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Digital Beauty:
Change your looks, virtually…
With spring just around the corner and a long weekend to kill, I decided I needed a whole new look - new makeup, new hair, the works. Naively, I thought giving myself a makeover would be easy as a trip to the drugstore, with last week's paycheck burning a hole in my purse. In reality, I found myself standing bewilderedly in the hair-colour aisle, thumbing the little swatches of fake, dyed hair in confusion, not knowing which shade would make me look gorgeous and which would make me look god-awful. The same thing happened in the cosmetics section: what is the difference between Pretty in Pink and Perfectly Pink gloss? Needless to say, my walk home was less than triumphant. That is, until I logged on to the Internet, where, I discovered, I could test a variety of cosmetics and hairstyles on myself - even those I'd never dare try in public - without doing any permanent damage.
For a pain-free makeover, try some digital beauty. Sites like iVillage's Makeover-o-Matic (above) will let you try out new looks before committing to anything.
The first thing I did was upload a photo of myself to iVillage's Makeover-o-Matic, where I played around with various hairstyles and makeup schemes. Deciding to put the old adage, "blondes have more fun," to the test, I digitally dyed my as-close-to-black-as-brown-gets hair a pale strawberry blonde. I discovered that light hair, however, makes me look more like Casper the Ghost than Claudia Schiffer. Scary.
After a whole afternoon of experimenting, I came away with only a couple of ideas for my spring makeover, but the fun factor made it worth the time and effort. (Not to mention all the pictures of myself sporting Cher-hair and blue shadow à la 1980s to send to my friends.) Here are a few tips on how you can make yourself over online, too.
Photos work best. While some sites let you use "virtual models" to test hairstyles and cosmetics, it's best to upload a photo of yourself, if you can. Make sure your photo is in colour and isn't blurry, with you looking straight ahead, hair pulled back, makeup removed and lips sealed. Remember: while a hairstyle may look amazing online, your hairdresser can only do as much as your hair allows. A printout of the look you create, however, can definitely serve as a guideline for your new look.
Here are a few sites to get you started:
Shoppers Drug Mart Virtual Makeover. Pick a "virtual model" on which to perform your makeover magic, or upload your own photo to the site. While the makeup you choose to test looks real and natural when applied online, only one product line - Quo - is currently available to try.L'Oréal Paris EasyColour. Many cosmetic companies that offer online makeovers are restricted to American users or don't guarantee product availability in Canada. L'Oréal Canada, however, guarantees you'll actually be able to go out and buy any product you try online. Along with the basic lipstick, blush, eyeliner and eye shadows, you can test foundation, powder, mascara, hair colour and nail polish. The one drawback is it takes about 24 hours to upload your photo.
The Hair Styler. Though you have to pay to use the full version, the free demo (using a model with limited options) shows why it may be worth the six-month membership of $14.95 US. Choose from among 1,500 hairstyles and download 100 new ones each month. When you select a style, a synopsis gives you the name of the cut, hair suitability and styling directions.
Makeover Solutions and Makeover-o-Matic. Register for free to automatically upload your photo. After tracing your eyes, brows and lips (so the tool knows where to swipe shadow and gloss), play with hairstyles, hair colour, cosmetics, contacts, eyewear and headwear. Both sites are powered by the same technology, with only slight differences: Makeover Solutions offers more cosmetics to try while Makeover-o-Matic has more hairstyles and a better choice of accessories. The cosmetics are real, with the company's name and the shade of the product clearly marked.
Clinique. The first thing you should do when you visit Clinque.ca is register to receive your own, personalized Skin Report, which consists of a quick survey. Once your skin type and tone is discovered, Clinique recommends skin products and cosmetics that are perfectly suited to you. There's only one drawback: Canadians can't shop online, so you will have to visit a Clinique counter to purchase the items you love.
Lancôme Paris. Get a free Personal Makeup Consultation at Lancôme.ca - just answer a few questions about yourself (hair and eye colour, complexion, makeup preferences), and Lancôme will recommend the products and shades to suit you best. Like Clinique, there is no online store available to Canadians, but check out the store locator to find the Lancôme counter nearest you.
Revlon. Find Your Best Face by answering a few questions at Revlon.ca. The survey also gives helpful tips on how to determine your skin type and tone. Your answers are totaled to produce the best product choice for your makeup needs.
Cover Girl. Cover Girl does fun beauty consultation online! Get shade and product recommendations just for you, expert tips and exclusive offers. Filling out the questionnaire gets you a Make-Up Bag filled with personalized beauty solutions, products and great looks. ¤ Noa