L’Oreal has reported that its app Makeup Genius, launched last year, has made up 4.7million of its downloads in China of its total 14 million over all. 

The app acts as a mirror and allows women to virtually try on cosmetics. The looks depend on the colours chosen by the consumer but can include red lips, dark eyes, a more natural feel or any number of beauty combinations. The popularity of the app has been put down to the fact that there is a high online population of 668 million with 594 million of these online consumers using mobile devices.

Chief Marketing Officer for L’Oréal China, Asmita Dubey, says “Girls in China can be shy to apply make-up if they are at the counter or if they are going out with friends – they don’t want to put on very dark lipstick, very dark eye shadow.
“There’s no culture of makeup passed down from mom to daughter that has been there for years, so for a girl like that to get a virtual experience and try some new looks, that’s something she wants to do.”

The app also allows consumers that live outside the more developed cities to access the brand and buy online. In a further nod to its successful social media campaign, users can share their looks online through WeChat and purchase their products from Alibaba’s e-Commerce site.