L'Oréal has announced a collaboration with OpenAI to bring Maybelline New York's virtual makeup try-on feature into ChatGPT, unveiled at VivaTech 2026. This integration allows users to test cosmetic products through conversational AI, blending beauty discovery with generative chat interfaces.
The partnership extends beyond consumer tools, covering product discovery, advertising pilots, research, and internal content production. L'Oréal will also leverage OpenAI's technology for internal AI applications in formulation, research, and content generation, signaling a deep enterprise-level adoption of large language models.
For consumers, the virtual try-on within ChatGPT offers a novel shopping experience—users can describe a look or occasion and receive tailored product recommendations with real-time visualization. This could reduce return rates and increase conversion for Maybelline, a mass-market brand.
The deal positions L'Oréal at the forefront of AI-powered retail, challenging competitors like Sephora and Amazon, which have invested in AR try-ons but not yet within conversational AI platforms. It also marks a strategic win for OpenAI, expanding ChatGPT's utility into e-commerce.
Critics question data privacy implications, as virtual try-ons often require facial scan data. L'Oréal has not detailed how user biometric information will be handled within the ChatGPT ecosystem.