There are a few instances in history that totally changed the way we shop: The invention of the credit card, the advent of the mall, a little thing called the World Wide Web. Most recently, the pandemic has affected the way we consume goods, especially makeup. Remember the days when you would stroll down the aisle of your favorite beauty store, swatching and sampling the many different colors and textures of the season? COVID-19 has taken us far from that haven, essentially eliminating in-store testers for hygiene reasons. But there are new ways to play with product and innovative looks from home.
We've partnered with YouCam Makeup app to bring the pages of our recent issues to life — virtually, of course. You can use the augmented reality technology to try on several looks from our colorful shoots, and you can shop products curated by our editors right in the app. When you download the YouCam Makeup app, you'll see that there is a special Allure section with plenty to play with. You can also try on several new products from Too Faced, our exclusive advertising partner.
Christian Siriano gown. Phillip Lim top. Bottega Veneta and Grace Lee rings.
On Whitney Peak: Philosophy di Lorenzo blouse. Saint Laurent blazer. Third Crown necklace.
As you might imagine, our collective interest in trying on makeup from the comfort of home peaked amid the pandemic: YouCam Makeup now has over 950 million downloads globally. So, for our Science of Beauty issue, we dug into the augmented-reality app's data to discover the makeup users have tried on the most this year. The results? What you see here: sheer cranberry lipstick and warm purple eye shadow.
Illustration by Samantha Hahn
If you want to wear the look in — gulp — real life, you can turn to the app's new offshoot, YouCam Tutorial, which uses artificial intelligence to project a brushstroke-by-brushstroke tutorial onto your face so you can easily follow along.
Photographs by Ben Hassett, Stylist: Shibon Kennedy, Hair: Orlando Pita, Makeup: Raisa Flowers, Nails: Naomi Yasuda. Face chart by Samantha Hahn.
A version of this story originally appeared in recent print issues of Allure. Learn how to subscribe here.