News: Sally Beauty's YouCam-Powered AR Try-on Kiosks Land in 500 US Stores

Another major retailer is putting all its chips in on the relentless rise of selfie culture.

Sally Beauty is rolling out kiosks to try-on "some of its best" hair dyes in 500 of its stores throughout the US. The in-store augmented reality-powered kiosks invite you to view yourself on video, overlay a punky (or otherwise) hair color, and snap a selfie on the screen to share your #glowup with friends.

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The beauty chain says its new AR try-on feature also extends to its shopping app launched in June, available for Android and iOS. Initially, the app allowed customers shop and track Sally Beauty reward-points, but now it also lets them test a whole new look in augmented reality with hair color, eyeshadow, blush, and lipstick. You know, "the works."

For lovely lipstick looks provided by the company, you can thank the AR technology behind Perfect Corp's YouCam Makeup app. The company's technology was deployed in both Sally Beauty's new augmented reality kiosks and in the Sally Beauty app, the fruit of a pairing between the two companies that launched earlier this year, Perfect Corp. told Next Reality.

Fresh from a deal to create try-on experiences for large Chinese website Alibaba, Perfect Corp. seems to have clinched another win with Sally Beauty, which has 3,700 stores across three continents.

Also partnering with Perfect Corp. on AR try-on kiosks, Target has set up digital displays in its beauty departments. However, Target has a lower-key AR kiosk campaign, serving only 10 stores so far.

As for competitors in the rapidly growing AR beauty space, L'Oréal-owned app Modiface has in the past collaborated with Sephora to develop in-store "AR mirrors." The company has also provided AR try-ons for a Canadian drugstore to help sell beauty products, but that experience targeted customers using a laptop browser.

AR selfie kiosks, mirrors, and displays (pick your terminology, the space is evolving at light speed) are also used for driving non-beauty product publicity (see AT&T's recent football selfie kiosks), but, so far, the cosmetics industry appears to be the most natural fit for the technology.

With AR kiosks popping up everywhere you look, augmented reality, and selfie fans, will soon be unstoppable.