ars in the making. Google started working with its AR and AI partners ModiFace and Perfect Corp on a tool that would allow users to virtually try on eyeshadow, lipstick, and foundation shades online in December 2020. And the significance of this technology has not gone unnoticed by brands. “I am thrilled to partner with Google to launch this immersive experience, a step inside the world of Pat McGrath Labs, and have my products available through Google’s AR try-on,” Dame Pat McGrath, the brand’s namesake founder, said in a statement about the pop-up experience. “When it comes to makeup, I always say, ‘use without caution,’ and now you can shop without caution, too.” There are real benefits to being able to virtually try on products online, as Stephanie Horton, senior director of commerce marketing at Google, pointed out in an official statement about the launch. “AR is an incredibly helpful technology for online beauty shoppers of all skin tones and ethnicities because it allows them to envision what a beauty shade looks like on them, or on a model who resonates with them, all before they buy,” she said. “We’re thrilled that shoppers can now virtually try on Pat McGrath Labs, which offers products that complement a wide range of skin tones, right within Google’s AR Beauty tool.” The rise of AR in retail Pat McGrath Labs is the most recent beauty brand to join Google’s AR roster, following the likes of Charlotte Tilbury, L’Oreal, and MAC Cosmetics. However, beauty brands and other companies in various retail sectors have been integrating AR technology into the consumer shopping experience since well before 2020.  The first commercial use of AR is believed to have occurred in 2008. Developed by German agencies in Munich, it involved a print ad featuring an AR model of a BMW Mini. When held in front of a computer camera, the car would appear on the screen, and users could then move the car around and view it from different angles simply by shifting the physical ad.  In 2017, Swedish furniture and home furnishings retailer Ikea launched Ikea Place, an AR app that allowed consumers to virtually place products in their own home using Apple iOS 11’s ARKit technology. According to the retailer, the app automatically scaled products based on room dimensions, with 98 per cent accuracy. This allowed consumers to “try out” a piece of furniture and get a feel for whether or not it would work. In addition to virtually trying on products, AR tech also enhances the gamification experience that many retailers are looking to incorporate. Multiple beauty brands, such as E.L.F. Beauty and Supergoop, utilise unique beauty filters, such as those created by Snapchat and MaquillAR Studio, to create fun and interactive experiences for customers. In 2020, 83.1 million people in the US used AR every month, a marked jump from 68.7 million in the year prior. With consumers stuck at home during the pandemic and unable to test out products in store, many switched over to using AR services to get a better sense of the product they were trying to purchase. Even since Covid restrictions have loosened and consumers have returned to shopping in-store, many people, especially those in the Gen Z age group, are interested in using AR technology.  According to visual commerce platform Threekit, there will be 1.4 billion AR device users by the end of 2023, and 71 per cent of consumers said they would shop more often if they used AR. Sofi Chernyak, founder of MaquillAR Studio, a custom AR platform that has worked with clients ranging from Maybelline to YSL Beauty, pointed out that AR technology is no longer a flash-in-the-pan trend, but rather a long-term fixture in the world of retail.  “We do not see AR effects as just a ”hot new thing’ anymore but as a widely adopted tool helping engage, inspire communities, and drive sales,” Chernyak commented. “Specifically in the beauty world, augmented reality proved itself to be useful as today we collectively are investing so much in our personal brands. The spotlight that it shines on the user allows brands to gain their organic interest and gamify the customer journey up until the purchase online or in IRL.”