Virtual try-on for salons

Virtual try-on uses a phone or tablet camera to show a client a hair color, a makeup shade or a look on their own face before anything is applied. For salons, the most common use is the color consultation: a client who says she wants to go copper can see a few shades on her own face and point at the one she means, which cuts down on the gap between what a client pictures and what a stylist hears.

Most tools here are sold to beauty brands and retailers more than to single salons. Perfect Corp and ModiFace power try-on features for large cosmetics and hair color brands, and many professional color lines offer try-on inside their own salon apps. Banuba sells a developer kit that other apps build on. Revieve and Haut.AI focus on skin and hair analysis from a selfie, which spas and skincare retailers use for consultations and product advice. MirrAR covers jewelry and accessories as well as makeup.

Be clear about what try-on can and cannot show. A camera preview paints color onto a picture of the hair. It cannot know the client's starting level, past color, porosity or how much the hair will lift. Treat it as a way to agree on a direction, then do the real consultation and strand test as you always would. Say this to the client too, so the preview does not become a promise.

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6 salon and spa tools in virtual try-on for salons

Perfect Corp

AI and AR beauty tech for brands and retailers: virtual makeup and hair color try-on, skin analysis and face shape tools.

ModiFace

by L'Oréal

L'Oréal's augmented reality and AI unit, behind virtual makeup and hair color try-on and skin diagnostics for the group's brands.

Banuba

Face tracking and AR SDK for apps and websites, with virtual makeup, hair color and face filter try-on that developers build into products.

  • Developer API

Revieve

AI beauty advisor for brands and retailers, with skin analysis, product matching and virtual try-on on product pages.

Haut.AI

AI skin and hair analysis from a selfie, offered to skincare brands, clinics and retailers for consultations and product advice.

  • Developer API

MirrAR

Virtual try-on for jewelry, makeup and accessories, used by retailers on websites and in stores.

For retail, try-on works best when shades match real products on your shelf. If you sell a brand that offers try-on in its app or website, ask your rep how to use it in the salon. For a spa or skin clinic, skin analysis tools can give a starting point for a facial consultation and product advice, but they are not a medical diagnosis.

A practical way to start is with the brands you already carry. Ask your color and skincare reps which try-on or analysis tools come with their education programs, try them during a few consultations, and ask clients whether the preview helped them decide. Keep the tool only if it shortens the conversation instead of adding a step to it.

Check privacy before you use any face tool. Ask where images are processed, whether they are stored, for how long, and whether they are used to train the vendor's models. Get the client's permission before taking a photo, and do not save images to a shared device without a reason.

Questions about virtual try-on for salons

Is virtual hair color try-on accurate?

It is good for showing a shade and how it looks with a client's skin tone. It cannot predict how real hair will take color, which depends on starting level, history and condition. Use it to agree on a direction, then do a proper consultation.

Can a single salon use these tools?

Some are sold only to brands and retailers. Many professional color lines offer try-on inside their own salon apps, and some consumer apps work in a consultation too. Ask the brands you already carry what they offer.

Do I need the client's permission to scan their face?

Yes, ask first and explain what happens to the image. Face images are sensitive data in many places. Choose tools that say clearly where images go and whether they are stored.

Is skin analysis a medical diagnosis?

No. Selfie skin analysis gives a cosmetic view of things such as dryness or spots, which can help a facial consultation or product advice. Anything that looks like a medical problem should go to a doctor or dermatologist.

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