Ulta is upping its tech game by adding GLAMlab Hair Try On, an app developed with Nvidia's generative artificial intelligence model. Using an uploaded photo, a selfie or a picture of a model, users can play with various styles and colors.
Ulta has been using machine-learning-driven try-on apps for years, but this new experience is Ulta's first using a generative AI application.
"GLAMlab initially launched in 2016 using augmented reality technology and was introduced across Ulta Beauty's digital platforms in 2019 to provide a unique try-on experience for beauty enthusiasts,"
says Agustina Sartori, senior director of digital innovation at Ulta Beauty, in an email to Marketing Daily. "This new generative AI-powered tool builds on that foundation, offering an even more dynamic and personalized way for guests to explore beauty virtually."
The innovation team developed the app using Nvidia's StyleGAN2, a style-based neural network architecture. Nvidia says that the new app used its StyleGAN2 network, training the app to "generate infinite images in a variety of styles."
GAN, short for generative adversarial network, is a form of deep-learning architecture. GANs train two neural networks to compete against one another - hence the term "adversarial" - to create more authentic results.
"Recognizing that beauty is deeply personal, Ulta Beauty is committed to providing convenient, innovative ways for guests to discover and experiment with new looks virtually -- before visiting our stores or The Salon at Ulta Beauty to bring their beauty dreams to life," says Sartori, who is also managing director of Prisma Ventures, Ulta's digital innovation fund.
The new application joins existing tools, such as Skin Analysis, Nail Try-On and False Lash Try-On. "Recently, we introduced GLAMlab Looks, a one-of-a-kind beauty retail tool offering four trending holiday looks (like Flirty Flush) and three engaging filters for added inspiration," she says.
Additionally, Ulta Beauty offers a virtual Hair Analysis tool powered by Myavana, which helps guests better understand hair type, texture, and needs with personalized product recommendations.
The company says GLAMlab Virtual Try On sees roughly 11.5 million visits, with users experimenting with 82 million shades of makeup, lash, brows and hair. Ulta's Skin Analysis augmented reality app has had roughly 524,000 visits, with two-thirds of those users rating it five stars for accuracy.
Users can access the new app on Ulta Beauty's website and mobile app. It takes about five seconds to generate the first image and about a second to compute for subsequent styles. Ulta's next move is to adapt the tech for wigs and also connect it to in-store salons.
The company plans to incorporate virtual trials for additional hair categories like wigs and is exploring how the virtual hairstyle try-on could be connected to in-store styling services.