Pinterest's New Virtual 'Try On' Feature Lets You Sample Lipstick Shades Without Leaving Home

Buying new lipstick shades online without a chance to try them on can be a gamble. And heading to a makeup counter to test colors in person is, well, a whole thing. That's why Pinterest dropped its new virtual "Try On" feature that uses augmented reality to let you sample tons of real lipstick hues from brands like Sephora, Neutrogena, Estee Lauder, and more, so you can explore shades and try before you buy. Color-testing without the hassle of removing every sample or putting on real pants? Yes, please.

Here's how it works. In the Pinterest mobile app, navigate to Lens (Pinterest's AR camera and visual search tool) by tapping the camera icon to the right of the search bar. Once in Lens, look for the "Try On" icon (you'll see a pair of lips) in the bottom-right corner and tap to start trying on lip shades. Alternatively, you can type a lipstick-related term (like "nude lipstick") into the main search bar; the option to use Try On will appear among the top search results. If you love what you see while testing out colors, you can swipe up for more details on where to shop that exact product, save it to buy later, or scroll through more related Pins with similar looks.

To make the lipstick try-on experience as authentic as possible, Lens doesn't employ any camera effects like artificial skin toning or image altering. You can also further customize your search for the perfect shade by using the integrated skin tone range feature. "As we focus on building inclusive products, we've integrated Try On with our skin tone range feature, so Pinners can see similar lip shades on skin tones that match their own," Pinterest shared in a blog post announcing the launch.

Right now lipstick is the only category with the Try On capability, but stay tuned for more AR beauty categories coming to Pinterest in the future (Nail polish colors? Blush? Hair colors? So many possibilities!)