Parisen fashion brand Chanel has launched Lipscanner - an app that uses a combination of patented AI and AR technologies to allow you to identify any colour and finish of lipstick from any physical or digital image, whether a magazine, social media post or someone standing right in front of you.

The app will then offer a corresponding Chanel lip product - or products - which users can try on virtually, take a photo and share the photo if they want to. There is also the option to buy the product on Chanel's website, naturally.

Developed in house over 18 months, Lipscanner is the result of a collaboration between Chanel's Makeup Creation Studio and the Chanel CX Lab. It features all of Chanel's lipsticks and glosses - over 400 of them - in various finish options from matt to satin.

The Lipscanner algorithm has been designed to identify and extract the exact lipshade and texture of any digital or physical image to help users find the closest colour and texture match. The augmented reality technology then renders the products onto your face and Chanel has said particular care has been taken to ensure the app's colour and texture recognition work for the full diversity of skin tones, ages, complexions, and lip shapes.

Pinterest's Try On feature allows users to virtually try on lipsticks from brands including Charlotte Tilbury, MAC and Bobbi Brown, among others, but Chanel isn't included and Pinterest's feature doesn't allow you to colour match an image. Instead you search lipstick on the Pinterest app and different shades appear to "try on".

Cédric Begon, director of the Connected Experience Lab at Chanel Fragrances and Beauty told us not a single piece of data is collected by the Lipscanner app. He also told us an Android version could come in the next few months depending on market feedback. You can read our full interview with him here.

Chanel's Lipscanner is available to download for free now on iOS. You can read how it works in our separate feature.