YouTube AR Beauty Try-On Feature Unveiled, Lets Users Try on Makeup Virtually

With a new "Augmented Reality (AR) Beauty Try-On feature", Google-owned video sharing platform YouTube would now let users try on virtual make-up while watching tutorials in real time.

"Thanks to machine learning and AR technology, it offers realistic, virtual product samples that work on a full range of skin tones. Currently in alpha, AR Beauty Try-On is available through FameBit by YouTube, Google's in-house branded content platform," Aaron Luber, Head of Branded Experiences, AR and VR, Google wrote in a blog post on Tuesday.

The company said it tested this experience earlier this year with several beauty brands and found that 30 per cent of viewers activated the AR experience in the YouTube iOS app, spending over 80 seconds on average trying on lipstick virtually.

The feature splits the screen horizontally and while the top part shows the YouTube tutorial, the other part uses the front-facing camera to let users capture themselves and try on AR filters and virtual makeup samples.

M·A·C Cosmetics is the first brand to partner with FameBit to launch an AR Beauty Try-On campaign.

"Using this new format, brands like M·A·C will be able to tap into YouTube's vibrant creator community, deploy influencer campaigns to YouTube's 2 billion monthly active users, and measure their results in real time," Luber said.

In addition, Google is also bringing three-dimensional assets to display ads with its first immersive display format called Swirl which is currently only available through Display and Video 360 which is a single, integrated tool that helps creative, data and media teams work together to execute end-to-end campaigns.