February 11, 2026
teamtime/Depositphotos.com
Will Robots Rejuvenate or Smear Beauty Retailing?
Robots able to apply beauty treatments are arriving at retailers, leading to some speculation about the threats and opportunities they may offer to beauty retailers and the salon space.
Among the experiments at retail:
- Ulta Beauty last fall began testing a manicure robot from 10Beauty that can tackle five core procedures — removing nail polish, filing and shaping nails, brushing away the cuticles, applying new polish, and drying the final product — in 25 to 45 minutes.
- Nordstrom and Ulta last year began testing a robot from LUUM that applies lashes to both eyes simultaneously, with a promise to reduce a full-set appointment to just 33 minutes, — nearly one-third the time of traditional manual methods.
- Walmart has been piloting a paint-mixing robot from Blank Beauty that enables shoppers to upload a photo of a color and have the robot match it in nail polish. The robot is able to create 40,000 shades of nail polish using less than four square feet of space.
Robots are also undergoing development that can see them apply make-up, and lipstick in particular.
Tech-Driven Job Losses in Beauty Retail: Overblown or No?
Many recent articles in the fashion space have focused on the job threats robots may place on technicians providing beauty treatments, as well as whether women will be comfortable enough to receive such services from a robot.
As far as job threats, execs representing beauty robotics companies told Business of Fashion that about half of those trying their robots are customers who don’t regularly get such services — or never have — implying robots will open up a broader revenue opportunity.
Mimicking the broader argument over automation within retail writ large, the robots can also focus on tasks that are repetitive, or those tasks causing musculoskeletal injuries, while allowing technicians to focus on more intricate work.
At least in the near-term, techs will be standing nearby to guide customers on how to engage with the robots — as well as sanitize the machines and address any mistakes the robots make as they’re fine-tuned. Alexander Shashou, co-CEO of 10Beauty, told WWD, “For most customers, this will be their first time interacting with an autonomous robot — the purpose of the nail tech will be to educate people on what’s happening, make sure they’re comfortable and help them customize the manicure.”
Shashou expects his robots will eventually not require techs, as he hopes to expand 10Beauty’s robots to hotels, airports, and homes.
Customers Expected To Eventually Embrace Beauty Robots
As far as comfort, customers are expected to continually embrace robots providing such services because of the value they provide, with robots also being developed that can manage haircuts, massages, and tattoos. According to Gartner, 90% of humans will engage with smart robots on a daily basis by 2030 (up from less than 10% today) due to rapid advancements in robot intelligence, social interaction capabilities, and human augmentation.
Beyond any technical advantages robots may add to beauty applications, time savings may incentivize some customers to try beauty robots. Speaking on the test of lash-applying robots of at its Manhattan flagship and two California locations, Autumne West, Nordrom’s national beauty director, told BeautyMatter, “Lashes are a key part of many of our customers’ beauty routines, but it’s also a service that is time-intensive.”
The robots may also address labor shortages at beauty counters and salons while lowering costs for such services for consumers. A recent Harvard Business School working paper found that amid concerns over AI-driven job losses, “people say they are willing to let machines take over many tasks, and entire occupations, especially if AI can do the work better, faster, and cheaper.”
BrainTrust
Georganne Bender
Principal, KIZER & BENDER Speaking
Gene Detroyer
Professor, International Business, Guizhou University of Finance & Economics and University of Sanya, China.
Christopher P. Ramey
President, Affluent Insights & The Home Trust International
Recent Discussions
Discussion Questions
What does the arrival of robots able to perform beauty treatments mean for beauty retailing and the overall category?
How comfortable will consumers be in receiving manicures, lash or make-up applications, and other beauty treatments from robots?
Poll
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Provided the technology works, I don’t see anything wrong with robots undertaking beauty routines. However, I am not quite sure how the return on investment for these expensive machines is justified since many of them need constant expert supervision. Maybe the higher throughput pays for it, but I remain skeptical. The other point is that not everyone will want this. It’s like those grotty old massage chairs in malls. They do a job, sure. But it’s not the immersive, social, and personal experience that many people love getting in a spa. There’s room for – and a need for – both automation and humanity.
And, of course, there is a huge difference between Walmart’s nail varnish color matching and creation machine and machines that undertake procedures/routines
This feels a little like Amazon Fresh to me.bragging about palm payments. Will customers prefer working with a machine, over a human? The jury’s out.
Yesterday’s topic was about when tech goes wrong; today’s examples seem like the very kind of applications that can go wrong (if they even work at all); so I’ll defer speculating too much until there’s more feedback. (Editorially: 40,000 shades of nail polish? If we can’t have world peace, this is a close runner -up /s)
A robot manicure? Sure, why not? But a robot hovering near my eyeballs with a lash applicator? Nope. I don’t trust myself with eye liner and I have opposable thumbs and a heartbeat.
The arrival of robots capable of performing manicures, lash extensions, and other treatments signals that beauty retail is entering a new phase of experiential innovation, but I view it less as disruption and more as experimentation. Retailers like Ulta and Nordstrom are already piloting robotic manicure and lash services to blend convenience with discovery in-store. These machines can complete multi-step manicures in roughly 30 to 45 minutes and introduce new service models that complement traditional beauty retail — offering quick, standardized treatments while shoppers browse. Like many innovations in retail, the smartest path forward is a test-and-learn approach: pilot in controlled environments, watch how customers respond, and refine the experience rather than assuming automation will immediately redefine the category.
Consumer comfort will likely be mixed — and that’s completely normal for a service built around trust and personal care. Some shoppers will embrace robots for speed, novelty, and perceived precision, especially for simple or express services. Others will continue to value the human connection, artistry, and consultation that trained professionals provide — particularly for more complex beauty treatments. Early robotic manicure pilots in retail environments have already been positioned as small-scale tests, underscoring that adoption will depend heavily on real-world feedback rather than hype. In my view, robots are unlikely to replace human technicians anytime soon; instead, they may fill gaps for quick touch-ups, entry-level services, or high-traffic retail settings where convenience matters most.
Looking ahead, the future of beauty robotics probably lies in augmentation rather than replacement. Advances in AI and robotics are opening new opportunities across the beauty services market — from nails to lashes to skincare — but success will hinge on balancing technology with personalization and safety. Retailers that treat these tools as part of a broader service ecosystem — blending automation with human expertise — stand to gain the most. Ultimately, whether robots become a mainstream feature of beauty retail will depend on one simple factor: if customers find the experience helpful, trustworthy, and enjoyable, adoption will accelerate; if not, it becomes just another experiment that delivers valuable learning for whatever comes next.
I can’t talk about beauty treatments. But when I get a haircut, my barber and I talk. To me, it is part of the experience.
Ladies, do you find the same with beauty treatments?
Having your nails done is a luxury service and a social one.
If speed & cost are the consumer problem then DIY is the answer.
Not seeing customer benefit. But the obvious feel to customer is cheapness… the client as a means to an end (more $, higher margin). ie- you are not worthy of talking to as 1 human to another. Just bring your screen to scroll (like you do all day already) & leave a $$ tip!
Curious if maintenance and repair of a robot is cheaper than human med insurance premium. If so, that is telling of the USA on whole separate level.
This will fascinate many clients…for a while.
It addresses many issues for C-level executives. Eventually, they’ll discover that their clients want a conversation and a relationship. This is how you destroy loyalty.
When a service moves from a human-to-human (H2H) interaction to a human-to-machine (H2M) transaction, the brand’s fundamental value proposition shifts amid tension between operational efficiency and emotional equity. This forces a structural split in the beauty market with the likely emergence of two distinct retail tiers: the Utility Tier offering convenience for time-poor consumers and an emotional premium luxury/artisanal tier. The former leads to commoditization, in which the service becomes fungible, with brand loyalty shifting from retailer to technology provider or to the lowest price/closest location. Salons will market premium-tier “Human-Only” services as a luxury status symbol. The richness of H2H conversation becomes a premium feature you pay extra for.
Retailers must choose to either compete on robotic precision or human connection; trying to do both in the same space may create an uncanny valley, an unsettling customer experience that satisfies no one.
“H2H conversation becomes a premium feature you pay extra for.”
If price were to go down for robot service & up for al H2H service…. that leaves 1 level in no man’s land. The group party/girls night/after work socializing third place.
Does that type of H2H value prop (group price/space filled) become too expensive.
eg. higher price to hire humans for the night… and give night off to robots
Kudos to you Tom Ryan for highlighting the precision play in beauty. As retailers, we are always looking for ways to reduce service friction while maintaining quality. The fact that a robot can match 40,000 nail shades in a four-square-foot footprint isn’t just a ‘cool gadget’—it’s a massive optimization of retail real estate. This article perfectly captures how automation is shifting from ‘gimmick’ to ‘growth driver’ by expanding the category to customers who previously didn’t have the time or budget for traditional services.
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Provided the technology works, I don’t see anything wrong with robots undertaking beauty routines. However, I am not quite sure how the return on investment for these expensive machines is justified since many of them need constant expert supervision. Maybe the higher throughput pays for it, but I remain skeptical. The other point is that not everyone will want this. It’s like those grotty old massage chairs in malls. They do a job, sure. But it’s not the immersive, social, and personal experience that many people love getting in a spa. There’s room for – and a need for – both automation and humanity.
And, of course, there is a huge difference between Walmart’s nail varnish color matching and creation machine and machines that undertake procedures/routines
This feels a little like Amazon Fresh to me.bragging about palm payments. Will customers prefer working with a machine, over a human? The jury’s out.
Yesterday’s topic was about when tech goes wrong; today’s examples seem like the very kind of applications that can go wrong (if they even work at all); so I’ll defer speculating too much until there’s more feedback. (Editorially: 40,000 shades of nail polish? If we can’t have world peace, this is a close runner -up /s)
A robot manicure? Sure, why not? But a robot hovering near my eyeballs with a lash applicator? Nope. I don’t trust myself with eye liner and I have opposable thumbs and a heartbeat.
The arrival of robots capable of performing manicures, lash extensions, and other treatments signals that beauty retail is entering a new phase of experiential innovation, but I view it less as disruption and more as experimentation. Retailers like Ulta and Nordstrom are already piloting robotic manicure and lash services to blend convenience with discovery in-store. These machines can complete multi-step manicures in roughly 30 to 45 minutes and introduce new service models that complement traditional beauty retail — offering quick, standardized treatments while shoppers browse. Like many innovations in retail, the smartest path forward is a test-and-learn approach: pilot in controlled environments, watch how customers respond, and refine the experience rather than assuming automation will immediately redefine the category.
Consumer comfort will likely be mixed — and that’s completely normal for a service built around trust and personal care. Some shoppers will embrace robots for speed, novelty, and perceived precision, especially for simple or express services. Others will continue to value the human connection, artistry, and consultation that trained professionals provide — particularly for more complex beauty treatments. Early robotic manicure pilots in retail environments have already been positioned as small-scale tests, underscoring that adoption will depend heavily on real-world feedback rather than hype. In my view, robots are unlikely to replace human technicians anytime soon; instead, they may fill gaps for quick touch-ups, entry-level services, or high-traffic retail settings where convenience matters most.
Looking ahead, the future of beauty robotics probably lies in augmentation rather than replacement. Advances in AI and robotics are opening new opportunities across the beauty services market — from nails to lashes to skincare — but success will hinge on balancing technology with personalization and safety. Retailers that treat these tools as part of a broader service ecosystem — blending automation with human expertise — stand to gain the most. Ultimately, whether robots become a mainstream feature of beauty retail will depend on one simple factor: if customers find the experience helpful, trustworthy, and enjoyable, adoption will accelerate; if not, it becomes just another experiment that delivers valuable learning for whatever comes next.
I can’t talk about beauty treatments. But when I get a haircut, my barber and I talk. To me, it is part of the experience.
Ladies, do you find the same with beauty treatments?
Having your nails done is a luxury service and a social one.
If speed & cost are the consumer problem then DIY is the answer.
Not seeing customer benefit. But the obvious feel to customer is cheapness… the client as a means to an end (more $, higher margin). ie- you are not worthy of talking to as 1 human to another. Just bring your screen to scroll (like you do all day already) & leave a $$ tip!
Curious if maintenance and repair of a robot is cheaper than human med insurance premium. If so, that is telling of the USA on whole separate level.
This will fascinate many clients…for a while.
It addresses many issues for C-level executives. Eventually, they’ll discover that their clients want a conversation and a relationship. This is how you destroy loyalty.
When a service moves from a human-to-human (H2H) interaction to a human-to-machine (H2M) transaction, the brand’s fundamental value proposition shifts amid tension between operational efficiency and emotional equity. This forces a structural split in the beauty market with the likely emergence of two distinct retail tiers: the Utility Tier offering convenience for time-poor consumers and an emotional premium luxury/artisanal tier. The former leads to commoditization, in which the service becomes fungible, with brand loyalty shifting from retailer to technology provider or to the lowest price/closest location. Salons will market premium-tier “Human-Only” services as a luxury status symbol. The richness of H2H conversation becomes a premium feature you pay extra for.
Retailers must choose to either compete on robotic precision or human connection; trying to do both in the same space may create an uncanny valley, an unsettling customer experience that satisfies no one.
“H2H conversation becomes a premium feature you pay extra for.”
If price were to go down for robot service & up for al H2H service…. that leaves 1 level in no man’s land. The group party/girls night/after work socializing third place.
Does that type of H2H value prop (group price/space filled) become too expensive.
eg. higher price to hire humans for the night… and give night off to robots
Kudos to you Tom Ryan for highlighting the precision play in beauty. As retailers, we are always looking for ways to reduce service friction while maintaining quality. The fact that a robot can match 40,000 nail shades in a four-square-foot footprint isn’t just a ‘cool gadget’—it’s a massive optimization of retail real estate. This article perfectly captures how automation is shifting from ‘gimmick’ to ‘growth driver’ by expanding the category to customers who previously didn’t have the time or budget for traditional services.