Dive Brief:

• With high-touch physical experiences still on the backburner for now, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics has partnered with Perfect Corp. to launch personalized online beauty consultations, the company announced on Tuesday. 

• The service provides virtual try-ons of Bobbi Brown products using augmented reality and artificial intelligence, and pairs users with a makeup artist to provide personalized product recommendations, the company said. 

• The service will be available to U.S. consumers through Bobbi Brown's mobile website, per the announcement.

Dive Insight:

As consumers remain uncertain about in-person shopping, Bobbi Brown is trying to bring the store experience online.

The beauty company's online consultations with Perfect Corp. are meant to replicate the in-store shopping experience by giving customers one-on-one time with a specialist, the announcement noted. The two companies teamed up to launch an interactive and personalized online shopping service in response to consumer demand for "shoppertainment."

"This enhanced beauty consultation video chat continues to build on the strengths of our makeup artists and improves their ability to interact virtually in a more meaningful way with our consumers, empowering them with accessible knowledge, tips and tricks which are the hallmark of the Bobbi Brown brand," Chetna Khemka, senior vice presidentof Global Online at Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, said in a statement.

Besides its partnership with Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Perfect Corp. has also collaborated with Mineral Fusion and Whole Foods to provide contactless cosmetic testing tools in stores. The company has also released other try-on features that enable shoppers to test out makeup and eyewear. 

Due to consumers' in-store shopping concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic, beauty brands and retailers have increasingly relied on AI and AR features to allow customers to try cosmetics without risking their health. Perfect Corp.'s technology and collaborations have apparently made it an attractive company for investors. Earlier this year, the company raised $50 million in Series C funding to develop more AI technologies as well as expand globally. 

Though the coronavirus pandemic has pushed many retailers to furlough or lay off employees, some retailers in beauty and other sectors have deployed their staffers to engage with homebound consumers. Companies like Neiman Marcus, Suitsupply and Madison Reed have enlisted their workforce to serve as experts or stylists to guide shoppers from afar.