An AI-powered colour matching tool developed by Northamptonshire digital agency Zinc Digital has helped UK skincare brand Vitiliglow generate more than £5,000 in sales within 72 hours.

Launched as part of a promotional campaign around World Vitiligo Day in June, the bespoke technology allows customers to upload a photo of their skin and receive an instant shade recommendation.

The innovation tackles one of the biggest challenges faced by people with vitiligo, where finding the right shade has often relied on guesswork or in-person consultations. It also provides a more private experience for customers who prefer not to discuss their condition in person.

Polly Gotchi, founder of Vitiliglow – which, like Zinc Digital, is based in Northamptonshire – said: “Until now, customers would send me photos of their skin and I’d recommend the closest shade, but it wasn’t always easy because lighting can completely change how skin looks in a picture. This tool takes away that uncertainty and gives customers an accurate recommendation in seconds.

“For many people with vitiligo, privacy is really important. Around half of our customers are men, and many prefer to find the right product without having to discuss their condition. Being able to do that online is a huge step forward.

“We’re also hoping this innovation will support our ambitions to secure NHS approval. Many customers ask whether Vitiliglow will ever be available on prescription, and this AI tool makes the matching, ordering and fulfilment process much simpler, which we believe could be an important advantage.”

Since launch, the tool has continued to generate new sales and has significantly reduced the number of enquiries from customers frustrated by struggling to find the right shade.

Polly added: “It’s consistently providing accurate matches and saving me a huge amount of time. Customers are getting quick, reliable recommendations, and I’m no longer handling as many manual requests.”

Vitiliglow creates rub-proof, sweatproof camouflage cover for larger areas of skin affected by vitiligo, a condition affecting around 1% of the global population. Polly developed vitiligo in her mid-20s and spent years searching for an effective solution, trying everything from spray tans to foundations before developing her own all-in-one product in 2012.

What began as a small operation grew rapidly after Polly appeared on Dragon’s Den in 2015, when the business gained 4,000 customers overnight. Since then, Vitiliglow has built a loyal customer base across the UK and internationally.

The AI colour matching tool forms part of a wider digital transformation project delivered by Zinc Digital, including the development of a new Shopify website.

Hannah Austin, AI Lead at Zinc Digital, said: “We were able to leverage AI technology to deliver this solution in a fraction of the time and cost it would have taken to build from scratch. Developing this tool traditionally would have taken months, but we created it in just a couple of months. This is a perfect example of how quickly the digital market is moving and how AI can add genuine value to businesses.”

Oliver McKeown, Head of Digital at Zinc Digital, added: “This project demonstrates how we’re constantly looking to add value for our clients by being first to market with innovative solutions. Working with Polly and the Vitiliglow team has been inspiring, and we’re proud to support a business that makes such a meaningful difference to people’s confidence and quality of life.”

Polly added: “People send me thank you emails, before and after photos, and messages about how much this product means to them. They tell me how they’ve got their confidence back and can wear short-sleeved T-shirts again. This kind of feedback is what keeps me going. It really is confidence in a bottle and knowing we’re making that difference to people’s lives makes it all worthwhile. With the new website and AI tool, Vitiliglow will help more people than ever before regain their confidence.”

Last year Zinc Digital won both Small Business of the Year and West Northants Innovation Business of the Year at the 2025 Northamptonshire Business Awards. Headquartered in the Northamptonshire village of Little Houghton, the agency recently celebrated its 20th anniversary and works with organisations across the UK and overseas, delivering websites, bespoke software and digital transformation.

• Find out more about Vitiliglow here: vitiliglow.co.uk
• Find out more about Zinc Digital here: zinc.digital