What is the Future of Beauty in Today’s Digitized World?
The future of beauty is being shaped by the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into both the physical and digital retail experiences, with transformative implications for consumers and brands alike.
In-Person vs. AI Shopping Experience
AI is rapidly redefining how consumers shop for beauty products both in-store and online. In physical stores, such as MAC in Soho, smart mirrors and interactive displays enable customers to virtually try on makeup, hairstyles, and skincare products without physical application, creating a seamless and personalized try-on experience. Major retailers, such as L’Oréal and Sephora, have introduced virtual try-on features that enable users to see how different products would look in real-time, using only a smartphone or computer, thereby enhancing both convenience and consumer engagement. This move towards blending digital and physical retail spaces, to a phygital scene, creates immersive environments where technology provides instant, personalized guidance.
In contrast, the digital shopping experience leverages AI-driven chatbots, online beauty advisors, and smart content to provide customized product recommendations based on consumer data and previous purchases. Brands like Neutrogena have launched AI-powered applications, such as Skin360, which combines AI analysis and expert insights to identify unique skincare needs and provide tailored solutions. Tarte Cosmetics reported a 200% increase in sales and a 30% increase in add-to-cart rates after launching a virtual try-on tool, showcasing the effectiveness and demand for these technologies in the beauty space.
Consumer Comfort with AI
Current consumer comfort varies, as many do appreciate the heightened personalization and convenience that AI offers, especially for virtual try-ons. However, hesitancy remains for more complex data-driven or autonomous AI systems. Studies are showing that AI compatibility and the experience of successful virtual trials significantly increase the willingness to accept AI-assisted beauty purchases. On the contrary, awareness and understanding of AI technologies remain uneven, as consumers prefer transparency about how their data is being used, as well as human touchpoints for more personal services.
The Future: Brand Growth, AI, and Consumer Expectations
Beauty brands are poised to accelerate their adoption of AI, with a focus on personalized experiences, trend forecasting, and product innovation.
Things to expect:
AI-driven assistants for both makeup and skincare, offering interactive tutorials, skin analysis, and smart product recommendations beyond what is currently offered.
Immersive, AI-powered in-store technologies that blend digital and physical engagement, such as smart mirrors and virtual reality stations, enhance discovery and experimentation.
Integration of shoppable content and real-time online advisors for a frictionless, hyper-personalized digital marketplace.
Looking forward, customers will be most comfortable when AI enhances personalization, maintains transparency, and strikes a balance between technology and a human touch. Brands that invest their time and money into ethical AI, prioritize user data security, and offer clear benefits from AI-driven tools will see higher trust and adoption. As AI capabilities continue to evolve, successful beauty brands will prioritize the seamless and sensitive integration of these technologies into both in-person and digital customer journeys, ensuring engagement, satisfaction, and brand loyalty.
By Molly O’Keefe
AI Tools were used to pull sources that were influenced in the writing of this article:
“Beauty Brands Are Trailblazers in AI-Enabled Strategies.” Kika, 27 Mar. 2024, https://www.kika.ca/blog/beauty-brands-are-trailblazers-in-ai-enabled-strategies-lessons-for-2024/.
“From Formulations to Marketing: How Beauty Brands Are Using AI.” Firework, 4 Nov. 2025, https://firework.com/blog/beauty-brands-using-ai.
“How Artificial Intelligence Is Shaping the Future of the Beauty Industry.” Manjeri Skincare, https://manjeriskincare.com/blogs/the-glow-report/how-artificial-intelligence-is-shaping-the-future-of-the-beauty-industry.
“How Beauty Players Can Scale Gen AI in 2025.” McKinsey, 5 Jan. 2025, https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/how-beauty-players-can-scale-gen-ai-in-2025.
“Need New Makeup? This Interactive Mirror Makes Beauty Shopping a Cinch.” The Wall Street Journal, 25 Jan. 2018, https://www.wsj.com/articles/this-smart-beauty-mirror-actually-helps-you-shop-1516900532.
“The Future of Beauty: AI & AR.” Bespoke Advantage, https://thebespokeadvantage.com/the-future-of-beauty-ai-ar/.
“The Future of the Luxury Beauty Industry with AI and XR.” Yord Studio, 25 June 2025, www.yordstudio.com/ai-xr-beauty-industry.[9]
“Unlocking the Potential of AI: Enhancing Consumer Engagement in the Beauty and Cosmetic Product Purchases.” ScienceDirect, 23 July 2024, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0969698924001383.
“5 AI-Driven Trends Shaping Beauty & Fashion in 2025.” Perfect Corp, 5 Nov. 2025, https://www.perfectcorp.com/business/blog/general/ai-beauty-and-fashion-trends.
“You Can’t Spell ‘Beautiful’ Without ‘AI’ – How the Beauty Industry’s Innovation is Changing Consumer Sentiment Around the Technology.” TotalRetail, 14 Oct. 2025,https://www.mytotalretail.com/article/you-cant-spell-beautiful-without-ai-how-the-beauty-industrys-innovation-is-changing-consumer-sentiment-around-the-technology/