The age of automation is here. With the rise of large language models like ChatGPT and advancements in computer vision—the technology used in Roomba vacuums and robotic surgery systems—AI technology is finally mature enough to be incredibly useful to beauty consumers. From AI-powered manicures to hands-free massages, robots are rapidly reshaping the beauty industry. Artificial intelligence in the beauty industry is estimated to be worth $13.34 billion by 2030, according to InsightAce Analytic. The robotics market size is estimated at $45.85 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $95.93 billion by 2029.
The consumer beauty space is ripe for robotic investment and innovation. Robots can perform repetitive tasks with precision, ensuring safe and consistent beauty services for consumers. The advancement of beauty robots has the potential to radically transform the beauty industry, with both beneficial and challenging implications. On the one hand, beauty robots are bringing innovation to a rapidly growing market that has been begging for more outside of just physical products. On the other hand, the proliferation of beauty robots can potentially decrease demand for beauty services performed by professionally trained beauty providers, potentially leading to fewer jobs and increased price competition. This worry mostly stems from a fear of the new and unknown, which tends to dissipate as people learn about AI-powered beauty robots and how they can improve their work. For many people, these devices are a tool that pros can utilize to their benefit to make more money and also help avoid injuries from frequent and repetitive overuse.
While product innovation and personalization have continued to evolve in recent years, the beauty services industry has stagnated, lagging behind in meeting demand. Robotics offer an alternative solution to one of the industry’s biggest problems: staffing. There's a huge shortage of therapists and practitioners across all beauty services, and all spas are starting to feel the long-term effects.
“If we can't sustain therapists to be able to provide these in-person services, then how will all of these spas and wellness centers continue to operate and facilitate, and how will people continue to get services?” Caline Assilian, Wellness Director and Analyst at TLEE Spas + Wellness, tells BeautyMatter. “There's certainly a need for other solutions, and it is exciting and interesting to see how this could potentially help with that problem.”
The beauty industry is still very much in the beginning stages of a robotic revolution, with several pioneering companies at the forefront of this effort. Below, BeautyMatter explores the key players and innovations driving the robot-powered future of the beauty industry.
LUUM
One of the first AI robots deployed in the consumer beauty space comes from LUUM, a studio offering eyelash extensions applied using AI-powered robot technology. LUUM hopes to revolutionize the process of applying eyelash extensions, making it faster and more comfortable while prioritizing safety for both lash artists and customers.
“Educating customers about the built-in safety and security of our technology becomes much easier when people see the robot in action and experience it,” Jo Lawson, President of LUUM, tells BeautyMatter. “Our customers rave about it feeling safer than a manual application. The robot cannot even reach past a client’s eyelashes, and the lash applicator tools within the robot are soft and flexible, not razor sharp like human application tools.”
Eyelash extensions are typically a time-consuming process. A new set can take up to two hours to apply from start to finish. By combining robotics and AI technology, LUUM robots can complete full-set appointments in about 75 minutes, with the goal of reducing the time to as few as 33 minutes.
LUUM doesn’t intend to replace human lash specialists but rather complement their expertise. The AI-driven system allows lash artists to collaborate with technology to deliver high-quality, personalized lash extension services.
“While the technology handles the precise and consistent application of lash extensions, human lash specialists assist customers with style and design selections, prepping for the robot to work, and adding finishing touches for the perfect look,” says Lawson. “LUUM's next-generation technology is designed to significantly increase the efficiency of lash artists. With the ability to see three times the number of clients per day, lash artists can enhance their productivity and serve a larger customer base with LUUM while still relying on their expertise and personal touch and greatly reducing the back-breaking portion of their work.”
LUUM’s lash extension robots have been operational since 2021. Last year, LUUM launched a pilot program at the Ulta Beauty store in San Jose’s Village Oaks neighborhood, providing many beauty enthusiasts the chance to engage with LUUM's lash application services for the first time. LUUM at Ulta Beauty consistently maintains booking rates exceeding 90%, with plans to expand available appointments. The company reports consistent repeat customers (about 70%), with 30% new customers.
The partnership was a natural extension of LUUM’s existing relationship with Ulta: LUUM Precision Lash is a portfolio company of Prisma Ventures, Ulta Beauty's digital innovation fund, and was also one of the backers in the $2.9 million seed funding round secured in July 2022. Other notable investors include Foundation Capital, Artifact Capital, former Drybar CEO John Heffner, former Philosophy CEO David Watson, former Rodan + Fields CEO Lori Bush, and former Lancôme CEO Odile Roujol. The company has raised $17 million to date, and is currently raising series A round between $15 million and $30 million. LUUM’s next round of funding will allow the company to get several units to market in various retail spaces following its successful pilot program in Ulta Beauty.
“Our Instagram and TikTok videos have been going viral, with many getting millions of views in a matter of days,” says Lawson. “As a result, we currently have more demand for our robots than we know what to do with! We already have hundreds of businesses interested in placing our robots within their retail spaces.”
LUUM says its technology makes eyelash extensions more affordable, which allows a wider range of customers to access and experience these treatments, leading to a broader customer base and increased demand for lash extension services overall. This, the company says, can result in increased revenue and business opportunities for both lash artists and salons.
“Moreover, it brings about a more competitive landscape within the aesthetics industry,” says Lawson. “With a larger customer base and potentially more service providers entering the market, businesses will need to differentiate themselves by offering unique experiences, high-quality services, and personalized approaches. This competition can drive innovation and improvements in the field, benefiting customers and service providers.”
Currently, LUUM's primary focus is continuously refining and perfecting its technology to provide the best possible experience for its clients. The company’s main goal in the next year is to launch its next-generation machine, which can apply lashes to both eyes at once, completing a full set in just 33 minutes.
Robosculptor
Robosculptor is an AI-driven massage robot designed to perform noninvasive body treatments, including medical massage and skin rejuvenation. A high-speed 3D camera scans the body in just 10 seconds, creating a unique 3D model that the machine uses to map its trajectory. The machine maintains 3D dynamic control throughout the session, adjusting its position, pressure, and speed based on real-time camera feedback. The patient is also given a remote control in the event that they want to change or stop the treatment manually.
German/UAE joint venture Robosculptor is in the final stages of development and expects to deliver the first version of the product in Q3 2024. The company is headquartered in Germany but operates a research and development facility and manufacturing base in Dubai.
A 2022 ISPA study indicated a shortage of qualified, experienced talent to meet the surging demand for spa services. In particular, massage therapists are in short supply. Robotic automated therapy provides an alternative solution to this issue, creating broader access to massage therapy. It’s also more productive: The Robosculptor can provide up to 240 sessions a month, three times as much as the human industry standard of 80.
“Massage salons and other wellness facilities can also gain a huge advantage by implementing robotic solutions,” Dennis Ledenkof, the founder of Robosculptor, tells BeautyMatter. “Maintenance of a robot in Europe costs on average two to three times lower than the salary of a therapist: $3,500 vs. $6,000-$9,000 with taxes, depending on the country.”
Robosculptor plans to offer services including physiotherapy, medical massage/rehabilitation, and aesthetic body contouring. The company is marketing its robotic massage therapy device as a solution to resorts and hotels that struggle with demand outweighing the number of skilled therapists on staff, believing that the two services (robotic massage vs. human massage) cater to different audiences.
“We target those who want to have the same and highly predictable result from each session,” says Ledenkof. “Humans cannot offer that, but machines can. We also focus on those who [don’t] want to be touched by another person or just cannot schedule a session with a human."
Ledenkof believes the Robosculptor expands the massage market by providing an alternative service at a lower price point. Spas can charge less for a one-hour session with the machine than with a human, making massages with a physical human touch more desirable and profitable. Robotics has the potential to transform the massage industry, Ledenkof says. “You will be able to find a massage session nearby through an app in any location at any time—day or night.”
Robosculptor is privately funded, and Ledenkof has not disclosed the extent of the company's financial investment up to this point. Robosculptor’s roadmap for growth includes establishing a partner network and a distribution model for partners like hotels, spas, and fitness centers. The company also plans to establish a network, which will be rolled out region by region, with an app that allows consumers to book a treatment in various locations.
“A key aspect of the business model is an indispensable service cost, which makes the business model similar to what we know as SaaS in software,” says Ledenkof. “In robotics, it is called RaaS—Robot as a Service. Revenue sharing makes it possible to finance expensive support costs and marketing remotely.”
The customizable machine can be outfitted with various tools to enhance its functionality and cater to specific treatments. Once the Robosculptor has been deployed in the market later this year, Ledenkof plans to extend the product's capabilities. “First, we plan to implement vibrocompression by [adding] spheres [to the robotic arm]. After that, we are eager to add new functions such as whole body [radio frequency] rejuvenation and other noninvasive methods of therapy.”
10Beauty
After four years of development and $38 million in equity funding,10Beauty developed the world’s first and only autonomous manicure machine. The machine performs a traditional manicure with a high level of precision, removing old nail polish, filing and shaping the nail, and painting multiple coats—all completely unassisted. The entire process takes 17 to 22 minutes per hand, or less for those just doing a polish change.
The idea for a fully autonomous manicure actually came from looking at Peleton’s business model, according to Alex Shashou, Co-CEO at 10Beauty. “Where else could hardware be implemented to automate services?” Shashou recalls asking. “Beauty just stuck out as an incredible opportunity … The service market is enormous.”
The nail salon market was valued at $10.1 billion in 2022 and is anticipated to grow at a compound annual growth rate of over 7.5% between 2023 and 2032. Shashou and his co-founder, Justin Effron, recognized the potential for robotics to improve efficiency and convenience in the manicure market. Manicures are a very repetitive process that’s consistent across demographics, whereas hair and makeup are clearly not. It’s also a market that is primed and ready for a change.
“The reason why the manicure market is a relatively small part of the beauty market is because of the difficulty and chore of getting a manicure today,” says Shashou. “People just don't have time. As a result, they get them less frequently.”
10Beauty’s thesis was built on the idea that if the company can reduce all the barriers to getting a manicure, it could massively grow the manicure market. “People could get manicures every week. If we can put a machine everywhere you are already at, you could be getting a manicure right now,” says Shashou.
Shashou tapped Chris Casey, the roboticist who helped build the Roomba for iRobot back in 2001, to build this revolutionary machine. Safety was 10Beauty’s top priority during the development process. The machine shapes and files a nail without a single blade. Instead, it uses an etched glass file with a fine grit that files the nail without the potential to harm the skin. The manicure machine employs a pod system; each single-use pod has all the tools necessary to complete a full manicure. Consumers pick a pod based on the color, drop it in, and tell the machine what kind of manicure they want through an app. Consumers can dictate the shape of the nail and how much they want to file from their nails in the app. The machine works on one hand at a time, so the other hand is always free to take phone calls or answer texts.
“The nail filing is extremely comfortable, whereas [with humans] sometimes it might not be,” says Shashou. “The finish is really nice on the nail polish because we're able to apply very thin strokes, very thin, very small strokes on a brush with robot precision instead of human eye precision.”
10Beauty currently operates on a B2B model and hopes to build a version of the machine to sell directly to consumers in the future. The company has presold 1,000 units and has secured over $13 million in annual manicure subscription revenue. Since 2019, the company has raised $38 million, with notable investors including Red Sea Ventures, Lerer Hippeau, Oversubscribed Ventures, and Imaginary Ventures. Shine Capital led the most recent round.
“The team behind 10Beauty is impressive, and they're the only company that can do a full manicure, which is what it will take to truly disrupt the nail industry,” Erin and Sara Foster, co-founders of Oversubscribed Ventures, tell BeautyMatter. “Their product epitomizes the future of beauty where technology seamlessly integrates into our daily lives and enhances accessibility, convenience, and quality.”
The company plans to launch the manicure machine in the second half of 2024 and has already inked presale deals with four enterprise customers, including Nordstrom and Ulta Beauty, as well as dozens of high-end hair salons. These partnerships have the potential to eventually represent $50 million in revenue and presence at 3,000 locations.
Shashou believes 10Beauty’s manicure machine can complement the nail salon industry and enhance the service that skilled nail technicians offer.
“Most nail salons are not making money on basic manicures, just like Starbucks doesn't really make money on espressos,” he says. “They're making money on the higher margin items like gel manicures and art … I think it's no different from how I have an espresso machine at home, and I still love going to Starbucks or my local coffee shop.”
All of these devices are still in the early stages of development and implementation, and while technology advances quickly, it’s still too early to determine the impact of these robotic solutions on the industry.
“If you can get a perfect manicure, which is pretty hard to get when you're going to an actual person, that's going to be appealing to people,” argues Assilian. “But will it be that effective? I'm not sure.”