"Digital fantasy"; AI hair, makeup put perfection further out of reach

One of the beauty industry's biggest headaches today isn't split ends or bad blending: It's the influx of bridal parties and other clients seeking 'dos from an https://www.axios.com/technology/automation-and-ai" target="_blank">AI fantasy.

Why it matters: AI-generated content has https://www.axios.com/2025/08/03/ai-slop-viral-videos-content-scrolling" target="_blank">inundated digital platforms and social media, often leaving makeup artists, hair stylists and others in client-facing roles to serve as the industry's reality checkers.

Case in point: "I have to really dive deep into the consultation [with clients] to really let them know the clarity about this.

This is a digital fantasy," says Angelina Murphy, a celebrity hair extension specialist and TV personality.

• The proliferation of AI content creates unrealistic expectations for clients and an unfair dynamic for artists.
• "This is not real: the roots aren't real, the color isn't real, her bone structure isn't real," Murphy says. "The end result will never, ever look like this."

Zoom out: Artists and stylists across social media have https://www.tiktok.com/%40socoblowdrybar/video/7569269788032109854?_r=1&_t=ZT-95VkC7uqdYs" target="_blank">expressed https://www.tiktok.com/%40sharon.simplyinsane/video/7570060180109495582?_r=1&_t=ZT-95Vkn5NAA4j" target="_blank">their frustration with the onslaught of AI-generated inspiration — https://www.tiktok.com/%40carlyjomakeup/video/7566702790794284319?_r=1&_t=ZT-95VjqjtQ0dS" target="_blank">with https://www.tiktok.com/%40jacsmakeupclass/video/7535943146992094520?_r=1&_t=ZT-95Vjwn5RSHe" target="_blank">one https://www.tiktok.com/%40sophiamarieperez/video/7600924275188534541?_r=1&_t=ZT-95Vk291to2H" target="_blank">photo in particular becoming a routine nightmare.

• Mehry Schmitt, the founder of Northeast-based Gloss Beauty + Bridal, tells Axios that among the 40 to 50 brides her company sees per year, at least half of their inspiration is AI-generated.
• Serving bridal parties means glamming a whole group on a tight schedule.

  When bridesmaids are inspired by fake faces, Schmitt and her team must quickly determine which elements they can replicate.

• "Is it frustrating?

  It can be, but I try not to let it frustrate me and just use it as a way for me to ... flex my artistry and my skill set," she says.

Context: AI-generated content has become a challenge — and an annoyance — across of industries and hobbies, from https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/02/real-estate-listing-ai-slop/685871/" target="_blank">real estate to https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/691355/ai-is-ruining-houseplant-communities-online" target="_blank">gardening, and has flooded https://www.zdnet.com/article/ai-is-ruining-pinterest-heres-why-its-such-a-big-problem/" target="_blank">DIY forums with glossy, unattainable perfection.

• Images and vides generated via sophisticated tools from tech giants like Google, Meta and OpenAI have swamped social media and are fooling even the most shrewd users, https://www.axios.com/2025/08/03/ai-slop-viral-videos-content-scrolling" target="_blank">Axios' Megan Morrone writes.
• The proliferation has gone even further with https://www.axios.com/2024/09/07/fake-ai-influencers-lil-miquela" target="_blank">AI models and influencers, stoking industry fears and exacerbating extreme beauty standards.

Yes, but: Artists and stylists still have a job to do.

That means dissecting the look with clients rather than shaming them for having an untrained eye — and for clients, it means returning that compassion.

• Most people are understanding when the consultation process is clear, honest and thorough, Murphy says.

  Some desired results are still possible, she notes, but they take time: multiple appointments rather than the few seconds it takes to generate an AI image.

• "We have to understand that they don't know they're coming in with an AI photo thinking, 'that's exactly what I want,'" she says. "Little do they know, it's not usually doable."

The bottom line: Schmitt says she's choosing to adapt, accepting the challenges and opportunities of the new normal.

If artists don't, she warns, they could fail their clients.

• Still, she says, "it's really showing us how impactful personal touch is: We're creating more of a human experience from something that isn't human."

Go deeper: https://www.axios.com/2025/09/13/ai-photography-headshots-stock-images" target="_blank">How AI is disrupting the photography business