L’Oréal is doubling down on its metaverse efforts.
The beauty giant is bringing a range of gaming-inspired hair and makeup looks to Ready Player Me, a cross-game avatar platform that allows users to customize 3D-animated avatars and use them across more than 3,000 metaverse platforms.
Created in partnership with CGI artist Evan Rochette, L’Oréal Professionnel has launched five trend-led hair looks on the platform, while Maybelline New York has released five colorful makeup looks.
“Our approach was not to duplicate realistic looks — it was to push the boundaries of creativity and bring people looks that they could not have in real life,” said Camille Kroely, chief metaverse and Web3 officer at L’Oréal.
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The initiative comes after a slew of immersive beauty experiences by L’Oréal, including Maybelline’s recent Virtual Loft, which allowed consumers to watch makeup tutorials and virtually try-on looks, and L’Oréal’s newly minted partnership with Meta to support and incubate AR and avatar creation start-ups.
“We want to crack the codes of beauty within [the metaverse], and to do that, we’re partnering with key players who know the field,” Kroely said. “When it comes to avatar customization, people are very much focused on fashion today — there’s a huge untapped opportunity in hair and makeup.”
While L’Oréal is testing the waters on Ready Player Me with L’Oréal Professionnel and Maybelline, it plans to bring other brands from its portfolio further into the digital beauty realm as well, taking what Kroely describes as a “test-and-learn” approach.
“We’ll see what looks resonate with people, and develop more from there. We want to explore a multibrand approach that will bring more creativity, expertise, diversity and tech to hair and makeup,” Kroely said.
A leading cross-game avatar platform, Ready Player Me has teamed with several fashion brands to date including New Balance and Pull&Bear, and presents an avenue for beauty brands seeking to get in on the fledgling customizable avatar opportunity, as well.