French beauty retailer Clarins uses AI to personalize makeup routine

Clarins has launched the AI Shade Finder, an in-store tool using AI and spectroscopy to deliver 96% accurate foundation and makeup matching.

Hannah Xuchille Egot February 25, 2026

With this new AI tool, customers can now avoid mismatched shades and find lipsticks, blushes, and other cosmetics suited to their complexion. Image source: Clarins / Website

French beauty giant Clarins has unveiled its latest innovation in makeup technology: the Clarins AI Shade Finder, an in-store tool designed to deliver the most accurate foundation matching ever achieved with a smartphone.

Developed in collaboration with Silicon Valley startup IlluminateAI, the technology uses AI and spectroscopy to measure skin tone and undertone, claiming a 96% accuracy rate compared to professional makeup artists, according to a statement released Friday.

Smart matching

The system transforms a standard smartphone into a scientific instrument, capturing a rapid sequence of images under shifting light conditions to analyze skin color. Within 60 seconds, it identifies the skin’s unique color signature and provides personalized product recommendations, extending beyond foundation to a complete, harmonized makeup routine.

Customers can now avoid mismatched shades and find lipsticks, blushes, and other cosmetics suited to their complexion.

The AI Shade Finder is exclusively available in Clarins boutiques and counters, currently deployed in more than 100 locations across seven countries, including France, the UK, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, Mexico, and the UAE.

The rollout coincides with the launch of the new Double Serum Foundation, with additional countries expected to adopt the technology this spring. Early trials in France and the UK demonstrated measurable increases in sales conversion and average basket size, highlighting the tool’s commercial impact.

Client impact

Jonathan Zrihen, president & CEO of Clarins, emphasized the innovation’s role in expanding the company’s makeup offerings: “The AI Shade Finder enables us to put AI and beauty tech at the service of our strategy to accelerate in makeup. We are proud to offer an innovation built with and for our clients.”

Katalin Berenyi, Clarins Brand General Manager, added that Beauty Advisors reported the system enhanced client interactions, adding an “emotional layer” to consultations while maintaining simplicity and ease of use.

The technology leverages over 30 years of research into light and color measurement, combining Clarins’ beauty expertise with IlluminateAI’s AI algorithms to deliver a scientific, reliable, and rapid shade-matching experience.

Clarins, founded in 1954, operates in more than 150 countries with nearly 20,000 points of sale and over 8,000 employees.