Retailer Beautyque NYC has released updates to its virtual reality shopping app Beautyque Verse on iOS, Android and Oculus. The app debuted in December in a soft launch. 

“Since our Beta test launch, we aimed to bring the physical experience of a beauty store to the online store,” Sonia Khemiri, co-founder of Beautyque NYC said. “Our team has been diligently working to enrich [the] experience in the metaverse by integrating AR and AI capabilities in the VR space while we shop on a regular website. This means we shop online, we speak live with a customer service avatar, we shop with friends, try on products on our smartphone while we can seamlessly checkout the chosen products.”

Enhancements include improved visual quality, a refined user interface for intuitive interaction and smoother product exploration; product video Integration; an avatar library with enhanced skin shaders and a wider range of customization options; and cross-platform compatibility so iOS, Android, and Quest platforms can connect and collaborate seamlessly.

“The interactive VR experience is a first, and while this is a prototype, it encourages testing with someone and interacting with the products and the person we shop with, trying on makeup, and anything else is possible after that. “We’re set to be the first Meta beauty store, introducing physical products on Oculus via App Lab and SideQuest, with a lot more to come,” she said.

Beautyque NYC is known for focusing on immersive technology and community-building since its launch in May 2020 with a 3D beauty retail platform.

“Beautyque Verse is the prototype of what the future of retail could look like in a beauty store or elsewhere online. We not only go to a physical store to shop for products and get them right away, and test them, but also, we go for the experience and connection, and that’s what we are getting close to,” said Khemiri. “Our platform features immersive experiences and community engagement which will come together to shape the future of beauty retail.”

“The VR store represents a significant evolution from the 3D web store. While the 3D store was groundbreaking, it was just the beginning – a ‘seed’ that has now germinated into the more advanced VR environment,” added Khemiri. “In the Beautyque Verse VR store, customers are not just viewing products in a three-dimensional space; they are fully immersed in a virtual world. This immersion allows for a much more engaging and lifelike shopping experience.”

Unlike the 3D web store or other online shopping experience where shopping was solitary, Beautyque Verse VR on platforms like iOS, Android, Oculus and the web transforms retail into a communal event. Friends and family can unite in virtual spaces, engage with customer service in real time, try products and then move to a regular website checkout, all while conversing as they might in a physical space.

“This social aspect transforms online shopping from a task into a social event, making it more enjoyable and interactive,” said Khemiri. “Customers can share opinions, try on products together, and even engage in virtual social activities while shopping.”

More enhancements will continue to be unveiled and the company plans to add more beauty brands to the VR store. A downloadable version for Windows and Mac is being considered for the future.