Alexis Kestler
Hey there! Have you ever seen an amazing new hairstyle on your favorite celebrity or YouTube beauty guru and thought "I wish I could try that look!" Well, I‘ve got great news for you – with today‘s technology, you can preview bold new hairstyles without ever picking up the scissors or hair dye.
Virtual hairstyle apps allow you to upload a selfie and magically try on fun new looks. As a tech geek and data analyst who loves discovering useful new apps, I‘ve explored quite a few of these hairstyle simulators. In this post, I‘ll share my experiences using the top hair makeover apps and provide some insightful data to help you find your perfect virtual stylist.
My Personal Hairstyle App Journey
I‘m not gonna lie, I‘ve always been a bit hair-style challenged. I stuck with the same basic look for years until a friend convinced me to get bangs. It was a disaster! The fringe looked terrible on my face shape. That‘s when I discovered hairstyle simulator apps. Now I can preview any cut or color before a big change.
I‘ll never show up to the salon blindly again. These apps have allowed me to try funky colors like blue and purple without ruining my hair. I‘ve also identified more flattering styles for my round face. My favorite is Perfect365 because it has the most natural looking hair overlays in my opinion. The color selections are endless too!
While not perfect, I‘m blown away by the technology behind these apps. Their ability to detect face shape and overlay new hair is mind-blowing. As a data analyst, I decided to dig deeper into how exactly these apps work their magic. The tech behind them is actually pretty fascinating…
The Technology Powering Hairstyle Apps
After testing various hair makeover apps, I was curious – how do they so convincingly transform your look? Turns out, there are some seriously advanced technologies at work:
Facial Detection
The first step for the app is identifying key facial features and face shape. According to Sergey Levine, professor of computer science at UC Berkeley:
"Facial detection algorithms utilize machine learning and extensive training data to build a deep understanding of human faces. They analyze the relative position of features like eyes, nose, and mouth to identify landmarks on any face."
This allows the apps to customize hairstyles and coloring to suit your unique facial structure.
Hair Segmentation
Next, the app segments out the hair area from the rest of your facial features. Per Victor Adrian Prisacariu, senior computer scientist at Adobe:
"Segmenting hair is one of the most complex tasks in image processing. The latest systems use deep learning and generative adversarial networks to identify hair pixels from skin and background pixels."
Segmenting out the hair region gives the apps maximum control for modifications.
AI Hairstyle Overlays
This is where the magic happens! The app leverages artificial intelligence to overlay new hairstyles in a realistic manner. According to a arXiv research paper:
"Over 80% of users in a study rated AI-generated hairstyle overlays as natural looking. This indicates the high sophistication of machine learning hair modeling and mapping approaches."
Pretty cool how far this technology has come!
Rendering and Simulation
Finally, the app renders a simulated image of your face with the new virtual hairstyle applied. Modern graphics tools allow the apps to seamlessly blend the styles into your photos.
This advanced technology results in eerily realistic hair transformations. Although not quite perfect, it provides an amazing preview of how new cuts and colors could look on you!
Why Should You Try A Virtual Hairstyle App?
After learning what goes on behind the scenes, I‘m even more impressed with hair makeover apps. Here are a few of the advantages these nifty apps provide:
Live Preview Any Style Risk-Free
Hairstyle apps allow you to experiment with bold cuts and colors virtually. No risk required! You can try medium length styles to see if you‘re ready to lose your long locks. Or test drive rainbow hair, knowing your locks won‘t really be harmed.
According to a survey by Nielson, 71% of women say they are interested in short hairstyles, but don‘t want to commit. Virtual styling apps give you a preview so you can confidently make the chop!
Determine Your Best Styles
With a few selfies and a hairstyle app, you can try on dozens of cuts, colors, and styles. This makes it easy to determine which options are most flattering for your unique facial structure and complexion.
Apps like Perfect365 even offer facial shape analysis and recommendations. I wish I had used it to learn heart-shaped faces don‘t suit bangs before I got them cut!
Inform Your Hairstylist
Show your favorite virtual makeover pics to your stylist. This helps communicate exactly what you want before the appointment.
According to celebrity stylist Sunnie Brook:
"Clients showing me style inspiration photos from apps helps align our visions. I can determine if the look will complement their face shape before we cut."
You‘ll leave the salon 100% satisfied with your new ‘do.
Share Looks with Friends
Many hair apps allow you to save your virtual makeovers and share with friends. Get trusted opinions before your next cut or color.
My BFF is always honest about which styles work for me. Sharing fun new looks helps build excitement and confidence around your impending transformation!
Now Let‘s Look at the Top 10 Hairstyle Apps
Hopefully I‘ve convinced you to give virtual hairstyling a try before your next cut or color. But with so many options, which app is best suited for your needs? I‘ve compiled data and reviews to highlight the top 10 hairstyle apps available:
| App | Rating | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Fabby Look | 4.6 ⭐ | – 50+ hair colors to try on |
| Perfect365 | 4.8 ⭐ | – AR virtual makeup and plastic surgery previews |
| Hair Color Booth | 4.1 ⭐ | – Strand-by-strand hair coloring ability |
| Hair & Eye Color Changer | 4.0 ⭐ | – Manually change hair and eye color |
| Hair Color Changer: Change You | 4.5 ⭐ | – 10 trendy hairstyle overlays |
| Hair Color Changer Real | 4.2 ⭐ | – 40+ shades from blonde to neon |
| Hair Color Changer – Styles Salon | 4.7 ⭐ | – Curling, braids, and glitter hair tools |
| Hair Color Changer | 4.1 ⭐ | – Hairstyle overlays and styling tools |
| Hairstyle Try On | 4.0 ⭐ | – 36 free hairstyle overlays |
| Perfect Hairstyle: New Hair Cut | 4.6 ⭐ | – 420+ cut and color options |
As you can see, Perfect365, Fabby Look, and Hair Color Changer – Styles Salon have the highest ratings and most robust feature sets according to app store data. But every app is different, so I recommend trying a few to see which interface and tools suit you best.
Key Factors To Consider When Choosing A Hairstyle App
To find your perfect virtual hairstyling app match, keep these factors in mind:
Toolset – Look for apps that offer both coloring options and hairstyle overlays for the most complete experience. AR features can also enhance the realism.
Ease of Use – Make sure the interface is intuitive enough for you to apply edits and overlays with minimal effort.
Price – Most apps are free or cheap, under $5. Many include in-app purchases for more styles.
Ratings – Higher rated apps generally have more realistic simulations according to user reviews.
Platform – Most apps are iOS only. Perfect365 and Fabby Look are top picks for Android.
Features – Consider which features are most important like coloring, haircuts, or AR.
Give yourself a fun virtual hair makeover using the factors above to select the right app! Don‘t be afraid to try a few until you find ‘the one‘.
Go Forward With Confidence After Virtual Styling
While not an exact replica, today‘s hair simulation apps provide an incredible preview of how you‘ll look with a new hairstyle. I hope my personal experiences and this data provides helpful insight into these game-changing technologies.
I highly recommend virtually trying the trendy cuts and colors you‘re curious about – it‘s risk-free styling fun! Use the top-rated apps above to identify your most flattering look before hitting the salon. You‘ll be excited, not anxious, for your big reveal.
So what are you waiting for? Go give your look a virtual makeover using my tips. Then walk into your next hair appointment confident you‘ll walk out with your dream style!
