December 23, 1999
REVIEW
Crazy, Sexy, Cool: Virtual Beauty Makeovers
IStyle Personal Makeover
(Sierra Home; $39.95 before $10
rebate; Windows 95 and 98.)
Cosmopolitan Virtual Makeover 2 Deluxe
(Broderbund; $49.99; Windows 95, 98
and NT 4.0.)
By J. D. BIERSDORFER![]()
hen was the last time you
got a bad haircut and were
afraid to leave the house
without a hat or headband until it
grew out? Two competing beauty
makeover programs are going head-to-perfectly-coifed-head in hopes of
helping you avoid being a shut-in this
season.
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IMAGINE - Cosmopolitan's Virtual
Makeover 2 Deluxe, top, lets users try different looks; iStyle, bottom,
includes videos.
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In one corner stands the challenger, iStyle Personal Makeover by
Sierra Home, and in the other, the
latest version of Broderbund's Cosmopolitan Virtual Makeover Deluxe.
Both programs let the user load a
photograph of herself from a scanner
or a digital camera (or use one of the
many models' photographs included). Then the user digitally tries on a
variety of hairstyles, cosmetics and
accessories in the search for a new
look. Each program will let you print
out the resulting creations, and each
provides Web-shopping links and detailed product information.
Although iStyle isn't stamped with
a recognizable editorial name, as its
competitor is, it is still a robust program that is packed with features.
The software's libraries contain
more than 500 hairstyles, 800 cosmetic colors and 400 accessories to sample, including hats, jewelry and sunglasses. An interactive Beauty Consultant will give a survey to new
users to help provide appropriate
suggestions for colors and styles.
Once the user has selected an electronic face to play with, new hair and
accessories can be added with a
quick click. Makeup can be applied
with a selection of on-screen brushes
and pencils, but getting used to
putting on eye liner with a computer
mouse may take practice. Cosmetics
from companies including Revlon,
Almay and Philosophy are represented in the program's makeup bag.
iStyle also contains 24 short videos
that show the user how to accomplish
such feats as properly applying lipstick and blush, as well as maintaining one's eyebrows. There is a Tips
section that contemplates issues like
""Liquid Vs. Powder Foundation,""
and short video clips advise the user
on how to recreate specific looks
from distinctive periods in fashion
like the 1960's and 1970's. The program is currently available with a
$10 rebate through January, and updated styles and products will be
offered for downloading at its Web
site at www.istylemakeover.com.
Cosmopolitan's Virtual Makeover
Deluxe, now in its second edition,
also provides the user with 500 hairstyles, including some with bridal
veils. The program has 30 hair solutions for men as well, along with
several mustache and beard options.
The program offers 300 cosmetic colors (Cover Girl products are featured prominently) and 200 accessories like hats and sunglasses to sample. Users are prompted to participate in a short Beauty Quiz early on
to help create a personal profile, and
recommendations are offered
throughout the program based on the
profile.
Virtual Makeover retains much of
the sassy flavor of Cosmopolitan's
editorial voice (an example from the
Beauty Quiz: ""What Look Do You
Like Best: Sleek Sophisticate or Daringly and Devastatingly Sexy?""),
and users can also print out their
made-over images on Cosmopolitan
covers. New styles can be downloaded from the product's Web site
(www.virtualmakeover.com).
The Web site also has details about
various versions of the Virtual Makeover software offered at different
prices. And Broderbund offers a version called Essence Virtual Makeover aimed at African-American
women.
Whichever personal makeover product you choose, you should
keep in mind that what you see on
your screen may not be the true color
of the cosmetic products in real life.
Factors like background lighting, the
quality of the personal image you use
and even the type and color calibration of your computer's monitor may
affect the look.
To run iStyle, users will need a
computer running Windows 95 or 98,
with a minimum 133-megahertz Pentium-class processor, 16 megabytes
of RAM and 45 megabytes of free
hard drive space. Virtual Makeover
2 Deluxe requires a computer running Windows 95 or later, with at
least a 90-MHz Pentium-class processor, 16 megabytes of RAM and 40
megabytes of free hard drive space.
(Although there are no Macintosh
versions of the programs, they
should both run adequately on Power
Macs using Windows-emulation software like Virtual PC.)
Both programs have their strong
points and support from established
beauty-product companies. While
Virtual Makeover has the strength
and reputation of Cosmopolitan magazine behind it, iStyle seems better
suited for the novice cosmetics user.
But in the end, the decision may
depend on one factor: brand loyalty.
Related Sites
These sites are not part of The New York Times on the Web, and The Times has no control over their content or availability.
www.istylemakeover.com
www.virtualmakeover.com