The industry is no longer shy of the metaverse, with several cosmetics companies having already entered the virtual space, including NYX Professional Makeup and NARS. Web3 initiatives are slowly but surely becoming a key player in brand engagement and interaction success, with the metaverse expected to be worth $1,527.55 billion by 2029. From Maybelline New York's new avatar ambassador to Mugler's Angel-inspired NFT collection, here are the latest metaverse movements in beauty selected by BeautyMatter:

Maybelline New York: The cosmetics brand has revealed its first avatar ambassador, May, as part of the new Falsies Surreal Extensions Mascara campaign. May will be featured in an upcoming advertisement alongside the brand's global ambassador Gigi Hadid. Aside from being the virtual face of the mascara product, the avatar will be used in several upcoming releases of virtual products and services as well as metaverse-related events. Maybelline New York Senior Vice President of Global Brand Experience, Shivani Shah, stated that May was created because "when a mascara [Falsies Surreal Extensions] delivers a transformation as surreal as this one, it takes something just as surreal to introduce it."

Shiseido: In celebration of its 150th anniversary, Shiseido has partnered with British Web3 agency, Cult, to create #AliveWithBeauty―a campaign that features a limited edition collection of 150 NFTs. These NFTS were made using an AI-powered cocreation tool that fed a collection of beauty-related terms through a language processing system, which then produced several artworks that resembled the words. Hoping to promote accessibility and inclusivity in Web3 spaces, Shiseido is giving away free tokens that can be used to purchase the NFTs  in a prize drawing. The J-beauty brand is also pairing up with the NFT platform Exclusible, to create virtual wallets for consumers so  those without  prior experience with the medium can participate. Consumers  also have the opportunity to access Shiseido's exclusive NFT community, where they can unlock rewards and up to $1,197 worth of product samples during the year, as well as tickets to events hosted by the brand.

Mugler: The French fashion house teamed up with Marc Tudisco, a digital 3D artist, to release We Are All Angel, a collection of 300 digital art pieces created to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the brand's Angel fragrance. The NFTs resemble Angel's metal bottle design and come in the form of digitally painted avatars. The collectibles were released on February 7, 2023, alongside a "play to discover" option on the Mugler website that encouraged potential buyers to engage with the characters, after which they were assigned a specific NFT based on their playing habits. The NFTs sold out in a matter of seconds after release and are now estimated to have a value of $1.3K each after the entire collection initially generated $3.5K for Mugler at the original sale.

YSL Beauty: YSL Beauty Night Masters is a set of 300 NFTs created by artists Dr. Ivona Tau, Natalie Amrossi, and Laura Sills. Grouped into categories named "Last Night's Memories," "Nightfall," and "The Rush," the NFTs will be on sale in early March 2023, with 279 available to consumers and 21 kept in reserve by the brand. The NFT designs are expected be revealed on March 5. Those who had purchased NFTs from previous YSL Beauty drops can access Beauty Night Masters on March 1 as part of a private sale. Each NFT costs 0.2ETH (around $32), and users are allowed to purchase up to five. In addition to receiving the NFT, buyers will receive a metal print of their purchase and a Black Opium fragrance duo set. The profits from the collection of NFTs will go to selected initiatives that fall under YSL’s Abuse Is Not Love program that supports those suffering from abuse in relationships.Tau's design revenue will be donated to Czech NGO ProFem ; Amrossi's to A.D.A.P.T., South Africa; and Sills' to It's On Us, U.S.A.

NYX Professional Makeup: After a recent entry onto the gaming platform, Roblox NYX Professional Makeup is rolling out its first digital wearable collection and immersive experience. The user-generated content (UGC) avatar accessories include five items, which users can purchase at The House of NYX Professional Makeup and can be worn across the brands iHeartLand on Roblox. The wearables include Glowing Heart Wings, Heart Lip Backpacks, Retro Hair Clips, Cute Pink Face, and a Pink Varsity Jacket. Along with the launch, users will also be able to interact with the brand and each other in an obstacle course challenge where avatars teleport from the Pink Carpet to the obstacle course in iHeartLand. The course allows players to race each other to the top of the leaderboard and complete time trials for a chance to win an NYX Professional Makeup-branded hoverboard skin to use in the game.

Living Proof: The science-backed haircare brand has made its debut entry into the metaverse with a virtual store that allows consumers to browse products in an immersive fashion while learning about brand heritage. When entering the virtual store, consumers are greeted by a Dry Shampoo Center, that showcases the Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo and Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo, and teaches visitors about the benefits of each product. The next stop involves an AI hair quiz that helps attendees find their perfect individual haircare routine. Visitors can also explore a Web3 version of the brand's Boston headquarters where they learn how to correctly recycle beauty products with TerraCycle and purchase products from the virtual store that can  be delivered to their doorstep. Through a partnership with ByondXR, shoppers are also encouraged to engage with game elements in the space for a chance to win free samples and a reward if they find a 3D-hidden Easter egg.