and augmented reality to conceptualize your consumer shopping experience.
YouCam Makeup is an app that is run by a company, meaning that its main goal is to make as much income as possible by getting people to use their app and by getting users to purchase premium accounts so that more options are available on the app as well. On the other hand, the user’s role is to navigate through the app and try on different samples to purchase directly from a cosmetic store.
To use the app, you will need a device with a good-quality camera, such as a smartphone. The app uses the device’s camera to view the user’s facial attributes and the system provides a list of makeup samples to choose from. These include lipsticks, eyeshadows, foundations, and etc. A picture is not required to be taken, as a live demonstration of the makeup sample is presented. Within the app, you can choose different makeup samples, filters, view accessories, and receive help on a one-on-one video call from an experienced makeup advisor. You are also able to test the moisture level of your skin to understand what products will help with hydrating your skin and making it glow again. These tests will view the overall health of your skin as well. This part of the feature will test outlines, wrinkles, acne spots, texture, and dark circles.
YouCam Makeup offers full makeover looks done by other users which you can test on yourself with a single tap. The makeover samples are displayed in categories based on occasions and personal satisfaction. This can make navigating throughout the app much easier for users who are looking forward to trying on different types of makeup samples. Some individuals may not have any sort of knowledge regarding makeup, thus leading to confusion in regard to which areas of the face certain makeup products should be applied to. The full makeover feature can help you gain knowledge by demonstrating where every makeup sample was applied, to create the overall finished look.
The app is quite advanced with locating specific areas on your face. To make things easier, the app provides a face template demonstrating where your face must be in order to get the best angle to view the makeup samples on yourself. The best part is how accurate the makeup samples are demonstrated on your face. Whether you choose any sort of facial makeup, accessories, or a hair colour, it displays your chosen sample very accurately on your face. When I got my older sister to try these varieties of makeup samples from the app, she was quite fascinated by how accurate the app really worked. I did the face test on her to see the overall health of her skin, and the results were absolutely accurate compared to the results that were present on her face. Due to the advanced technology used to create the accuracy on this app, it creates a very fascinating experience for users.
My sister compared a previous picture of herself with a real makeover to a present picture with a makeover done by the app, and the comparison seemed to be very accurate. The only difficulties and differences she had with the app was that the colours of some of the makeup samples were too bold, making it look a bit fake on her face. However, a scale is provided on the side to adjust the strength of the makeup on your face.
The target audience for this app seems to be individuals who like to shop online rather than going out(especially during the ongoing pandemic) and for those who are able to work with technology with little to no difficulties. The app targets all genders as it asks whether you are a male, female, or other. This app would work best for youths, as they are quite good at working with technical apps, and at comparing certain colours/styles on the app to the cosmetic websites, which they are planning on buying the product from.
Another smart component regarding this app is how no background colour is given. A natural background is used to demonstrate the use of makeup on the user’s face, giving it a natural look as well. The user can decide what type of background they would like to see their makeover with. The user can also wear a specific outfit which they plan on wearing for an occasion and decide on a makeover look that way. Overall, this component was decided on in a very smart manner.
The launch of this app in 2014 was around the same time in which a global epidemic became present, known as Ebola. This deadly fever had a large impact on Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia; however, multiple cases were also spread around the globe. Fear became present within individuals, as many were scared to catch the fever and regarding the number of deaths resulting from it. We can say that the app made it easier and caused no risk for individuals to try on makeup samples during the ongoing epidemic and to make online purchases so they can receive their goods.
Due to the development of this app, online shopping for makeup has become much easier as my sister stated, “this app is so accurate when applying makeup and the results of the tests”(H. Banga, personal communication, December 9, 2020). This app is wonderful to use as it can help introduce someone who isn’t so familiar with makeup to the cosmetic industry.
The creation of artificial representation has taken quite a long time to ensure it is used with accuracy. The use of artificial intelligence and augmented reality has really made YouCam Makeup a successful app used all around the world. The only area where this app or Perfect Corporations needs to improve on is by offering the purchase of products directly from the app rather than having the user purchase products from other cosmetic stores. Based on the success of YouCam Makeup, we can come to a conclusion that technology is slowly, but surely, changing and making human behaviour much easier.