Foundation sales and returns data doesn’t tell the whole story on the shades that sell and why. There’s still a crucial data gap on shade coverage, one that spans product development, merchandising, and sales.
illuminateAI closes that gap with a real-time, strategic dataset generated by our scientifically accurate skin measurement that creates an always-on feedback loop among consumers, product development, and merchandising. This article looks at how illuminateAI shapes the future of beauty with data that supports brands in driving omni-channel merchandising and sales.
Share of sales isn’t the same as demand, and underperformance is rarely one thing
Calculating each shade’s share of sales tells you which shades are performing and which aren’t. But it doesn’t tell you why, or what’s missing from the shelf entirely.
A shade can underperform for a slew of reasons, but.. It can mean a genuine color mismatch, but it can just as easily mean the undertone or depth alone was off, the shade oxidized after being applied, or the finish didn’t suit the customer’s skin type. In the absence of reliable data, brands may end up optimizing the wrong thing to build a better assortment.
How illuminateAI is “setting a new standard of accuracy”
As Clarins Chief DigitalOfficer Laurent Malaveille shared, illuminateAI is “setting a new standard of accuracy” (source). IlluminateAI is the first and only software to enable smartphones to accurately and instantly measure skin tone and undertone. Its technology is built on a deep understanding of product-skin interactions, and expertise in reflectivity and optical property measurements. Proprietary algorithms also factor in oxidation, which is a critical component in accurate product recommendations.
Assortment driven by data and powered by skin measurement
Every illuminateAI shade recommendation generates a unique, mathematically precise color signature. This scientific approach allows brands to track shade recommendations and actual purchases against precise match quality to get a better picture of how their assortment stacks up against their real customer base, and where gaps may exist. Without scientific data grounded in real customer insights and actual customers’ skin tones, brands can miss crucial context on returns or underperforming shades. An online return can easily cost $20 or more to process (source) and a high-lifetime-value customer along with it.
Channel-level assortment optimization
Clarins deployed illuminateAI’s AI Shade Finder in 100+ boutiques and counters across 7 countries, supporting the launch of its acclaimed Double Serum foundation. The Clarins AI Shade Finder has a 96% match rate against a professional makeup artist (source), and helped Clarins reach 70% conversion and double its basket size in stores (Glossy).
Scientific data from each shade recommendation can serve many purposes beyond validating and supporting product launch. It can help brands obtain a more granular, channel-specific view of the customer, as well as create a persistent ID across channels to power intelligent merchandising and true personalization. Brands can leverage real-time measurement and mapping data to continuously optimize channel-specific assortments, increase sell-through, limit returns, and improve retention. This dataset can also help strengthen conversations with retail buyers, replacing assumptions with hard evidence.
That channel-level view matters. As Jessica Phillips, VP of merchandising at Ulta Beauty, noted in a 2026 Fashionista interview, “shelf space is some of the most valuable real estate we offer our brand partners”. Turn-rate requirements and limited gondola space mean retailers often carry only part of a brand’s range in-store, often cutting the deepest and lightest shades. Only brands with proven revenue earn full shelf space. The reality for most brands is that the extended range moves online or to their DTC channel.
This reality raises the stakes. Color-matching issues cause 52% of online makeup returns, and foundation has the highest return rate of any makeup category, at 23% (source).
illuminateAI’s expert-trained algorithms match scientifically accurate data on both skin and products to deliver trustworthy personalized product recommendations for consumers at home, in-store and on the go. According to a recent Beautymatter article, “access to consumer data has never been more vital in today’s beauty market”. Brands that pair illuminateAI’s shade coverage and match-quality data with sales and returns data are able to build smarter, more efficient assortments across every channel.