WHY HAS THE VALUE OF THE HUMAN TOUCH NEVER BEEN GREATER IN THE AGE OF AI ?

It is a simple, almost economic principle. When a skill becomes widely accessible, it becomes a standard. And what remains rare and difficult to replicate becomes valuable.

The human touch — the ability to sense muscle tension, the warmth of an area, or a client’s state before she has even spoken — cannot be automated. It is passed from one pair of hands to another, refined over the years, and strengthened through repetition and attention. No platform, however sophisticated, can reproduce this form of intelligence.

And that is precisely why it is becoming a true point of differentiation. In an industry where AI will standardise part of professional practice — through standardised diagnostics and automatically generated programmes — the practitioner whose hands know exactly what they are looking for becomes a value proposition in its own right.

Here is what I observe, and what I deeply believe: a beauty professional who uses AI intelligently does not lose manual expertise. She gains it.

Because when used effectively, AI frees up time. Time spent on administration, treatment preparation and day-to-day management. And, in my view, that time only has real value if it is reinvested where it truly matters: training, practising and refining one’s technique.

It becomes a virtuous circle. The more time a professional frees up through AI, the more hours she can devote to perfecting her skills. The more her technique improves, the rarer and more sought-after the experience she offers becomes. AI does not compete with manual expertise. When used with intention, it can become its greatest ally.

This is exactly what I observe at LB Facialistes. Their Method, founded by Catherine Bourgeois and Delphine Langlois, is based on precise techniques designed to release everyday tension and support skin longevity. A technique that did not come into existence because an algorithm generated it, but because two founders took the time to refine it, year after year, gesture after gesture.

This level of expertise remains beyond the reach of AI. And it is precisely this level of expertise that AI, when used effectively, can help professionals continue to build by freeing up the time needed to do so.

Delphine sums up what I believe very well: “I think AI is a wonderful tool for teaching us things, helping us grow and stimulating our creativity.” And she is right to highlight this: a study she refers to shows that professions carried out with the hands, the heart and direct contact with clients, such as craftsmanship, are among the professions of the future. This is no coincidence. It is because these are professions in which human presence cannot be replaced.

AI does not threaten your touch. If you know how to use it, it can give you the time to make it even more precise, even more personal, and even more sought-after by your clients.

The real question, therefore, is not “Will AI replace my profession?” It is: “What will I do with the time it gives me back?”

If you reinvest that time in your hands, your ability to listen and your expertise, then AI will never have served your added value more effectively.

This is exactly the topic we will explore together on 16 November 2026, during the first edition of the International Day of Beauty & Wellness Women Entrepreneurs.

Catherine Bourgeois, co-founder of LB Facialistes, will also be hosting “La Pause Régénérante”, a Skin Longevity masterclass introducing participants to the LB Facialistes Method and helping them release everyday tension, from 1:05 p.m. to 1:25 p.m. Reserve your place.

Tiphaine Modeste Founder of E.S.B.E