Dislike: Beauty Mirror Is an App That Performs Virtual Plastic Surgery
You’re used to us raising our praise hands to the smartphone apps we feature week in and week out on Brit + Co, but an app that launched today has left us feeling way less enthused. The DL in question is called Beauty Mirror, a free iOS app from augmented reality pioneers ModiFace that lets you apply real-time video effects on your face and view how they look at any angle. Unforch, the list of instant effects are pretty cringe-worthy, ranging from “nose reshaping, eye enlargement, skin smoothing, weight loss and MUCH MORE” facial Photoshopping that should bum out even the most die-hard selfie snappers.
Obvs, we have major “thumbs down” issues with the app’s current application. But that’s not to say that Beauty Mirror couldn’t have a permanent place on our home screens in the near future… once it does a bit of a 180-degree turn, that is.
We’re absolutely taken with the 3D face tracking technology that turns your smart device into a completely customizable virtual mirror, and it should excite you, too. That’s because this kind of on-the-spot simulated application has the potential to totally revolutionize the way we shop for anything that requires trying on before YOU — not bizarro beauty you — buy it. Stepping foot inside a dressing room or going for a palette-wide test ride in the makeup counter chair might totally be so 2014 if this app ever taps its full potential. So while we’ll leave the Beauty Mirror of today in the App Store, we’ll brainstorm the ways we’ll all actually want to use the Beauty Mirror of the (really near) future.
Makeup
The good news is that Beauty Mirror has already started making positive strides in the makeup realm. It’s already partnered with Sephora to create in-store screens that let you virtually try on eyeshadow before you cram up your at-home vanity space with shades you don’t seriously vibe with — a huge leap from matching skin tones with virtual models or coloring in digital face charts. While the concept has only currently launched in Milan, we’re crossing our fingers for a world-wide rollout asap.
Hairstyling
Swooning over pastel hairstyles but really unsure if you could pull off the look? If even a DIY color trial is out of the picture, Beauty Mirror could help overlay your fantasy hue of choice onto your IRL haircut so you can see just how fun + flattering that purple ‘do could be. One small step for technology could equal one massive beauty leap for lady-kind :)
Clothes
Online shopping would be more stress-free than ever if your favorite e-tailers had a feature that let you virtually step into all those to-die-for dresses before you pulled the sartorial trigger (and that really would mean never having to deal with the fluorescent fitting room glow ever again!). Even though we like seeing what those garments look like on similar-shaped models like on Metail’s site, we’d love a peek at how they’ll really look on US.
What other applications can you think up for Beauty Mirror? Which would be the most helpful for the way you shop for beauty + fashion? Tell us in the comments below.