It's the industry crossover we didn't see coming, and we're not mad about it - beauty meets video games.
Taking virtual reality to another level, beauty brands are teaming up with the gaming world to bring us some much needed escapism that we're totally here for.
Gucci
First up, Gucci has launched a new video game within its Gucci Arcade, an app dedicated to games with a vintage flavour.
Inspired by the fashion house's newest Bloom perfume, you enter a mysterious and enchanted garden.
To play, you can select one of four characters, AKA the celebrity faces behind the campaign - find out who they are here.
And then we have Animal Crossing. Ah, where do we start? It was the game that took us out of our (scary) world and into a blissful escape. We couldn't make it to an Italian beach this summer, but we sure took a vaycay on the islands in AC.
The game's popularity did not go unnoticed, with beauty brands jumping on the success.
Tatcha
First up, skincare brand, Tatcha has announced from August 14 it will virtually be welcoming visitors to Tatchaland - its very own Animal Crossing island in celebration of the launch of its newest cleanser, The Rice Wash.
Designed in collaboration with influencer, Claire Marshall, to channel Kyoto, the pop-up island is the self-care getaway your adorable, bobble-headed clone needs.
Gillette Venus
The second brand to team up with Animal Crossing is Gillette Venus, for the launch of its Summer Skinclusive Line by Venus. The campaign is the brand’s commitment to stand up for every woman’s right to feel comfortable and live freely in her own skin.
So to celebrate just that, Venus has partnered with digital designer, Nicole Cuddihy, to co-create new avatar designs within the game.
This collection is taking Animal Crossing from just a few representations of skin, to 19 different skin types in 8 in-game skin tones, resulting in over 250 designs.
These now include common skin realities like freckles, acne, hair, cellulite, scars and stretch marks, and more unique and under-represented skin like vitiligo, tattoos, psoriasis, and differently-abled bodies.
You can find the Gucci app here, sign up Tatchaland updates here, and watch the Gillette Venus X Animal Crossing campaign video here.
