Cruelty-free cosmetics manufacturer Tarte is the latest beauty brand to integrate with augmented reality for retail, enabling fans to scan items of a particular shade and receive shoppable product suggestions in that color.

The brand is the most recent to partner with augmented reality beauty application ShadeScout, allowing consumers to snap a coveted color and virtually try on makeup products matching the shade. Tarte is hoping its tones and natural ingredients will help it stand out among other competitors within the app, therefore driving sales.

“Having Tarte Cosmetics as an integrated product with the ShadeScout mobile app is unique way to create awareness, interest and purchases for Tarte,” said Ken Morris, principal at Boston Retail Partners, Boston. “Engaging customers with a fun interactive app where they can visually see cosmetic shades digitally on their face via their phone is very creative.

“When shoppers get a color shade they like on their face, they can share the image with their friends on social media for feedback,” he said. “This social sharing proliferates the reach of the ShadeScout app and ultimately the Tarte Cosmetics brand.”

Augmenting sales
Beauty brands are able to tap a wider range of marketing and retail tactics compared to others, as its consumers look to celebrate their love of makeup, skincare and products. This has been proven with more beauty retailers foraying into unique mobile efforts, continuing to keep customers coming back and engaging with products.

The ShadeScout app allows users to pick any shade of makeup shoppers are interested in and serves them products that match the chosen color. Consumers can find a shade on a flower, wonder how it would look as a lipstick and instantly find out via mobile.

Tarte introducing its products to ShadeScout allows for the app to congregate merchandise that matches exactly what the individual is looking for, portraying a personalized, in-store experience and giving the items a more direct spotlight. The products shown already fit into what shoppers are looking for, making them more inclined to purchase.

Lancome, Sephora Collection and Make Up For Ever are among the cosmetics brands first featured in the ShadeScout app, created by FaceCake Marketing Technologies, suggesting that top makeup marketers can integrate with search-related apps to reach more consumers (see more).

App users can also share their makeup testing photos via social media integration, which creates a broader audience for the app as well as the brand.

To find their perfect makeup shade within the app, users take a picture of the color they are looking for and wait for ShadeScout to aggregate a list of products matching the shade. Once the shopper finds an item he or she is interested in, he or she may click on the name and see the app virtually place the makeup on his or her selfie.

If the ShadeScout user is interested in the item he or she is testing, it can be bought directly through the app.

Trying on mobile
Similarly, Sephora freshened up its commitment to being a leader in digital beauty retail with mobile tactics playing a key role, including the introduction of in-store beacons to send birthday alerts and loyalty program updates as well as an augmented reality application (see more).

“The greatest challenge to this or any mobile app is competing for screen space when many consumers are dealing with app fatigue,” Mr. Morris said. “The ShadeScout app appears to be compelling enough to inspire passionate Tartelettes to download and use the app.

“Retailers that carry the Tarte brand may also opt to display this app on a large monitor so the shopper’s friends can watch the digital beauty makeover and react in real-time, which may stimulate impulse purchases,” he said.

Final take
Brielle Jaekel is editorial assistant at Mobile Commerce Daily