Today, Pinterest is launching hair pattern, a first-of-its-kind search tool, created with BIPOC in mind, that empowers Pinners to search for hair inspiration across six different hair patterns.
Through computer vision-powered object detection, hair pattern search enables Pinners to refine hair searches by six different hair patterns: protective, coily, curly, wavy, straight and shaved/bald. When a Pinner searches for a broad hair search like “hairstyles” or “glam hair”, they can narrow their search results from one of the six different hair patterns. As one of the biggest beauty platforms, Pinterest has detected a hair pattern (e.g. coily, curly, protective) in over 500 million images on the platform.*
Hair pattern search builds on Pinterest’s industry-first inclusive product feature skin tone ranges, first launched in 2018. This announcement marks another major step forward for inclusivity in tech and furthers Pinterest’s commitment to having 50% of its content come from creators from underrepresented groups (based on self-identification).
How to use hair pattern search:
- Open the Pinterest app
- Select the search icon
- Type “hairstyles” or “summer hairstyles” or “glam hair” into the search bar
- Select from one of the six hair patterns from below the search bar: 1) protective 2) straight 3) wavy 4) curly 5) coily 6) bald/shaved to see hair inspiration that is most relevant to your style and preference.
Pinterest’s Head of Inclusive Product, Annie Ta, worked with BIPOC creators and Pinners like Editorial Hair Stylist and Global Artistic Director of Amika, Naeemah LaFond to help build and design the product. A champion for diverse hair representation, LaFond advised on the overall user experience and inclusive language used within the app alongside third party experts who ensured the inclusion of diverse users and perspectives in the development process. Building a truly diverse and inclusive product means not simply considering people of color in the development cycle, but rather putting them first.
More details can be found on the Pinterest Newsroom