Meitu taps Bretman Rock to curate virtual makeup looks

Dive Brief:

Mobile Internet company Meitu is rolling out virtual makeup looks created by top social media celebrity Bretman Rock exclusively through Meitu's MakeupPlus app, according to a press release.
The augmented reality app uses proprietary facial recognition to map each user's unique facial features; offering precise and natural virtual makeup application. Users can give themselves a full virtual makeover — from lipstick, foundation and eyelashes, to eye and hair color, faux freckles and glitter — straight from their smartphone.
To kick-off the partnership, users are encouraged to download the app, post a photo of themselves wearing one of Bretman's MakeupPlus looks and hashtag #SlayWithBretman for a chance to win all of the makeup products used in Bretman's tutorial for one of the looks.

Dive Insight:

We honestly can't vouch for Bretman Rock's various makeup looks, variously called "Boujee." "Whatevah," and other fun names, but with 10 million social media followers, he doesn't need us to.

What we can tell you is that in the last year we have seen a handful of interesting virtual try-on cosmetics applications and features emerge, like make-up and eye shadow offerings from Sephora and a lipstick-marketing chatbot from Modiface. So Meitu's augmented reality virtual try-on app isn't breaking new ground in that sense. Though, it does make perfect sense for as many cosmetics brands and retailers as possible to use this kind of app to better engage their customers.

Where the app does stand out is in its attempt to leverage name experts, including curated makeup tutorials along with makeup looks by known artists such as Rock, Lisa Eldridge and Nikkie Tutorials. It also plays up its availability of exclusive video makeup tutorials by known makeup artists.

In addition, the virtual try-on plays up community capabilities including a multi-face recognition capability that allows users to use the app's feature along with their friends and to engage with the MakeupPlus community to share and discover tips, tricks and new products. These efforts clearly are working for Meitu, as its beauty apps are used by more than 450 million monthly active users worldwide.