Pinterest introduces AR tech in the UK so you can try on makeup before you buy

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Millions of Pinners come to Pinterest each month searching for relevant and personalised beauty ideas to get inspired and take action on. Pinterest is among the biggest beauty platforms in the world, with 87% of users coming to Pinterest when they are actively considering beauty or personal care products, but are still undecided. Starting today in the UK, we’re taking what makes discovering beauty inspiration on Pinterest fun and easy, including skin tone ranges, shoppable Pins and visual style recommendations, and enhancing it through augmented reality (AR) so Pinners can try on different lipstick shades for their skin tone, save for later shopping, or buy directly through the retailer’s site. 

In the UK, we’re launching Try on, powered by Lens, live today in the mobile app. Simply open the Pinterest camera in search, click “Try on” to find different shades and swipe up to shop from brands like Charlotte Tilbury, Estée Lauder UK, Bobbi Brown, MAC and Clinique. A “try on” button will also appear on select products, as well as in search with top search terms like “red lipstick” and “pink lips”.

As we focus on building inclusive products, we've integrated Try on with our skin tone range feature, so Pinners can see similar lip shades on skin tones that match their own. Unique to Pinterest, our augmented reality technology enables this customisation through skin tone ranges. And with Try on, you won’t find skin smoothing or image altering effects that make you look less like you, as you might see on some other AR technologies. We believe in celebrating your authentic self, and so our AR won’t be augmenting your appearance, but rather helping you to make confident and real purchases for your life. 

Want to explore different looks with similar lip shades? Below Try on, browse “more like this” to see select Pins with related looks. Also, if you see someone wearing a lip colour you like in a Pin, you’ll be able to try on a similar shade using Try on.    

We heard from Pinners who wanted a way to try on new looks for happier purchases they won’t want to return while mobile shopping. With current restrictions around in-person shopping in the UK, Pinners want ways to explore beauty looks virtually without the anxiety that may come with buying a new product online they haven’t tried. 

"With Pinterest's new Try on feature, I love how you can virtually try on lipstick shades from a range of brands, take a selfie of the one you like and then Pin it instantly to your board. It's ideal for these times as we're unable to try on beauty products in real life. It's also great for Creators that don't have access to samples from brands." - Ree Lodge, Beauty Blogger

This is our latest feature to launch in the UK that helps Pinners explore their style and shop on Pinterest. The easier it is to try on, the more people are likely to buy, as Pinners come to Pinterest early in their shopping journey. Since augmented reality technology launched in the U.S. in January, Pinners try on an average of six lipstick shades and are 5x more likely to show purchase intent on Try on-enabled Pins than standard Pins. 

Try on for lipstick is now available in the UK on iOS and Android mobile, with more categories to come.