Estée Lauder Companies launches beauty app for visually impaired community

Beauty conglomerate Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) UK & Ireland has launched a new artificial intelligence-powered mobile app dedicated to helping visually impaired users easily apply makeup.

The Voice-Enabled Makeup Assistance (VMA) comes as part of ELC’s ambition to better support the visually impaired community by enabling self-empowerment through their relationship with makeup.

To develop the app, ELC said it connected with customers in this category who had expressed the need for technical assistance when applying makeup.

The launch is the first iteration of the app, the company said in a release, however it intends to continuously optimise and improve the activation over the coming months.

Future additions will expand the service, with the introduction of settings such as makeup education and looks to choose from.

The app itself uses voice instruction technology to assist the user in makeup application, providing audio feedback and tips on whether products have been evenly applied via AI.

Speaking on the launch, Monica Rastogi, executive director, Corporate Cultural Relevancy and Inclusion & Diversity, said: “As a company, we are deeply committed to playing our part in creating an inclusive beauty industry.

“The launch of our VMA is an important step in our journey towards makeup accessibility for all by removing barriers to engaging with beauty products and services.”

The VMA App will initially be available via the Apple Store in the UK and through the Estée Lauder website.

It is then set to launch on the Google Play store later in the year, and across other ELC brands and markets in the near future.