An 'augmented reality' mirror for makeup shopping

Want to know what shade of lipstick or brand of mascara will suit your face without having to touch it?

A new augmented reality mirror can help.

In use at the Seoul flagship boutique of cosmetics powerhouse Amorepacific, the mirror takes a photograph of the customer's face and analyses it.

It then recommends products based on skin texture, while addressing blemishes, wrinkles or dark circles.

Customers can then see a computer-generated image of what they would look like using certain cosmetics.

And in times of social distancing, the technology is a hit with shoppers.

"Due to coronavirus, it was uncomfortable to test cosmetics after someone had used them. However, this is very convenient as I can see the actual colour on my face in a form of AR image without even touching my face,"

In addition to social distancing, South Korean government guidelines recommend shoppers try cosmetics on the backs of their hands, not on their faces.

To minimise human contact and limit the risk of virus spread, the shop has also put QR codes next to all products on display.

Customers can check details with their mobile phones instead of talking to staff.

South Korea has been praised for how it has handled COVID-19.

But Asia's fourth-largest economy has also experienced persistent outbreaks in recent weeks, mostly in the capital.