Key Takeaways:
The Consumer Electronics Show, the world’s largest and most highly anticipated technology stage, was held January 5-9 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event featured 4,100+ exhibitors, including 1,200 startups, 148,000+ attendees, and over 60% of the Fortune 500, all of whom came together to showcase the most innovative and disruptive consumer electronic products in development today.
Among the humanoid robotic helpers, lifelike pet companions, next-gen smartphones, and even toilet-mounted diagnostic computers, there was an array of notable beauty and wellness innovations on display. The beauty-related products were largely a continuation of 2025—in a word, AI. The integration of AI continues to power new technologies that deliver precision diagnostics, personalized solutions, and superior product efficacy, empowering consumers with clinical-grade solutions at home, no expert needed.
Other products were designed for a B2B audience, providing solutions at the retail point of sale that enable beauty advisors to offer expertise and advice previously available only from dermatologists, top-tier stylists, makeup artists, and other experts.
Beauty innovations reflected larger themes of the CES opening keynote, led by American tech giants and chipmakers Nvidia and AMD. Both presentations emphasized—you guessed it—AI and its continued integration into everyday products and services designed for everyday people.
The most prolific of the exhibitors, L’Oréal, unveiled no less than seven innovations: three light-powered devices (an LED Face Mask and Eye Masks, and the Light Straight + Multi-styler hair tool), with brand-specific introductions from Lancôme and Kiehl’s, a novel delivery system appliance, and an eco-friendly hair system.
Light Straight + Multi-styler
A CES 2026 Innovation Award Honoree, L'Oréal asserts that the Light Straight will dramatically reduce heat-related hair damage. According to the company’s consumer research, 58% of women say their hair damage was caused by heat. Unlike conventional hot tools, the Light Straight uses near-infrared light below temperatures of 320°F to deeply penetrate the hair fiber, reshaping molecular bonds at lower temperatures. (Standard tools operate at 400°F+.) L’Oreal states that the Light Straight + Multi-styler can prevent keratin degradation, which can lead to weakened cuticles, breakage, and dullness. The company maintains that the Light Straight preserves hair health, producing ultra-smooth styles while keeping the hair’s cuticle structure intact.
“Light Straight + Multi-styler moves hairstyling beyond correction into prevention,” Guive Balooch, Global Vice President of Augmented Beauty and Open Innovation at L’Oréal Groupe and member of the Consumer Technology Association’s (CTA) Board of Industry Leaders, said in a press release. “Limiting cumulative heat exposure to help preserve the integrity of natural hair from the start, we’re enabling consumers to protect their hair now and for the future. We believe this innovation sets a new standard in precision styling, not just upgrading, but redefining the entire hairstyling category.”
L'Oréal has yet to announce which brand from its haircare portfolio (Kérastase, Redken, L’Oréal Professional, Matrix, or Pureology) will be the first to launch the Light Straight tool. The AirLight Pro Dryer, which uses infrared light, was released by L’Oréal Professionnel last year.
The Light Straight + Multi-styler is set to launch globally in 2027.
LED Face Mask
Also a CES 2026 Innovation Award Honoree, the LED Face Mask represents a departure from the bulky, hard plastic that characterizes today’s at-home LED mask devices. Instead, it is made of one-millimeter-thick flexible silicone (think a hydrogel sheet mask, but even thinner).
Designed for daily 10-minute sessions, the LED Face Mask emits red light and near-infrared light to combat discoloration, fine lines, sagging, and other age-related skin issues. The mask was developed in partnership with iSMART Developments, a B2B beauty technology company that specializes in LED innovation. The company is currently developing a companion serum to enhance the mask's effectiveness. The LED Face Mask was showcased in prototype form, awaiting consumer trials. It is set to launch globally in 2027.
LED Eye Mask
While not formally showcased, L'Oréal debuted photos of a reusable eye mask made of the same flexible silicone as the Face Mask with a similar anti-aging focus. Housed in a chic carrying case reminiscent of wireless earbuds, the patches appear transparent, offering a glimpse of the intricate tech inside.
Kiehl’s Derma-Reader 2.0
Named a CES 2026 Innovation Award Honoree in the Artificial Intelligence category, the Derma-Reader is an in-store device that uses proprietary AI imaging and tri-polar light (standard, cross-polarized, and UV) to deliver dermatologist-level insights in minutes. It captures nine high-resolution images and analyzes 11+ surface and subsurface skin attributes. The customer is then presented with a clear, color-coded analysis, enabling Kiehl’s Skin Pros to create highly personalized, full-face skincare routines.
There is no word yet on when the Derma-Reader 2.0 will launch at Kiehl’s counters and retail locations globally.
Lancôme Renergie Nano-Resurfacer | 400 Booster
Inspired by microneedling, the Nano-Resurfacer claims to deliver professional-grade resurfacing results without the skin damage, downtime, or discomfort of standard microneedling treatments. It uses silicon nanochips to create millions of micro-channels within the stratum corneum (the outermost layer) of the skin. The company asserts that, when combined with Lancôme's H.C.F. Triple Serum, it delivers 2X better results than the serum alone, allegedly achieving 56% fine-line reduction in eight weeks.
SkinBoosters JET
Similar to the Nano-Resurfacer, the SkinBoosters JET is said to revolutionize cosmetic delivery through needle-free injection technology that enhances the penetration of topical actives into the skin’s top layers. Using high-velocity micro-atomization technology, it operates without electrical stimulation, which can compromise skin barrier function. The company stated that it delivers immediate, long-lasting skin improvements equal to those of medical-grade boosters, without pain, side effects, or downtime.
Clinical trials demonstrated 30%-100% improvements in skin radiance, transparency, evenness, plumpness, and smoothness compared to topical application alone.
L’Oreal Water Saver Dose
A fully plastic-free hair-washing system, Water Saver Dose aims to blend eco-conscious design with premium performance. The system includes single-dose biodegradable pods that dissolve after use, eliminating packaging waste. The user inserts a pod into a cartridge-based dispenser, which transforms the concentrate into a luxurious, cloud-like foam, using much less water. In addition to sustainability benefits like reducing product and water waste, the company asserts that the precise dosing prevents product overuse and maintains consistent results. Water Saver Dose is designed for multiple contexts: at home, on the go, or in professional settings.
A key player at last year’s CES event, Korean conglomerate Amorepacific showcased two AI-driven products co-developed with outside partners, focusing on advanced measurement, diagnostics, and precision recommendations.
Skinsight
Recognized as a CES Innovation Award Honoree in the Beauty Tech category, Skinsight was co-developed with a research group at MIT. It is said to predict how skin will age, and then recommends personalized solutions. It uses a skin sensor patch to measure aging factors influenced by one’s exposome (broadly defined as the sum of an individual's lifetime exposures and how those exposures relate to health) and lifestyle, with AI then delivering recommendations. Skinsight also reportedly tracks skin changes across various environments.
AI Beauty Mirror
Another CES Innovation Award Honoree in the Beauty Tech category, this technology leverages AI-powered skin analysis integrated into Samsung’s much-buzzed-about AI Beauty Mirror, for which an earlier prototype was previewed at last year’s CES. Like the Kiehl’s Derma-Reader 2.0, it uses three cameras to generate high-precision skin imaging. The cameras measure four skin dimensions: pore size, erythema (redness), melanin, and wrinkles. It then recommends personalized skin solutions based on a dataset of over 45,000 cases. The AI Beauty Mirror is designed for installation at retailers, salons, and spas, rather than for at-home use. Samsung, whose broad CES theme was “AI Everything,” hopes the AI Beauty Mirror will evolve into a data-driven beauty platform.
Wanna-Beauty AI
Named a CES 2026 Innovation Award Honoree in the Artificial Intelligence category, Wanna-Beauty AI operates as if ChatGPT and a seasoned beauty expert worked together. It is powered by generative AI to offer a virtual beauty solution with voice interaction. It combines AI face segmentation, large language models trained in makeup trends, and voice recognition to converse with consumers, interpret preferences, and quickly identify optimal makeup keywords. Designed to understand consumer needs, it suggests ideal makeup and eliminates the need for physical sampling or consultations.
SCAR Treatment Device
A standout at CES was Kolmar Korea’s “Scar Beauty Device,” snapping up the Best of Innovation Award in both the Beauty Tech and Digital Health categories. The awards are granted only to technologies that receive top scores across all evaluation criteria, including innovation, design, and technological excellence.
Kolmar purports to combine scar treatment with coverage in one solution, achieved in 10 minutes. The device relies on AI-driven big-data analysis: first, it classifies the scar into one of 12 types. Then a micro-dispensing unit (called piezoelectric plating, the mechanism used in inkjet printers, which also powers vibrational technology in beauty care products like microcurrent treatments and cleansing wands) precisely dispenses two formulas. One formula contains a customized dermatological treatment solution to promote skin rejuvenation, collagen production, wrinkle reduction, improved skin tone, and accelerated healing. The other contains one of 180 skin-tone-matched powder pigments to provide makeup coverage.
The UX enables users to track progress via a smartphone app. Launching in the first half of this year, a Kolmar Korea official stated in a press release, "This Best of Innovation Award is the result of research focused not just on technology itself, but on human-centered user experience and real-world problem solving. We will continue to expand AI, IoT, and big data technologies across cosmetic development and service areas."
The official added, "By consistently introducing differentiated beauty tech solutions that integrate AI and digital technologies, Kolmar Korea will continue to lead the global beauty tech industry."
Tech-Integrated Cosmetic Packaging
Nuon Medical, a B2B company focused on smart beauty packaging, specializes in active applicators and secondary applicators that augment the efficacy of cosmetics. Driven by a strong focus on consumer needs directly sourced from end users, it has a portfolio of 800 patents.
Nuon Medical's packaging focuses on the industry’s most critical frontier: the point of skin contact. Framed as a packaging delivery solution that integrates diagnostics and treatment in a single applicator, it combines light therapy, sensors, and near-field communication technology to enable sensing, diagnostics, skin treatments, and digital connectivity, enhancing the efficacy of cosmetic and skincare products. Specifically, it combines red and blue light therapy, analysis of skin hydration and texture, UV damage visualization, and usage data.
“The future of efficacy lies in the synergy between the formulation and the delivery method,” said Alain Dijkstra, founder and CEO of Nuon Medical, in a press release. “At CES 2026, we are showing R&D teams how our ‘device-in-packaging’ architecture acts as a treatment engine, unlocking the full biological potential of their products.”
maXpace
maXpace, another CES 2026 Innovation Awards Honoree in Beauty Tech, is an advanced automated device that purportedly enables beauty brands to design and deliver a new level of personalized cosmetics at the consumer’s point of experience. The system supports skincare, foundation, and lip products through modular cartridge boards that can be swapped out, enabling multiple product types to be produced with a single platform. It uses a “ShadeXense” algorithm and a patent-pending formulation structure to analyze each consumer’s skin data and preferences. It then generates an optimal, tailored formula in real time. The company says that maXpace enables distinctive, brand-aligned consumer experiences while addressing growing demand for personalization, efficiency, and sustainable on-site production. maXpace also facilitates both ingredient dispensing and hygienic mixing, ensuring consistent quality and reliability.
Perfect Corp.’s AI Beauty Agent suite of products claims to be a major upgrade to today's AI-driven try-on and analysis tools, which the company asserts are static and impersonal. According to the company, its technology creates intelligent digital advisors that can offer highly personalized, brand-led experiences.
For example, the YouCam Agent, a next-generation AI assistant, is designed to deliver conversational beauty experiences at scale. Like other AI-driven beauty solutions, the experience begins with a consumer selfie. But unlike a traditional rules-based chatbot, YouCam is designed to adapt throughout the consumer journey to answer questions, guide product comparisons, and deliver contextual recommendations that continuously evolve with consumer input.
Perfect Corp. also unveiled the AI + API Innovation Suite, which enables brands to adapt AI technology quickly and flexibly across their ecosystems, including retail, e-commerce, and mobile. The product suite includes APIs for skin analysis, accurate face shape, ratio analysis, and virtual try-on APIs for cosmetics, jewelry, accessories, apparel, and shoes.
Hyper Rejuvenating Eye Patch
This product, a 2026 Honoree in Beauty Tech, is a periocular care system that enhances the efficacy of topical skincare while also stimulating cellular activation. It provides AI-driven personalization by analyzing facial images, segmenting the eye area into micro-zones, and evaluating existing skin conditions. Similar to L'Oréal's eye patch technology, the Hyper Rejuvenating Eye Patch is an ultra-thin, stretchable LED patch that conforms to facial contours to improve active-ingredient delivery.
Press-On Smart Nails
At-home nail care is getting a tech-forward makeover, too. As the name suggests, the digital manicure consists of press-on acrylic nails that change color instantly when hit with an electric charge. Described as “e-ink for the fingertips,” the interface displays 400 color options on the user’s mobile device. Once the chosen color is selected, the nail is inserted into a rechargeable wand. Next, iPolish's Press-On Smart Nails deliver a brief charge to the nail, changing the color in five seconds. iPolish is positioned around the benefit of customization based on mood, outfit, or any other whim, without the nail salon prices. Shipping begins in June of this year.
Laser Hair Regrowth Cap
There are already a slew of hair regrowth caps on the market, but Appotronics representsa step change from conventional solutions. The company's Laser Hair Regrowth Cap, which can be discreetly inserted into a baseball cap or hat, uses lasers to transform professional-grade phototherapy into a more convenient at-home routine (the recommended usage limit is 20 minutes per day). Designed for those who are experiencing hair loss but still have active follicles, the device has undergone six months' worth of studies conducted by the development team, recording an average of three to five millimeters of new hair growth per user. The results have been so positive, says a brand representative, that CES 2026 was the perfect venue to unveil the product. The company is now looking for new partners before seeking approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Balance AI Rejuvenation Shower System
Ceragem is emerging as a key player in the global healthcare industry, with the Balance AI Rejuvenation Shower System garnering an Honoree title in the Beauty Tech category. The system is a camera-free AI-driven skincare platform that transforms daily showers into precision beauty routines. It is equipped with a smart mirror featuring near-infrared and spectral sensors that scan the user’s face to assess hydration, oil levels, elasticity, and pigmentation. In real time, the embedded AI adjusts pH through electrolysis, softens water via ion exchange, and dispenses personalized blends of vitamins and active skincare ingredients through a series of cartridges. The company stated that custom water chemistry supports skin barrier health, reduces irritation, and helps manage acne-prone or sensitive skin.
Master AI Multi-Therapy Rejuvenation Pod
Ceragem’s other product, another 2026 Honoree in Beauty Tech, represents a true marriage of beauty and wellness in the high-tech space. Its AI Multi-Therapy Rejuvenation Pod is an intelligent beauty and wellness platform that integrates 10 therapies into a single session. Using sensors and FDA-approved technology, it analyzes factors such as posture, skin, and emotional state to deliver tailored combinations of LED skincare, oxygen infusion, spinal alignment, thermal therapy, and other modalities. The skin therapies use red light to improve tone and elasticity, and blue light to calm irritation and purify the scalp. Oxygen and heat support circulation, cellular renewal, and a healthier, more radiant appearance. For users with sleep or stress concerns, the Pod adjusts intensity and timing to enhance outer glow and inner balance.
Grabity
Grabity, a South Korean haircare brand developed by startup company Polyphenol Factory (created at KAIST university) that exhibited at CES 2025 to introduce its hair volume technology—was back at CES in 2026. This time, the startup introduced its latest technology, LiftMax 615, a new polyphenol complex designed for aging hair. It focuses on the biological and mechanical characteristics of aging hair, including reduced fiber diameter, loss of tensile strength, increased shedding and breakage, and diminished surface luster.
The polyphenol complexes in the formula form a dense, uniform coating on the hair’s surface, enabling stable adhesion to hair proteins and allowing the coating effect to remain on the hair for a relatively extended period, thus temporarily reinforcing the strength and thickness of hair weakened by aging, while also reorganizing the hair’s surface structure to improve light reflection. As a result, hair appears visibly smoother, glossier, and more resilient—an approach particularly relevant for individuals in their 40s and 50s experiencing the thinning hair, hair loss, and dull texture associated with aging.
The brand entered the US market in December 2025 and achieved a rapid sellout on Amazon shortly after launch. Products incorporating LiftMax 615 are scheduled for release in March 2026, alongside ongoing expansion into US offline retail channels.