Life hacker: You can try on any makeup shade you wish

iOS/Android: Makeup can be a tricky thing. Your shade of foundation, lipstick or eyeshadow can make a big difference in your look, and you may have no idea what colors suit you. ShadeScout lets you play around with different shades and try them on.

The app lets you sample colors with your camera; simply point and shoot, and ShadeScout will search for similar colors that you can buy in-store. But you can also try those colors on in real-time, whether it’s lipstick, gloss, eyeshadows, blush, bronzer or foundation. The app accesses your front facing camera, then applies the color on the appropriate part of your face.

For example, if you want to check out a shade of lipstick, simply “scout” the color by pointing the camera at something in your environment—maybe you want a shade to match your red shoes. (You can also just find standard shades with their color picker.) The app will populate a list of lipsticks that are similar in color. From there, tap “try on”and you’ll see your own mug with your lips filled in, and you can experiment with the different shades. If you smile or move your face, the lips move along with you, so you can get a pretty accurate idea of what that lipstick will look like.

It’s a pretty fun tool to play around with if you like makeup, and it’s especially useful if you have no idea where to start with picking the right color. Check it out for yourself at the link below.

ShadeScout | Apple Store
ShadeScout | Google Play