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By:

Anjali Joshi

3 July 2026 at 7:55:47 am

Beauty and the Algorithm

Artificial intelligence is transforming skincare, but the industry’s most valuable asset remains irreducibly human. The beauty industry has rarely embraced technological change as enthusiastically as it is doing today. Artificial intelligence can now analyse skin with remarkable precision, sophisticated machines can target imperfections once thought difficult to treat, and aesthetic clinics increasingly resemble laboratories as much as salons. Yet amid this technological revolution, an...

Beauty and the Algorithm

Artificial intelligence is transforming skincare, but the industry’s most valuable asset remains irreducibly human. The beauty industry has rarely embraced technological change as enthusiastically as it is doing today. Artificial intelligence can now analyse skin with remarkable precision, sophisticated machines can target imperfections once thought difficult to treat, and aesthetic clinics increasingly resemble laboratories as much as salons. Yet amid this technological revolution, an enduring truth that remains is that beauty is as much a human experience as it is a scientific one. For decades, skincare revolved around conventional treatments, topical products and the trained judgement of experienced aestheticians. Today, that judgement is reinforced by an arsenal of advanced technologies. Treatments such as HydraFacials, laser therapy, radio-frequency procedures, microdermabrasion, High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) and LED light therapy have transformed the possibilities of non-invasive skincare. They cleanse more deeply, improve texture and pigmentation, and deliver increasingly consistent results. Clients now expect faster improvements with greater precision and fewer risks than ever before. Game Changer Artificial intelligence has accelerated this transformation. AI-powered imaging systems can examine the skin in microscopic detail, assessing moisture levels, oil production, pigmentation, wrinkles, enlarged pores, acne, blemishes and even estimating biological skin age. Perhaps AI's greatest contribution lies in personalisation. Skin is profoundly individual; no two people present identical concerns, lifestyles or biological characteristics. The era of standardised treatments is steadily giving way to customised care. By processing vast quantities of diagnostic data, AI can recommend tailored treatment plans, suggest suitable skincare products and even generate detailed aftercare protocols. The result is better outcomes for clients whose treatments are increasingly designed around their specific needs rather than generic categories. Predictive algorithms can flag the early signs of accelerated ageing, sun damage or pigmentation disorders, allowing preventive intervention rather than corrective treatment. Increasingly, AI is extending beyond the treatment room into clinic management itself, streamlining appointment scheduling, maintaining comprehensive client histories, automating follow-up care and even enabling preliminary online consultations that save time for both practitioners and clients. All this raises an obvious question. If machines can analyse, predict and recommend with increasing sophistication, what remains for the beauty professional to do? The answer is almost everything that matters. While technology excels at processing information, it cannot understand vulnerability. A machine may detect dehydration in the skin, but not the exhaustion that caused it. It may identify pigmentation, but not the insecurity that accompanies it. It may recommend a treatment protocol, but it cannot reassure an anxious client, interpret unspoken concerns or understand why someone seeks aesthetic care in the first place. Beauty treatments are seldom pursued solely to improve the complexion. They are also acts of restoration for confidence, wellbeing and self-esteem. Clients often enter a clinic carrying emotional burdens alongside cosmetic concerns. They seek empathy as much as expertise. It is here that the experienced aesthetician remains irreplaceable. Skilled practitioners read people. They adapt treatments to personalities, lifestyles and emotional expectations. They know when to advise patience instead of another procedure, when to temper unrealistic hopes, and when the most valuable service they provide is simply listening. Nor can technology replicate the therapeutic qualities of touch. The slow rhythm of a facial massage, the careful movements of trained hands and the quiet conversation that often accompanies treatment create an atmosphere of trust that no algorithm can manufacture. These moments are not incidental luxuries but are central to why many clients return. The experience itself - the sense of being cared for - often becomes as valuable as the visible improvement in the skin. This is why the future of beauty is unlikely to be a contest between machines and humans. It will instead be a partnership in which each performs the tasks it does best. AI brings precision, speed and data-driven insight. Advanced equipment expands the range of treatments available while improving safety and consistency. Human practitioners contribute judgement, sensitivity, experience and emotional intelligence - qualities that transform a clinical procedure into genuine care. The beauty industry will undoubtedly become even more technologically sophisticated in the years ahead. But its defining ingredient will remain stubbornly analogue. Machines may analyse the skin with astonishing accuracy, and algorithms may refine every treatment plan. Yet confidence cannot be programmed, trust cannot be automated and compassion cannot be digitised. The future of beauty, for all its algorithms, will still depend on the oldest technology of all - the human touch. (The writer is an aesthetician and founder, Midas Touch International Institute, Pune. Views personal.)

US Vice President JD Vance, his family arrive in Delhi

  • PTI
  • Apr 21, 2025
  • 2 min read


NEW DELHI: US Vice President J D Vance arrived here on Monday on a four-day visit to India against the backdrop of ongoing negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement between the two strategic partners to address a variety of issues, including tariff and market access.


Vance is accompanied by his Indian-origin wife Usha Chilukuri and their three children Ewan, Vivek, Mirabel and a delegation of senior US government officials.


The US Vice President and the Second Lady were received at the Palam air base by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.


The American leader was also accorded a ceremonial welcome on his arrival.

In the evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host a dinner for the Vances after holding wide-ranging talks with the US Vice President.


External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Indian ambassador to US Vinay Mohan Kwatra are expected to be part of the Indian team to be led by PM Modi at the talks.


The focus of the meeting is likely to be on early finalisation of the proposed bilateral trade pact as well as ways to boost overall trajectory of ties between the two countries.


Besides Delhi, Vance and his family will travel to Jaipur and Agra.

Vance's first visit to India comes weeks after US President Donald Trump imposed and then paused a sweeping tariff regime against around 60 countries, including India.


New Delhi and Washington are now holding negotiations to seal a bilateral trade agreement that is expected to address a variety of issues, including tariff and market access.


Vance and his family are scheduled to leave for Jaipur on Monday night.

In Delhi, the US Vice President and his family are staying at the ITC Maurya Sheraton hotel.


On April 22, the Vances will visit a number of historical sites in Jaipur, including the Amer Fort, also known as Amber Fort. The fort is a UNESCO world heritage site.


In the afternoon, the US Vice President is scheduled to address a gathering at the Rajasthan International Centre in Jaipur.


Vance is expected to delved into broader aspects of India-US relations under the Donald Trump administration during his speech that is expected to be attended by diplomats, foreign policy experts, Indian government officials and academia.


The US Vice President and his family will travel to Agra on the morning of April 23, people familiar with the matter said.


In Agra, they will visit the Taj Mahal and Shilpgram which is an open air emporium showcasing various Indian artefacts, they said.


After concluding their visit to Agra, the Vances will return to Jaipur on the second half of April 23.


The US Vice President and his family will depart for the US from Jaipur on April 24, according to the people cited above.

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