Imagine being able to try eye shadow or lipstick before buying it in just a matter of seconds. Makeup Genius by L'Oreal makes this possible with only your phone's camera, letting you try on make up virtually.

Augmented reality makeup

Makeup Genius uses augmented reality techniques to make up any face - whether man or woman. You can apply preset looks or try specific L'Oreal products in different shades. Each change is applied instantly on your image. 

The result can be shared with friends, but the app does not save your work to the camera roll or image gallery. Product selection is also quite limited since it's a L'Oreal app. However, if you're in a store, you can scan a product into the app to try it on virtually.

Shoot, select, smile

You use Makeup Genius by taking a picture of yourself and choosing from one of the preset looks or by applying specific products you want to try. To apply makeup to your face accurately, you have to calibrate your selfie with a reference image. 

The accuracy of Makeup Genius is very good if you're looking directly at the camera. If you tilt your head too much or make an exaggerated facial expression, it will throw off the app. Calibration is pretty simple and requires moving slightly to center your face. 

A fun and useful app

Makeup Genius is a great app because of how easy it is to use. It's limited by its product selection and functionality but its ease of use make up for it.