If clothes and furniture can be virtually tried on while you’re online shopping, beauty products can also be virtually tested through virtual makeup try-on. Powered by augmented reality, virtual makeup try-on allows consumers to apply lipsticks, foundations, and eyeshadows without physically applying them to face. While you may not feel the texture of beauty products, virtual try-ons offer a reliable and realistic makeup experience. Let’s explore together the magic of virtual makeup try-ons and discover the best virtual try-on platforms in 2025.
Alt: Woman looking on desktop to makeup
What is a Virtual Makeup Try-On?
A virtual makeup try-on is just like applying makeup to your face but without really applying real makeup on your skin. Imagine going to a physical store to buy lipstick, you’ll tend to feel overwhelmed with a lot of lipstick brands you see in the store, making it hard to choose which shade suits you well. What’s more? What if you’re too busy to go to a physical store?
With virtual makeup try-ons, you don’t need to go to a physical store to try different products and still regret buying the wrong one. A virtual makeup try-on is incorporated into online shopping apps or websites through AR tools like Tencent Real-Time Communication’s Beauty AR to enable experimenting makeup products online.
Virtual makeup try-ons let you test different brands of eyeshadows, face foundations, and lipsticks without leaving your home. To enable this, open the virtual try-on camera on the brand’s website or app and allow it to scan your face features or you can upload photos manually. You’ll then see how your face will look when trying out different beauty products.
How Accurate Are Virtual Makeup Try-Ons?
Virtual makeup try-ons provide the same accuracy as trying out real makeup. However, the absolute accuracy can still vary depending on the AR tools used as these tools may have hidden weaknesses behind their strengths. Here are some factors that may affect the accuracy of virtual try-ons:
·Face Mapping: Advance AR tools like TRTC Beauty AR can accurately scan face for mapping facial features like eyes, nose, and lips. For example, if an app is really good, the virtual makeup should stay in its place or follow you when you’re moving your head. This ensures that makeup products can be applied to your face with precision.
·Skin Tone Analysis: Brands with virtual try-ons can recommend products and shades according to your skin tone. It’s just like when you’re buying in a physical store and ask for recommendations. But with virtual try-on, you can try many products without actually applying real-products that can mess your face.
·Lighting Adjustments: A good virtual try-on should be able to adjust according to your background and make sure that your makeup looks natural despite your lighting. Additionally, a brand’s virtual try-on should have higher resolution camera and low latency performance to give you the most realistic virtual makeup try-on experience.
Alt: Woman looking on laptop to makeup
Top 7 Virtual Makeup Try-On Platforms and Apps in 2025
Many beauty brands and platforms seized the opportunity of integrating virtual makeup try-ons on their apps and websites with the hope of expanding their service to their virtual consumers. Below are the top platforms and apps in 2025 that utilized AR beauty tools to create virtual makeup try-ons:
1. YouCam Makeup
YouCam is one of the pioneers of virtual makeup try-on, utilizing AR technology to provide a realistic makeover to their virtual users. This brand promotes community engagement where their users can interact. They’re also known for offering product trials, beauty tutorials, and skin analysis. To use their virtual try-on, YouCam has a dedicated app which you can download on your phone.
2. Sephora Virtual Artist
Sephora is unique for having personalized recommendations based on their users’ preferences and try-on history. It offers beauty tutorials and has extensive product catalog where users can try-on a variety of their products. Their virtual try-on can be accessed through their website or mobile app, offering flexible options to their users.
3. L'Oréal Virtual Try-On
L'Oréal’s is a platform that offers diverse products from its multiple brands. Their virtual makeup try-on is powered by AI, providing a realistic makeup experience. They’re unique for their virtual try-on on hair colors and shades, and personalized recommendations. L’Oreal’s virtual try-on can be accessed through their website where you can either use live camera or upload a photo.
4. TRTC Beauty AR
TRTC’s Beauty AR is an SDK that offers browser-based solutions to beauty brands who wish to integrate virtual make try-ons to their websites or apps. Using AR technology, brands can use this tool to customize their virtual try-on feature.
5. MAC Virtual Try-On
MAC offers a wide collection of shades and products that can be tested through their virtual realistic makeup try-on. Their virtual try-on is integrated in their online store where you can also purchase directly after testing products. MAC’s virtual try-on can be accessed through their website using the live camera or your uploaded photo.
6. Maybelline Virtual Try-On
Maybelline’s free virtual makeup try on provides an easy and straightforward navigation experience for first-time users. This brand is unique for their shade finder option and realistic virtual makeover using their diverse beauty products. Maybelline’s virtual try-on is also flexible as it can be accessed through their website or mobile app.
7. Charlotte Tilbury Virtual Try-On
Charlotte Tilbury’s virtual try-on offers a realistic and detailed makeup application while creating personalized looks based on celebrity styles and runway trends. This luxury brand allows its consumers to test their makeup collection and premium products through their built-in virtual try-on option. To access their virtual try-on, you can visit the Charlotte Tilbury website and use their real-time face camera.
Alt: Woman looking on the screen to makeup
How to Choose Virtual Makeup Try-On Apps
With the availability of virtual makeup try-ons, choosing the right app can be overwhelming. Here’s a quick guide:
- User Interface: You should choose a virtual makeup try-on app that is easy to use and navigate for its first-time users. No user would want an app with too many steps and complicated navigation.
- Product Range: A great virtual makeup try-on brand should offer a variety of beauty products and shades. Consumers would like to have many options and an app will seem boring to use if it has limited products to offer.
- Accuracy: You should look for apps that have great precision for facial mapping, providing a virtual makeover that is so close to a real makeup try-on. If you virtually try lipstick, the shade should always align only to your lips.
- Additional Features: Beauty apps that have additional features to bring to the table are more likely chosen by consumers. These features can be personalized recommendations, skin analysis, and beauty tutorials.
- Compatibility: A good virtual try-on app should be available and accessible to everyone, no matter what device they’re using. Brands with apps and websites are preferred over brands that only offer virtual try-ons through websites.
Conclusion
Virtual makeup try-ons are proof that technology is shaping the beauty industry. Instead of going to a physical store and getting overwhelmed by what product to buy and test first, you can freely test out multiple beauty products in the comfort of your home before buying them. Knowing the features of different platforms and apps with virtual makeup try-ons will also give you options to test which of them suits your needs.
FAQs
Is there an app that lets you try on makeup?
The answer is yes. There are several brands that integrated virtual makeup try-on on their apps using AI and AR technology. Some of the known brands with apps and dedicated virtual makeup try-on option include YouCam, Sephora, and Maybelline.
Do virtual makeup try-ons work?
The answer is yes. Beauty brands with apps and dedicated virtual makeup try-ons are powered by augmented reality or artificial intelligence. They use AR tools like TRTC Beauty AR to ensure accurate facial tracking and a realistic virtual makeup experience.
What is virtual try-on makeup?
Virtual try-on makeup is a digital technology integrated into beauty apps and websites for online consumers. It allows users to experiment with different makeup products including lipsticks, eyeshadows, and foundations without physically applying them on your face.
Does the Sephora app have virtual try-on?
Yes, the Sephora app has a Virtual Artist option that allows its users to test their diverse collection of makeup products. Sephora also offers beauty tutorials and personalized recommendations based on user’s preferences and try-on history.
