A robot manufactures a personalized foundation product at AMORE Seongsu in Seongdong District, May 23. Korea Times photo by Park Jin-hai
Imagine stepping into a futuristic beauty hub where advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology conjures up customized makeup specifically for your skin.
At AMORE Seongsu, this is now a reality. Nestled in Seoul's trendy Seongsu neighborhood, this flagship store of cosmetics giant Amorepacific showcases the cutting-edge integration of AI in the beauty industry, offering personalized cosmetics experiences that redefine skincare.
Once a car repair shop, AMORE Seongsu now buzzes with the excitement of visitors exploring 1,200 products from 30 distinct Amorepacific brands. The highlight, however, is TONEWORK, where AI data creates custom makeup tailored to each individual's unique skin profile.
This reporter tried making a personalized foundation based on on-the-spot AI skin analysis at AMORE Seongsu, May 23.
To access the custom Hera foundation service at TONEWORK, reservations are essential to consult with colorists and makeup artists. Even without reservation, numerous AI-powered tablets in the store allow you to scan your face and receive instant suggestions for matching products on-site.
Hera's Silky Stay Foundation is available in 125 shades. The Silky Stay Custom Match service using the Skintone Finder is available at AMORE Seongsu. Courtesy of Amorepacific
To access the custom Hera foundation service at TONEWORK, reservations are essential to consult with colorists and makeup artists. Even without reservation, numerous AI-powered tablets in the store allow you to scan your face and receive instant suggestions for matching products on-site.
Upon entering the flagship store, I made my way to the cleansing room to ensure a pristine canvas for an accurate skin tone measurement. After inputting basic information such as nationality, gender and age group, I selected up to three skin concerns, opting for freckles and uneven skin tone.
The diagnosis began with the use of the Skintone Finder — a stick featuring six circles of varying colors. Developed with patented technology from KAIST, this innovative tool gauged various aspects of my skin. The top and bottom circles measured the brightness, while the left and right circles assessed yellowness and pinkness.
AI-powered Skintone Finder, a stick with six circles of different colors, is placed on a customer's cheek at AMORE Seongsu in Seongdong District, May 23. Korea Times photo by Park Jin-hai
As the tool was placed against the cheek and brought closer to the camera, the circles on the screen transitioned to green. After three photos were taken, the diagnosis concluded. The AI suggested the shade 28N1 for the skin. The "N" stands for neutral.
However, the customization didn't stop there. Adding a humane touch, the makeup artist presented three alternative shades, each slightly brighter or darker than the recommended one, and applied them for comparison.
Despite the recommended color being an exact match, given my preference for vibrant looks over natural ones, the makeup artist suggested a slightly brighter option, 27N1.
Then the robot stationed beside the skin measuring station took over, springing into action. Mixing the color and ingredients to concoct my personalized foundation, the robotic arm performed a mini cosmetics show — shaking a foundation bottle, deftly wielding a beauty brush, and even dancing a bit. It's worth noting that TONEWORK clinched the Innovation Award in Robotics category at the CES 2023.
Within just 10 minutes, a freshly made customized foundation was ready. For someone accustomed to the limited range of foundation shades — typically #13 for lighter skin, #21 for mid-range tones and #23 for darker skin — the sight of over 150 shade options was astonishing. What's more, each shade could be tailored to either a glow or semi-matte finish, available in both liquid and cushion foundation formulations.
The entire trial lasts around 40 minutes, with the customized product crafted on-site. According to the custom cosmetic compounding manager overseeing the process, the freshly made product is recommended for use within one year. Thanks to its relatively low cost — priced at 70,000 won ($50), inclusive of the product — the experience is in high demand. With only nine time slots available per day, booking for this personalized cosmetics service is highly competitive, according to an Amorepacific official.
A customer measures his skin tone at AMORE Seongsu in Seongdong District, May 23. Korea Times photo by Park Jin-hai
Even on a weekday afternoon, the store bustled with visitors from diverse locations around the globe. Among them was John Angsuvarnsiri, 35, from Thailand, who was exploring Seoul with his boyfriend and brother. He expressed his keen desire to visit the store, inspired by a brief TikTok video he had stumbled upon.
"As guys, it is difficult to find foundation in my shade that I'm comfortable to wear. When I heard (about this place) I wanted to test it out. We are quite surprised, it is a good match and quite natural. The experience of entering here, garden and the whole atmosphere make me feel more calm while testing out all these products," he said.
"In Bangkok, it is very normal for guys to go to cosmetic stores but Korean cosmetics are known to have too light of a shade for Thai people. So for brands like this to have wide range, it is good for us," he said adding that he likes K-cosmetics because they are reasonably priced but high in quality.
Customers try out various cosmetics products at AMORE Seongsu in Seongdong District, May 23. Korea Times photo by Park Jin-hai
Shawn Pham, 39, Angsuvarnsiri's Vietnamese boyfriend, echoed similar sentiments, noting the absence of AI-powered cosmetics services in both Vietnam and Thailand. Reflecting on his own struggles to find the right shade for his skin, he expressed keen interest upon discovering this customized service. "I believe Korean products are well-suited for Asian skin," he said.
Amorepacific said it has been actively integrating generative AI into various facets of its business operations since 2023, aiming to enhance efficiency, creativity and overall customer experience.
"In addition to leveraging AI for data gathering within research and development, our company utilizes this technology across marketing and product design domains," explained the company official. "For instance, we employed image-generating AI tools to articulate Innisfree's brand identity. Similarly, for our Labo-H brand, AI was instrumental in generating more than 700 ideas for its pop-up store."