Make-Up App for Visually Impaired Consumers
Published 19 January 2023
Globally, 1.1 billion people were living with vision loss in 2020 (IAPB, 2021). To better serve this cohort, US beauty giant Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) has developed a new app to help consumers with such conditions apply make-up. It’s currently available in the UK and will expand to other countries later this year.
Powered by the brand’s augmented reality and artificial intelligence developments, the Voice-Enabled Makeup Assistant analyses the application of cosmetics on a person’s face to assess uniformity, boundaries and coverage. It provides vocal feedback by identifying whether anything appears uneven, offering descriptions of specific areas that could be touched up or adjusted.
Prior to the launch, the app was tested by people of various ethnicities and with different types of sight impairments. To personalise their experiences and preferences, it lets users customise the speed of the audio, and even change the voice to something that feels more familiar to them (via the accessibility settings on their devices). The tool is free to download and works on all cosmetics, even if they aren’t from ELC brands.
The company spoke with individuals within the visual impairment community during the development process. “What became very clear was that they didn’t have the independence they wanted when it came to using beauty and make-up products, and they had to rely on others,” said Monica Rastogi, director of corporate cultural relevancy and inclusion and diversity at ELC UK & Ireland.
As the technology evolves, the company intends to develop features like specific looks to choose from, tutorials using ELC offerings, and in-app purchases. Innovations like this showcase the industry’s ability to transform inclusive user experiences and enhance product usability with new tech developments.
For further insights, Stylus members can access CES 2023: Beauty.
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