In 2014, L’Oréal Paris makeup sales were stagnating. L’Oréal Paris was losing market share both to cheaper mass brands (which were winning on price) and to specialist brands like MAC and MakeUp Forever, which were associated with professional makeup artists and were winning on expertise. To increase revenue, we knew we needed to increase brand awareness and consumer demand, particularly among young women.

It was time to disrupt the conventions of the category.

Cosmetic aisles and counters can be confusing places: there are so many choices and women aren’t sure which products will look good on them. Many women stick with familiar products because they are afraid to risk buying something they haven’t tried on first. In-store trial is impossible in mass retailers. We knew that if we could get more women to try L’Oréal Paris makeup, we could increase consumer demand.

So we decided to reinvent product sampling, with an innovative service that would shake up the world of makeup.

Our Idea: Create the first app that uses augmented reality, so women can try on makeup anywhere, anytime, using nothing but a smartphone.

Makeup Genius scans your face, and allows you to try any product from a huge range of L'Oréal Paris cosmetics from wherever you are: instantly and totally realistically. You can see exactly how different lipstick colors work with your skin tone, or how the right mascara or liquid liner can make your eyes pop. Thanks to the incredible technology of augmented reality, women feel like they are actually wearing the cosmetics.

With Makeup Genius, L’Oréal Paris doesn’t make a traditional product pitch, but creates an interactive experience, inspiring consumers to design their own looks. MakeUp Genius turns women from passive consumers into active creators. It allows women to try products anytime, day or night, and then purchase those products directly from their mobile device. The app allows for playful experimentation, but has also reinforced the brand’s reputation for innovation in the beauty industry.

With MakeUp Genius, we reinvented product sampling and revolutionized category norms. Makeup Genius also brought L’Oréal Paris closer to women and has made the brand more meaningful in consumers’ lives.

Our objective was to increase brand awareness and product trial, and we achieved that objective. Today, more than 60 countries have adapted the application for their local markets, which triggered more than 16 million downloads worldwide and trial of more than 270 million products. This has resulted in a huge sales boost: color products—which represent the majority of products featured in the app—have experienced double digit global growth since the launch of Makeup Genius.

And L’Oréal Paris Makeup Genius is now the No. 1 makeup app in the beauty market.