Shiseido and Microsoft create make-up filter for telecommuters

Japan-based cosmetic company Shiseido has partnered with Microsoft to develop Skype filter Telebeauty.

Telebeauty is intended for employees who telecommute but worry about their image during a video conference. The tool applies virtual make-up to a user's on-screen image.

According to Quartz, when employees are worried about their on-screen appearance, they do not pay attention to the discussion, a phenomenon called as an appearance barrier.

The tool is said to sync makeup with facial movements in real-time. It can also differentiate between the background and the users’ face, preventing the virtual makeup from bleeding. However, the programme can not track a face on screen if it moves wildly.

Employees can use the app by selecting one of four palettes, natural, trend, cool, or pretty, before the teleconference call begins.

The app then scans user’s faces and regulates skintone, fading out pores, dark spots, and pimples. It also adds blush, lipstick, and eye makeup.

Shiseido's spokeswoman Megumi Koyama was quoted by The Japan Times as saying: “We would like men to use it too, because it is often said that faces of people participating in video conferences look darker than they really are, and depending on the angle of the camera, the workers look as if they have bags under their eyes.”

“The app is set up so the users’ skin looks brighter. I think it’s a feature that helps anyone look professional.”