I will admit it. I currently have four different foundations and two tinted moisturizers sitting on my vanity.
Not one of them actually matches my skin. They’re all either slightly too orange, a touch too gray, or perfect in the store lighting and totally off in natural light.
So when it comes to being frustrated with makeup shopping, I get it.
You see something trending on TikTok or Pinterest and think, “That could work for me.” But then you buy it, try it, and realize once again…it doesn’t. It’s not that the product is bad. It’s just not made for you.
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That’s why when I saw the press release about a new AI-powered tool from E.l.f. and Pinterest, I was instantly intrigued.
It promised to analyze your face (yes, literally your selfie) and tell you which colors actually work with your skin tone, contrast, and brightness.
Not just vibes. Not just influencer guesses. Actual, customized color analysis in seconds.
And the best part? It’s totally free.
The viral “color season” trend just got a high-tech upgrade from E.l.f. and Pinterest.
Image source: E.l.f. Cosmetics
E.l.f. and Pinterest launch personalized AI beauty tool
The tool, called “color E.l.f.nalysis,” lives on a dedicated microsite. All you have to do is upload a selfie (or take one in real time), and the AI will get to work.
It scans your image for three key things: hue (warm or cool), value (your level of contrast), and chroma (bright vs. muted).
In other words, it figures out your “color season.” You could be a True Summer, a Deep Autumn, or one of the other 12 variations that color theory lovers on TikTok are obsessed with.
And rather than leaving you with a vague label, the tool gives you something far more useful: a curated Pinterest board full of shoppable E.l.f. products that complement your features.
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Yes, the AI actually builds a personal shopping experience for you, complete with makeup recommendations that fit your skin tone, undertone, and style.
To build the tool, E.l.f. worked closely with Pinterest’s insights team to analyze search, save, and shopping behavior from over 1.6 billion beauty-related queries.
Searches for “color season analysis” jumped 22x in the past year — so yeah, people are into it.
In other words: this isn’t a gimmick. It’s not just smart…it’s giving the people what they’re literally searching for.
E.l.f. doubles down on personalization with AI and Pinterest
E.l.f. didn’t just stop at product recommendations. They also teamed up with Pinterest creators to build season-specific content, turning color theory into a scroll-stopping experience tailored for Gen Z.
From Pinterest’s new collage tools to Idea Ads with paid partnerships, Pinterest is making sure this thing hits right when inspiration (or let’s be real, boredom scrolling) strikes.
This launch also comes at a strategic time. Pinterest just rolled out a suite of AI-powered shopping features (including auto-collages and improved trend forecasting) designed to keep users in-platform and move them from inspiration to purchase faster.
For E.l.f., a brand already known for clever, culture-forward marketing, the move reinforces just how committed they are to staying ahead of trends and deepening customer loyalty through personalized experiences.
They’re even debuting color E.l.f.nalysis at this year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, showcasing the tool to media insiders and marketers alongside a mini styling experience.
Bottom line: this AI tool isn’t just changing how we shop — it’s redefining what personalized beauty looks like in 2025.
Related: Sephora unveils new brand partnership Gen Z will love
