Use new AR features to shop for beauty products and shoes

There’s something special about shopping in a store: the lights, the scents, the music. While we can’t experience all those little details when we shop online, we’re making big improvements to AR shopping on Google to bring the most important part of a store — the product — to life.

Find your foundation shade

Foundation is the most-searched category within makeup. It’s also one of the most personal products you can buy — the slightest change in color or tone can make a big difference. But photos of foundation on models don’t always reflect the diversity of shoppers, and other times, you can only find images of the product’s packaging. This makes it especially hard to find the best shade and product. In fact, among online beauty shoppers, more than 60% have decided not to purchase a beauty or cosmetic item online because they didn’t know what color or shade to choose, and 41% have decided to return an item because it was the wrong shade.

So today we’re announcing a new AR shopping feature that makes it much easier to find your foundation match. Developed with guidance from beauty brands, our new photo library features 148 models representing a diverse spectrum of skin tones, ages, genders, face shapes, ethnicities and skin types. Backed by Google’s technology, this library is a big step toward changing the way people shop for makeup online, helping you better visualize what different products look like on you.

Here’s how it works: Search for a foundation shade on Google across a range of prices and brands, like “Clinique Even Better Foundation.” You’ll see what that foundation looks like on models with a similar skin tone, including before and after shots, to help you decide which one works best for you. Once you’ve found one you like, just select a retailer to buy.

Try out products in 3D and AR

We’re continuing to help shoppers discover even more products using 3D and AR. Similar to how you can view furniture in your space with our AR home goods feature, you can now shop for sneakers using AR. Starting today, you can spin, zoom and see the shoes in your space as you decide if the color, laces, tread or sole fit your style.

You can start exploring products from brands like Saucony, VANS and Merrell today, with more coming soon. (Any brand with 3D assets for sneakers or home goods can now participate.) Just search for a sneaker type, like “Shop blue VANS sneakers,” and tap “View in my space.”

Shoppers engage with 3D imagery 50% more than static ones, which presents a big opportunity for brands. As we announced in September, we’re investing in new ways to create 3D spins of shoes, a process that’s usually time consuming and expensive for brands. We’ll start using this technology in the coming months.

There's no replacing the feeling of visiting your favorite store. But for the days you just can’t make it there, these features can help bring that experience to you. And we’ll keep working on ways to make online shopping more life-like, so you can get your shopping done with confidence — and feel like you really are there.