Pinterest is no longer content just being the space to save ideas — the network wants to let users try those ideas out too. Launching first with lipstick on January 28, Pinterest Try On uses Lens to try on a look in augmented reality. The update is designed to help users try on the items you pin virtually before making a purchase.
While Pinterest plans to expand Try On to more categories, the option is first launching with lipstick. Using the Pinterest camera, users can try on different shades to find the one that looks best. The feature is launching with the ability to try on lipstick from several retailers, including Estée Lauder, Sephora, bareMinerals, Neutrogena, NYX Professional Makeup, YSL Beauté, Lancôme, and Urban Decay from L’Oréal.
Beginning today, the feature is available by navigating to Lens — that’s the camera icon next to the search bar — and tapping on the Try On button. A gesture shortcut is included with a swipe up to purchase. The Try On tool also pops up in a text search for lipstick.
The new augmented reality feature is also integrated with Pinterest’s skin tone range feature, allowing users to search for makeup looks by narrowing down the results by skin tone.
The Pinterest camera will apply a color to the lips — but won’t apply skin smoothing algorithms. “With Try on, you won’t find skin smoothing or image altering effects that make you look less like you,” A Pinterest representative wrote. “We believe in celebrating you — because on Pinterest, you can be yourself and not your selfie.”
Part of Pinterest’s decision to start with lipstick is search data, which has make-up searches increasing by up to 217%. Colors beyond the traditional reds and pinks have seen search increases, with “black lipstick makeup looks” up 139%, blue lip gloss up 61%, and purple lipstick up 34% in the search data. Red, glossy and pink searches are among the top searched lip styles last year, Pinterest says, followed by “Kim lip,” black, ombre, brown, plum, purple, and orange lipstick.
Pinterest also pointed to a study that suggests that 87% of the users saving beauty and personal care pins are actively considering a purchase, with 79% of those users finding Pins from related brands useful.
Pinterest hasn’t yet shared what direction the Try On tool will make next. Additional make-up looks may be a logical next step — considering the facial recognition technology to power such a feature already exists. Major furniture retailers like Ikea use AR to allow users to try out furniture in a space before buying, making a Pinterest Try On feature for the home decor category not too far fetched either.
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