Is This the End of In-Store Makeup Testers At Beauty Stores?

Virtual Try-On Experiences Will Reign

For beauty stores, providing access to makeup artists online is a good first step, but long-term success may just depend on how well they expand their virtual offerings to act as a stand-in for the in-person experience.

Sephora, for example, has its Beauty Advisor — an arsenal of digital tools that can help you narrow down the product selection, including a virtual artist — whereas Ulta has its Glamlab.

"We understand part of the joy of shopping for beauty products is being able to touch, play and explore," said Arnaudo. "While that is not possible in today's current climate, we are excited to introduce guests to Glamlab, our virtual try-on capability within the Ulta Beauty app, if they aren't already using it."

The feature is meant to be used as a safer alternative to in-store testers, letting you swatch everything from eyeshadow and lipstick to hair colour before buying.

Certain Categories Will Still Thrive In-Store

While virtual try-ons can certainly help with select purchases, Richards says certain beauty categories — like fragrance — simply require the sensorial experience. The key for retailers, then, will be to figure out what that looks like from an in-store tester perspective.

"I could never buy a fragrance online," said Richards. "It mixes with your body chemistry, you have to experience something, try it on."

The good news is that scent doesn't carry quite the same cross-contamination potential as, say, a lipstick, but whether that's enough to convince consumers — even the non-germaphobes — only time will tell.