Mary Kay unveils AI foundation tool that scans faces for a match, with 50+ shades with which to play

Mary Kay has launched an AI-powered Foundation Finder tool that uses facial scanning technology to help customers select the perfect foundation shade through their smartphone cameras. The service represents the iconic beauty brand’s strategic push to attract younger, digitally-native consumers while maintaining its traditional consultant-based business model in an increasingly competitive cosmetics market.

What you should know: The AI Foundation Finder analyzes approximately 150 facial data points to recommend the best foundation match from over 50 available shades across two finishes.

• Users can access the tool directly through marykay.com without downloading a separate app, making it accessible across devices.
• Early user feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with less than 5% of users providing negative ratings during the initial rollout period.
• The service was designed to be inclusive across a wide range of skin tones, addressing a critical need in the beauty industry.

How it works: The proprietary technology leverages computer vision and machine learning to deliver personalized shade recommendations.

• Customers simply visit marykay.com and allow their smartphone camera to scan their face for analysis.
• The AI system processes facial hues and skin tone variations to determine the optimal foundation match.
• The tool was developed over more than a year with input from technology, research and development, and marketing teams.

In plain English: The AI works like a highly trained makeup artist who can instantly analyze your skin tone through your phone’s camera.

• Instead of relying on guesswork or trying multiple shades in-store, the technology examines specific points on your face to understand your unique coloring and recommends the best foundation match from Mary Kay’s collection.

Why this matters: Mary Kay is strategically positioning itself to compete with global beauty giants by embracing digital transformation while preserving its consultant-driven heritage.

• “We’re about enabling women entrepreneurs no matter where you are and no matter what age you are; and so it’s really important for us to connect with a more digitally sophisticated consumer no matter their age,” explained Lucy Gildea, Mary Kay’s chief brand and scientific officer.
• The move addresses younger consumers who “grew up as digital natives, and so that is just like a default point of entry with them.”

The big picture: This launch represents part of Mary Kay’s broader AI integration strategy across multiple business functions.

• The company has been investing in AI for supply chain optimization, research and development, and creative advertising campaigns.
• Mary Kay has established an internal committee to ensure AI implementations meet high standards, including privacy considerations.
• The brand previously offered “Mirror me” for over a decade, allowing users to virtually try on color-based makeup products.

What they’re saying: Industry leaders emphasize the personal nature of beauty and foundation selection.

• “Beauty is very personal; shade matching is very personal,” Gildea said. “And so finding the right foundation match is a really, really key piece. And so being able to utilize a proprietary tool that’s scientifically developed using a broader scale for shade ranges was really, really important.”
• “There’s just so many different ways that we are using it internally to really just help improve our efficiency but also give us some novel insights that we wouldn’t have had before,” she added regarding AI’s broader applications.