Personalized beauty used to mean grabbing a foundation two shades too light and hoping for the best. Then came artificial intelligence, quietly, at first. Around 2018, AI started sneaking its way into the beauty space, mostly as a fun gadget or an app that scanned your skin and made suggestions. Fast forward to now, and AI is everywhere, from lipstick labs to skincare serums, reshaping how we think about beauty—one algorithm at a time.
At its core, AI in beauty is all about customization. It takes your data—your skin tone, your preferences, even your local weather—and churns out makeup and skincare made just for you. What started as a novelty has become the backbone of a future where your beauty products are as unique as your fingerprint.
Let’s break it down.
AI Gets Personal with Color Matching
Early on, brands like Yves Saint Laurent turned heads with their Rouge Sur Mesure device, a pocket-sized lipstick lab that uses AI to mix thousands of shades on demand. Launched in 2021, it’s sleek, connected to an app, and lets you create lip colors to match your outfit, mood, or even your coffee cup. It went viral on TikTok for a reason: the dream of printing your own lipstick became a reality.
But AI-powered makeup didn’t stop there. Lancôme’s Le Teint Particulier debuted as one of the first custom foundation services, scanning your skin in-store and mixing a foundation precisely tailored to your unique complexion. With over 72,000 possible formulas, it’s a makeup matchmaker with a high-tech twist. South Korea’s Amorepacific took it a step further with robot arms that mix personalized foundations on the spot, because, of course they did.
And then there’s IL MAKIAGE. Their PowerMatch AI algorithm quizzes you online (no photo required) and mails you a foundation that actually matches your skin. The viral videos of people swiping on flawless shades speak for themselves.
AI-Powered Skincare: Your Digital Dermatologist
Skincare got smart, too. Neutrogena’s Skin360 app scans your face with your phone’s camera and spits out a personalized skin report and product routine. Think of it as a pocket dermatologist that never sleeps.
SkinCeuticals took AI from the app to the lab with its Custom D.O.S.E service. In under ten minutes, you can walk out with a serum freshly mixed to target your skin’s needs, whether it’s fine lines, dark spots, or hydration.
And if you’re a data junkie, PROVEN Skincare crunches everything from your zip code’s pollution levels to your sleep habits through its AI system. The result? A fully customized skincare regimen backed by data from 4,000 studies and 28 million consumer insights. No guesswork, just science.
Try Before You Buy: Virtually
Augmented reality meets AI in virtual try-on tools that are everywhere now. Sephora’s Virtual Artist lets you test-drive lipsticks and eyeshadows from your phone, while its Color iQ tech scans your skin to recommend spot-on foundation shades. L’Oréal’s ModiFace powers similar tools for Maybelline, Lancôme, and Urban Decay, turning your screen into a makeup playground.
Even Chanel joined the fun with LipScanner. Snap a photo of anything—your friend’s lip color, your wine glass—and the app finds the closest matching Chanel lipstick. Science fiction? Not anymore.
The Future Is Ultra-Personal
AI is making beauty more personal, smarter, and frankly, more fun. We’re moving toward a world where your skincare updates itself based on tomorrow’s weather forecast, your lipstick changes shade to match your mood, and your makeup routine is designed by an algorithm that knows you better than you know yourself.
We’re not there yet, but we’re close. The question isn’t whether AI will transform beauty. It’s how far we’ll let it go.
