Do you think there are any downsides to the increased use of AR in beauty?
GW: We do need to be careful about thinking ahead to what the long-term implications are in terms of society and behaviours. I’m a fan of AR and think it expands our experience of art, colour, etc, but we have deep responsibilities with all new technologies, not just AR. AR is part of a bigger shift in society towards 100-per-cent tech-led lives. What we can do is learn from our past mistakes. If we look back at some of the catastrophic impacts of industrialisation on our planet in the past 150 years, we must take the time to implement the best approach to migrating to AR, VR and other mixed-reality technologies, and make sure it is for the good of the people and the planet.
MB: Humans are still in such tech infancy – like puppies who need to chew on everything new before we even know what’s good or bad for us and in what quantity. This can apply to AR, too – especially beauty filters, which sometimes can be a super-compulsive habit and can distort one’s understanding of their own beauty. The good news is that AR beauty as a concept is expanding super quickly and is being constantly reshaped by so many forward-thinking artists; there will always be a capable and powerful opposition to any downsides (that aren’t ever going away, like with any tech).
What is the future of AR and beauty?
MB: I want to see more AR used on different surfaces – not just screens but windows, walls, mirrors. This would also enable so much more varied use of it for the greater good. I hope that everybody who got overly obsessed with beautifying filters has satisfied their cravings for online validation and realised that was never a solution! In the long term, AR will give us a chance to worry less about our physical appearance – if you can be anything every day, who cares what you really look like?
GW: Self-acceptance, play and creativity. I would like to wake up and see my actual face, but also say hi to my AR self as part of a wellness routine, an affirmation. What I love about AR beauty in its current state is how open it is to experimentation. I wonder what people will say of the early creators of AR beauty in 100 years. Let’s make them proud!