SegaSoft is offering two free downloads of hot new hairstyles selected by the editors of Cosmopolitan magazine, including 10 new African American hairstyles. The download is available at www.virtualmakeover.com and installs easily into the software.

Launched in October, Cosmopolitan Virtual Makeover has sold more than 175,000 units, making the Windows(c) 95 CD-ROM the number one title in the women's technology market. "This is a testament to the viability of software for women," said Lori Von Rueden, director of marketing for SegaSoft's kids and family group. "As our sales figures show, we are at the forefront of the emerging marketplace for software designed specifically for women. We are proud to partner with Cosmopolitan to make a fun yet practical tool that women can use in their own homes."

Additional downloads will also be available via the Internet. A fall makeup and contact lens color collection is available, as well as an exclusive eyewear collection by Luxottica(c), and an exciting hat collection by Paula's Hat Box(c). They are priced at $6.95 per collection.

Due to strong consumer interest in www.virtualmakeover.com, SegaSoft has had to double its server capacity in order to handle the website's activity which is now running at more than 50,000 hits a day. To further serve its customers, SegaSoft plans to develop a chat area for women to exchange beauty tips and discuss their own virtual makeovers.

"Cosmopolitan Virtual Makeover is the answer to the hundreds of letters a day we receive from our readers requesting makeover tips," said Andrea Pomerantz, beauty editor of Cosmopolitan. "By leveraging the power of the CD-ROM and the web, we can reach thousands of women with specific beauty tips and advice with a click of a makeover mouse."

Cosmopolitan Virtual Makeover is also taking traditional media by storm. The product has been featured in recent weeks on MSNBC, Inside Edition, The Home and Family Show, NBC News, New York CBS local news and Los Angeles CBS local news. Virtual Makeover has also hit major consumer print publications including Time, Newsweek, People, BusinessWeek, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times and The Orange County Register.

Software such as Cosmopolitan Virtual Makeover that lets people "test drive" new looks on their computer before trying them in real life has near universal appeal to consumers. A recent survey commissioned by SegaSoft found that nine out 10 American women would love a whole new look. However, the two items women most feared changing were their hair color and style. Cosmopolitan Virtual Makeover allows users to experiment with dozens of looks and colors, without snipping or dying a single lock.

Using Cosmopolitan Virtual Makeover is easy. Working with either their own photograph or one of the many images in the "library of faces," users can try different hairstyles, hair colors, eyebrow shapes, blushes, eye shadows, and foundations.