AR shopping testing from Graz, Austria
Why I Tested These Two
I wanted to see how far augmented-reality shopping has come, but most headline tools—Google’s new try-on, several US-only apps, etc.—still won’t load here in Austria. Even a VPN plus a “US” Google account failed. So I chose the two options that do work right now:
- Amazon Try-On (Eyewear)
- Maybelline Virtual Make-Up Studio
Challenge #1: Geo-Locks Everywhere
The biggest frustration wasn’t the tech itself; it was access. Many advanced AR experiences are geo-fenced to the United States. Until platforms open globally—or at least EU-wide—Austrian shoppers will stay few steps behind.
Amazon Try-On: Hunting for AR-Ready Frames
- Discovery pain: Only a fraction of Amazon’s glasses catalogue supports AR, and you don’t know which ones until you click. A small “AR available” badge on product tiles would save so much time.
- Pro: I tried transparent frames, sunglasses, and standard optical models. Tracking stayed stable even as I turned my head, and sizing felt believable.
- User experience: Simple tap, allow camera, instant preview. Exactly what a first-time user hopes for.
- Excitement factor: I could genuinely picture ordering frames this way once the selection grows. It was also easy to scroll through the color and shape options.
- What I would love to see: I would love to see the more authentic and rare items on the list for the testing with Virtual reality.
Maybelline Virtual Makeup: Lipstick Wins, Complex Products Struggle
- Face-shape hiccups: Foundations and contour products sometimes floated off-axis or didn’t appear at all, even in good lighting. ( as you can see in the provided video ) which I think is a huge problem and can get the first time user sceptic about virtual try ons.
- Lip colour success: Lipstick shades mapped accurately and updated in real time as I moved.
- Nice touch: You can switch to a preset model if you’d rather not show your own face. (On the model, every product looked flawless—highlighting that face-tracking, not shade range, is the bigger hurdle.)
- Before/after slider: Handy for subtle products, though the differences were occasionally too subtle to notice.
Personal “Aha” Moments
- Note-taking vs. flow: Detailed note-taking kills the vibe. One bullet per thought was more than enough.
- In-store “Deja vu”: Even when I’m standing in front of a real mirror in a shop, I still pull out my phone, switch to selfie mode, and check how glasses or blush look on-screen. Do you see my point? AR simply lets me do the same thing anywhere at home, at uni, on the tram without the struggle to get to a store. I am keep wondering when it all be updated enough and accurate enough does this one little glance in a real/physical mirror worth it? does it worth going to the store and take your time? why not just stay at home and try them on?
Final Thoughts
Trying on glasses through Amazon felt more professional and kinda ready to improve more and more and reach prime time, while Maybelline showed promise but needs better face recognition for anything beyond lipstick. Overall, the sessions were fun and clearly for me the future of product discovery.
I’ve also recorded a short demo video of both try-ons I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I enjoyed testing!
The big question: when these tools finally work as smoothly worldwide as they do in the US, will I still bother queuing at a cosmetics counter or will my camera remain my dressing room?
Note: This post was corrected for grammar and clarity with the support of ChatGPT (OpenAI).
