Base Picker is a customized foundation service that identifies the perfect natural foundation shade to match each customer’s skin tone. Amore Seongsu, Amorepacific’s flagship experience store, launched Base Picker to offer a more personalized beauty experience.
Concept
In April 2021, Amorepacific introduced Base Picker at Amore Seongsu, where visitors can explore the brand’s vision of beauty. This one-on-one service combines Amorepacific’s advanced skin tone analysis technology with expert color consultations by makeup artists to find the most natural shade for each customer. The selected foundation is manufactured on-site using patented, state-of-the-art equipment, allowing customers to receive their personalized product on the same day. Starting with Base Picker, Amore Seongsu will continue to offer more specialized and distinctive experiences in the cosmetics category, which remains at the heart of the brand’s business.
Another distinguishing feature of the Base Picker service is its expanded foundation color spectrum. A total of 100 shades can be manufactured. To meet the diverse foundation needs of global customers, the available shades have been expanded from 9 to 33, and the color families have been significantly broadened to five categories (C2, C1, N1, W1, W2). Within the popular range of shades between 21 and 23—commonly used by Asian women—finer gradations have been introduced (21, 21.5, 22, 22.5, 23).
The product is available in two formulations: glow and semi-matte. In response to current trends favoring mask-resistant foundations during the COVID-19 era, the glow formulation has been designed with a lightweight finish rather than a moist or dewy texture. Customers can also choose between foundation and cushion compact packaging.
Upon arriving at the store after booking online, the first thing that catches customers’ attention is the robotic equipment located at the center of the space. The Base Picker service was developed to address the limitations of manual preparation in existing customized makeup offerings and to enhance automation and efficiency. The robotic system is linked to a skin tone analysis tablet called the Skin Tone Finder. Once the analysis is complete, the robot begins the manufacturing process automatically. From dispensing and filling to mixing, the entire process is handled by cutting-edge dual-arm robots, completing the formulation within 10 minutes.
“It was a fun and refreshing experience from start to finish. The content was so compelling that I felt I had to come back again.”
(Customer feedback)
In service planning and space design, many team members collaborated to showcase the scientific precision of the service while preserving the emotional experience of makeup. The service is conducted in a curtained space with optimized lighting, where professional makeup artists demonstrate various formulations and products in real time, interacting with customers to enhance the overall experience. Beyond simply manufacturing foundation, artists also share daily makeup tips using the customized foundation created specifically for each customer, maximizing customer satisfaction.
As a result, since its launch in April 2021, the Base Picker service has been experienced by over 500 customers as of early June. All reservation slots continue to be fully booked, reflecting high popularity and customer satisfaction (average customer survey rating: 4.96 out of 5). Despite the lack of promotional activities, the service has received steady inquiries and bookings through organic word-of-mouth. Recently, several beauty YouTubers have voluntarily shared their experiences with the service, further boosting its popularity.
“It was a fun and refreshing experience from start to finish. The content was so compelling that I felt I had to come back again.”
(Customer feedback)
For promotional activities, we produced only simple concept videos for basic social media use on platforms such as Instagram.
The Base Picker service was designed from the beginning to focus on the customized foundation product itself, rather than emphasizing the brand or service name.
It is an unbranded service that prioritizes optimizing the foundation to match each customer’s skin tone, presented with a minimal,
white-toned aesthetic that highlights the foundation’s color through a clean and simple design.
The product packaging was also designed with a clean, white concept. Reflecting the current trend toward minimalist interior design,
the packaging is not flashy or attention-grabbing, but instead harmonizes with surrounding furniture and decor—aiming for a simple,
unobtrusive design that can be appreciated as a single, cohesive object.
The personal label, which includes foundation color recommendations based on skin tone analysis, was also treated as a design element.
For customers who prefer an even more minimalist look, the label is made removable,
allowing them to easily detach it if desired.
BASE PICKER SERVICE
PICK THE RIGHT FOUNDATION COLOR
JUST FOR YOU
Base Picker Project
The Base Picker service launch project, which began last year, involved extensive collaboration and effort from numerous departments. What initially started as a simple automation equipment initiative to enhance the customer experience at AMORE Seongsu evolved into a full-fledged customized foundation service aimed at delivering an even better customer experience. The dedication and hard work of many stakeholders—including the research institute, SCM, design team, and our team members—played a crucial role in the project’s successful outcome.
Looking ahead, I hope that AMORE Seongsu’s Base Picker will serve as a foundation for the development of even more advanced customized cosmetic services, positioning Amorepacific as a leader in the customized cosmetics market.
Planning Points
In fact, the Base Picker service is the second customized cosmetic offering launched at AMORE Seongsu, following last year’s “Lip Picker by Color Tailor,” a personalized red lip service. We made every effort to apply the customer insights gained from the Lip Picker service in the planning of Base Picker.
Customers expect precision, accuracy, and speed from technology—but they are also willing to invest time for the human interaction and unique experiences that only offline services can offer. The Base Picker service was carefully designed to satisfy both the rational and emotional needs of today’s customers.
