Customers Leave Due to the Inability to Quickly Try On Makeup
Makeup try-on today is the main barrier to purchase in cosmetics retail. The shopper cannot apply a tester to their face, is not sure the shade will match, and postpones the decision.
As a result, retail conversion drops, and some guests go online or to competitors, where they also cannot try the product, but there is a showcase and a discount.
Then comes cosmetics returns. When a customer does buy "blind," it turns out at home that the shade is wrong or the texture doesn't suit them. The return rate rises, and with it — logistics costs, write-offs, and lost margin.
This is not a problem of "picky" customers, but a lack of a decision-making tool at the point of sale.
At truetech.by, we address this pain through AR in-store: virtual makeup try-on on a screen or smartphone camera. The shopper sees foundation, lipstick, and eyeshadow on their face in seconds — without testers or a sales assistant.
Confidence in the choice grows, and with it — the average ticket and the number of completed purchases.
Because the selection happens before payment, cosmetics returns decrease and repeat visits become more frequent. This is a measurable effect that we back with analytics on every project. What you need is not "just an app," but a working tool for your business.
What Business Gets from Augmented Reality
Augmented reality turns makeup try-on into an interactive experience that the shopper gets right on their smartphone. For retail, this is not just a new feature, but a working tool that influences key metrics — from reach to average ticket. Here is what changes in business after implementing virtual try-on:
- Increased engagement. The shopper does not scroll through static photos, but sees cosmetics on herself. This holds attention many times longer than regular product cards and encourages exploring more items from the catalog.
- Brand awareness. An unusual experience automatically becomes a reason to share on social media. Users publish their try-ons, tag the brand, and show results to friends — giving you free reach and new potential customers.
- Customer loyalty. When a client sees in advance how a foundation or lipstick will look, she stops fearing a mistake. The number of returns drops, and confidence in the purchase builds a habit of returning to your brand.
- Higher sales and average ticket. Virtual try-on suggests unexpected combinations and prompts adding more products to the cart. The customer spends more because she has already "tried on" everything in advance and feels safe.
Today, AR for retail is the standard of customer service. Cosmetics brands that were the first to implement this option, like Sephora, noticeably outperform competitors in conversion and repeat order share.
Add makeup try-on to your app — and you not only catch up with the market, but set a new level of service.
Makeup Try-On Formats for Your Business
A shopper chooses makeup with her eyes, not by text. Until she sees the color on her face, the purchase feels risky: the shade on the image differs, the consistency applies differently, and returns slow down turnover.
Virtual try-on removes this doubt — the client "puts on" the product on her photo or in the mirror and immediately understands whether the tone suits her.
The brand and the result directly affect conversion and repeat sales. But the try-on format must match where the shopper meets the brand: in the online catalog, in the mobile app, or at the offline location. Below is a comparison of three formats so you can choose a solution for your task.
Comparison of Formats
| Format | When it is chosen | How it helps business |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile app | Loyal audience, loyalty program | Own communication channel, try-on history, repeat sales |
| AR in browser | Online store, social media, product card | No installation, higher conversion, low entry barrier |
| Interactive mirror | Offline store, showroom, event | Fast choice, impulse purchases, photos on social media |
To make makeup look realistic, we use ARCore technology from Google: face tracking is stable, color is not distorted when lighting changes.
Which format to choose? An online store suits AR in the browser — it gives reach without app installation. A retail location suits an interactive mirror: it speeds up the choice and increases the average ticket. A mobile app is for long-term customer relationships and working with a loyalty program.
Project Launch Stages, Turnkey
First, we thoroughly analyze the task and ask clarifying questions — this avoids wasting time and budget on rework. You understand what you are paying for at each step, and we record agreements in documents, not "by word of mouth."
The process is designed so that you see results early on — before major resources are invested. Below is the full path from idea to a working app and its development.
- Brief and task analysis. We study your business, audience, and usage scenario: where customers will try on makeup — in the store, on the website, or through social media. We define goals: growth in conversion, average ticket, or return rate.
- Prototype and UX scenario. We develop the app logic: how the user selects a product, tries it on, and interacts with the virtual mirror. We agree on the visual concept and mechanics without a single line of code.
- Mockup and technical plan approval. We lock down the look, feature set, and timeline. You receive a detailed work plan and estimate with no hidden payments or "surprises" along the way.
- App development. Our specialists build the product on professional tools focused on precision and stability. At this stage, we lay the foundation for future updates so that code does not need to be rewritten from scratch.
- Testing on real devices. We check how the app behaves on different smartphones and under different lighting — an important nuance for makeup. We fix bugs and polish it before launch.
- Launch and publication. We prepare the app for app stores, set up analytics, and monitor the first users — you are not left without support on release day.
- Support and development. We collect user feedback, update the product catalog, and refine features. The app works and generates profit instead of becoming an "abandoned website."
At every stage, you receive a clear result and understand what is happening with the project. We do not just hand over code — we ensure its stable operation after launch so that investments pay off.
Project Scope: From Prototype to Integration
A full cycle of work — from idea to a working makeup try-on service. We take on the app prototype, design, development, AR testing, and CRM integration. The result is a ready-made tool that customers will start using right away.
What Is Included in the Delivery
- App prototype: a diagram of screens and try-on logic — you see the scenario before development starts.
- Interface design: responsive, in your style — pleasant for customers to use.
- ARCore development: precise overlay of cosmetics on the face — believable try-on without "masks."
- AR testing: verification on different devices and face types — nothing "slips."
- CRM integration: we transfer data about try-ons and orders — conversion is visible in the system.
- Instructions and training: your staff quickly gets the service running.
How the Process Works
| Stage | What happens | Your result |
|---|---|---|
| Brief and audit | We record tasks and scenario | Plan without hidden work |
| Prototype | We build the screen logic | Quick idea validation |
| Design and development | We create the interface and AR module | App in your style |
| AR testing | We check on devices | Stable operation |
| CRM integration | We set up data exchange | End-to-end analytics |
| Launch and support | We publish and train the team | Working sales channel |
We fix the plan with dates and responsible people. You receive the complete turnkey AR project scope — all that remains is to connect advertising and invite customers to try on makeup.
Case Study: A Cosmetics Chain Increased Sales with AR
A cosmetics store chain approached us with a problem: female customers often hesitate to buy foundation or lipstick because they cannot try them on in the store.
Testing dozens of shades is inconvenient, the queue at the mirror slows down sales, and some customers leave without buying.
We proposed adding AR try-on based on ARCore to the chain's mobile app — so that every customer could "apply" makeup to her photo in a couple of taps.
How It Works
After downloading the app, a customer selects a product from the catalog and sees how the shade looks on her face. The system uses the smartphone camera and professional color rendering, so the foundation looks as natural as possible.
After a minute of try-on, she adds the product to the cart and then picks it up in the store or orders delivery.
What This Gave the Business
In the first month of the AR feature, purchase conversion among try-on users grew by 32% compared with the regular catalog.
The average number of items per receipt increased thanks to complementary product recommendations — a customer sees how lipstick matches foundation and takes both. Checkout time dropped by almost half: customers arrive with shades already chosen.
Most importantly, customers remember this experience and return to the app. The share of repeat orders through the AR catalog reached 40%, and store employees no longer get distracted by endless try-ons.
According to the chain's marketing director, the feature paid for itself in the first months and became part of the brand's omnichannel strategy: online try-on led to sales growth in offline locations.
Kosmetik Life continues to work with us on new try-on formats — from selecting skincare products to virtual looks for events. For us, this confirms that AR brings measurable value to business rather than remaining an entertainment feature.
How to Choose the Right Format for Your Task?
The AR format for makeup try-on is chosen not by the visuals, but by two questions: where the audience is and what action you want to get.
If customers come to a physical store, they need quick try-on at the display or in the merchandise zone so they can immediately take the shade they like from the shelf.
If we are talking about online sales, the virtual try-on should work on the smartphone of a website visitor, without app installation or complex registration. Budget, timelines, and even the team you will need all depend on this.
For a store or salon, a stationary augmented reality mirror is optimal. It solves three tasks at once: keeps a visitor at the display, increases product contact time, and reduces the number of testers that have to be written off.
A customer sees herself "live," tries 10 shades in a minute, and makes a decision faster than with traditional selection. For a local chain or a single location, that is enough to boost purchase conversion and stand out from neighbors.
For an online store and marketing campaigns, a web version of AR that runs directly in the browser is better. Your audience does not want to download anything — they need to open a product page, point the camera at their face, and see how foundation or lipstick will look.
This format works for mass reach: it is easy to embed in a banner ad, social media post, or product card. A visitor tries on the product at home, and you get data on which shades are chosen most often and what actually makes it to the cart.
When the goal is to increase retail sales while also reaching an online audience, it makes sense to combine both formats.
The same AR solution can be used both in the store and on the website: you get a consistent try-on style, shared preference statistics, and the ability to run promotions in both channels simultaneously.
This costs more at launch but pays off because customers recognize the brand wherever they make a purchase decision.
The main selection criterion is speed of getting results and simplicity for your audience. If your customers are older on average and use smartphones less, focus on an in-store format with a large screen and consultant prompts.
If the audience is young and used to buying online, prioritize web try-on without extra steps. We select the option based on your sales channel and customer behavior so that AR delivers measurable conversion growth rather than being just a "nice feature."
Frequently Asked Questions About the Project and Guarantees
Before starting a project, clients most often ask the same things: which phones the try-on will work on, how fast we will get results, who is responsible for customer data, and what happens after launch. We answer briefly and to the point — without technical details.
Which smartphones will the try-on work on?
On most modern devices your customers use. The list of models is agreed upon at the start, and before launch we test on real phones.
How long will development take?
Timelines are fixed in the contract after the brief. A basic version is usually ready in 2–4 months, and we show progress weekly.
How is data security ensured?
Secure connection and access control. On request, we sign a confidentiality agreement and run verification before launch.
Can it be integrated with a website or CRM?
Yes. Try-on data is transferred to your accounting system, allowing you to build marketing scenarios.
What happens after launch?
We provide a warranty on our work and stay in touch. Maintenance includes monitoring, updates, and prompt fixes.
Order Development and Get a Cost Calculation
Makeup try-on via AR is a tool that increases conversion and reduces returns. But to launch it, you do not need to understand technical details: just leave a request, and we will propose a format for your task and budget.
After your inquiry, you will receive:
- AR consultation: whether try-on is right for your niche, and which scenario will bring maximum effect — on the website, in a mobile app, or at an offline location.
- Cost calculation for your scenario: a transparent estimate with no hidden work or "surprises" at the final stage.
- Launch timeline: deadlines from brief to release with clear stages so you can plan your campaign in advance.
- Integration recommendations for your online store or CRM — how try-on will increase sales and collect customer data.
- Project examples and references, so you can see how AR try-on works in practice and show it to your team or management.
Leave a request — and on the first call we will discuss your task and answer your questions. This is free and non-binding: you will get a clear picture of budget, timelines, and expected results.