essie makes applying nail polish colors a virtual reality with its new on demand, try-on service

essie® on-hand launches as a new-to-market virtual try-on experience

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Feb 19, 2021, 08:30 ET

NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- essie, America's nail salon expert since 1981, introduces essie® on-hand, in partnership with ModiFace: a virtual try-on salon that allows users to discover essie nail polishes using the highest standard in nail try-on services. this web-based tool is the first to utilize primary camera technology – virtual nail polish appears seamlessly on the user's hand, tracking nail shape and movement of fingers through your back-facing camera. the precise AR application and color depiction means you can see the real essie shade on the real you.

with essie® on-hand, you can apply essie colors anytime, anywhere. discover and apply essie nail polishes virtually on the spot right from essie.com without the hassle of downloading an app. try and ready to buy? it's easy to add product to cart and check out on select essie retailers right from your phone or computer.

COLORS ON HAND

the essie® on hand virtual tool is launching first with a full palette of exquisite, long-lasting gel couture colors, a salon quality & longwear polish in 2 easy steps. The try-on expertly captures the result of using the high-adherence gel couture color (step 1) with the high-shine top coat (step 2) through a virtual lens. discover 75 glamorous gel couture shades at your fingertips, including the newly launched gel couture brilliant brocades collection.

"essie designs and creates all of our products with impeccable nuanced color and precise and easy application," says Carolyn Holba, General Manager for essie worldwide. "our new essie on hand virtual try-on salon is no different! it's the highest standard in nail try on services to make discovering essie colors fun, easy and accessible."

COLOR EXPERTISE + AR GO HAND IN HAND

essie, a global nail industry leader, has partnered with Modiface, a leading AR technology expert to launch this new tool. the result is over a year of collaboration to power a back-facing camera AR experience, the first for the L'Oréal Group,

"ModiFace has been the leader in beauty tech for over a decade, and thanks to a close partnership with the essie team, we have again been able to push our artificial intelligence and augmented reality technologies to new heights. we are excited to continue collaborating with essie on reinventing the nail industry," says Jeff Houghton, ModiFace Chief Operating Officer.

HOW IT WORKS

users are prompted to choose from the below try-on options:

1. live camera
2. upload a photo
3. use the readily available model hands and select a skin tone filter + nail shape

shop gel couture nail polish shades by color or collection and watch nail polish appear seamlessly on user's (or model's) hand
ready to pick a shade? add polish to your cart and essie.com will direct you to a select retailer to check out and purchase

essie® on hand will be available in the U.S. beginning February 19, with plans to expand its color offering and features over the next several months. the virtual try-on salon will be stocked with hundreds of favorite essie colors, soon including your favorite essie original, expressie quick dry and TREAT LOVE & COLOR shades. users can expect to unlock exclusive features and be the first to try on new essie collections, in some cases, before they're even available for purchase. the brand will also include QR codes at select retailers to help try before you buy in-store.

ABOUT essie®

America's nail salon expert since 1981, essie aims to inspire a love for the manicure experience with a wit and style that touches the hearts of people everywhere. essie is the go-to nail brand for beauty professionals, industry insiders, celebrities and fashion icons around the world. the brand offers a portfolio of nail products and diverse palette of colors that includes: essie^®original, a vast range of iconic and on-trend nuanced colors, gel couture^TM, 2-step longwear system, TREAT LOVE & COLOR^TMadvanced color and strength, and new expressie, quick dry on-the-fly polish. essie is beloved for its salon-quality formulas, witty shade names and over 1,000 colors. whether in salon, at home, on the runway or red carpet, essie believes in bringing people together through color; something powerful, collectible, personal and so much fun! since its introduction by Essie Weingarten, essie has delighted the color-obsessed with a love shared all over the world.

ABOUT Modiface ®

ModiFace, founded by University of Toronto engineering professor Parham Aarabi, became a global market leader in augmented reality and artificial intelligence for the Beauty industry.

ModiFace is reshaping the beauty experience. Wherever there is a touchpoint with our consumers, ModiFace is there, shared with retail and advertising partners. We've developed unique technologies to show real results in real time. Virtual makeup try-on, virtual hair color try-on and augmented reality shopping – our customers enjoy the red carpet treatment, anytime, anywhere.

For Press Enquiries Please Contact
Ali Carter Cognetti
essie - director, brand communications
[email protected]

Christine Mascera
BPCM - account supervisor
[email protected]

SOURCE essie