CAKE AR platform puts virtual makeup on your face in real time
All you need is a webcam and a browser.
Last year, one of my fellow Engadget editors got to try some jewelry without actually putting them on through FaceCake's augmented reality platform. Turns out the company also created a variant for makeup, and Cargo, one of its brand partners, is already putting it to good use. Unlike most virtual makeover apps, you don't have to upload a pic to use it. You don't even have to download any add-on. It was built with HTML5 and JavaScript, and so long as you have a webcam, you can try on virtual makeup in real time right on your browser.
Cargo has already activated the feature on its lipstick and eyeshadow pages, which you can play with right now. While I notice a little bit of lag (and I do wish I can change the program's lip shape to fit mine), the virtual products can follow your face around if you don't move too fast or too close to the camera. Shopping platforms like CAKE can make buying makeup online loads easier, especially if there aren't a lot of beauty bloggers that share your skin tone. You might not be able to test a lipstick's longevity or texture, but even just having an idea of what a product might look like on you is better than buying blind.
