More Like Us: Daz 3D’s Mission with Polygon Studios to Champion Individuality in the Metaverse

The Metaverse is for everyone. Clinique and Daz 3D partnered with Polygon Studios to share and promote that message, while pushing the boundaries of what is possible with Polygon’s innovative blockchain technology.

Clinique, the first dermatologist-developed beauty brand, teamed up with Daz 3D, creators of the Non-Fungible People (NFP) NFT collection, to launch their first Avatar makeup NFTs, which can be used by NFP holders to upgrade their own avatars.

It was also an easy one. Daz 3D chose Polygon as their blockchain, despite facing the need for a cross-chain upgrade because of that. As a fast, efficient, and low-footprint solution, Daz 3D put their trust in Polygon to launch a collection with a mission and message they truly believe in.

The First Cross-Chain Upgrade

Last year, Daz 3D launched Non-Fungible People on the Ethereum Blockchain. The decision to use Polygon for this campaign posed the interesting task of enabling these cross-chain upgrades for NFP holders who receive the drop. This is the first of its kind - a cross-chain NFT upgrade.

Starting in July, three NFT makeup drops will be offered randomly over the course of three rounds, with the second drop in August and the final in September. Each drop includes 1968 for a total of 5904.

If an NFP holder is chosen and receives the Clinique makeup drop, they’ll have the option to choose their favorite of the included two looks and officially apply the upgrade to their NFT and avatar.

The Metaverse More Like Us Campaign

This drop started with a simple mission: to challenge unrealistic beauty standards and champion individuality in the metaverse. According to 2021 research by Cheyenne Assil, only 20% of creators and users within the metaverse are women, and less than 16% of all NFT artists are female as well. NFT avatars of color and disability are valued lower than white avatars.

The Metaverse More Like Me campaign wants to change that. Clinique teamed up with Daz 3D – whose NFP collection is one of the most inclusive collections on the market, featuring a diverse cast of females and non-binary avatars – to celebrate all beauty and highlight communities not currently represented in the digital world.

As a part of this unique initiative, Clinique collaborated with a diverse group of leading, globally recognized makeup artists and creators including Tess Daly, Sheika Daley, and Emira D’Spain to help design the exclusive NFTs that shape this campaign.

“Our mission to be in the service of all skin means that we’re dedicated to increasing inclusivity everywhere our brand connects with consumers, and that commitment is no different in the Metaverse. As the Metaverse is blossoming, we know that what we create today can positively impact the beauty standards of the future. We are proud to collaborate with leaders in the space, such as Daz 3D, and artists who help us bring optimism through artistry,” Carolyn Dawkins, SVP of Global Marketing, Analytics Online of Clinique said in a statement.

Creating The Makeup Looks

Makeup artists Tess, Sheika, and Emira curated two looks each powering the six NFTs offered in the campaign. Each artist created their looks with the diverse NFP cast in mind, designing something that would work well with all skin tones, face shapes, and hairstyles.

Pulling from their creativity, passion, and inspiration, each artist used their favorite Clinique products to curate their two looks, one real-world and one fantastical look. Sheika referenced nostalgia in her design, pulling inspiration from an animated TV series from the 80s, and a second subtle take on bold, confident runway looks. Emira tapped into the duality between the subtle and bold touch points within all of us to create her looks. Tess’s inspiration focused on edginess and graphic elements tied into the ombre technique.

The end result is six beautiful, diverse, and inclusive makeup looks that will upgrade amazingly with any NFP avatar.

The Metaverse is for Everyone

Clinique's socially-conscious entry into the metaverse and partnering with the NFP brand to do so demonstrates how possible it is to build the metaverse right the first time, by creating a fully-inclusive and welcoming community from the get-go.

The Metaverse More Like US campaign just wants to raise awareness to the lack of diversity in avatars and the marginalization that currently exists in much of the digital world. Clinique and Daz 3D have partnered to not only push the boundaries of what can be done but to also forward their message that together we can build a more inclusive world and diverse beauty in Web3 and the Metaverse.