AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 39-5094.00
Will AI replace Skincare Specialists?
Skincare Specialists: AI can already handle 15 of 18 tasks; the work mostly needs a standard-tier model.
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Every task, scored
The 18 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Skincare Specialists, from most to least exposed. 15 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.
| Task | AI exposure | Evidence | Model tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleanse clients' skin with water, creams, or lotions. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Determine which products or colors will improve clients' skin quality and appearance. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Collaborate with plastic surgeons and dermatologists to provide patients with preoperative and postoperative skin care. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Select and apply cosmetic products, such as creams, lotions, and tonics. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Perform simple extractions to remove blackheads. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Stay abreast of latest industry trends, products, research, and treatments. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Apply chemical peels to reduce fine lines and age spots. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Refer clients to medical personnel for treatment of serious skin problems. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Provide facial and body massages. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Remove body and facial hair by applying wax. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Tint eyelashes and eyebrows. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Sell makeup to clients. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Examine clients' skin, using magnifying lamps or visors when necessary, to evaluate skin condition and appearance. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Keep records of client needs and preferences and the services provided. | Observed | Standard | |
| Advise clients about colors and types of makeup and instruct them in makeup application techniques. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Demonstrate how to clean and care for skin properly and recommend skin-care regimens. | Observed | Efficient | |
| Treat the facial skin to maintain and improve its appearance, using specialized techniques and products, such as peels and masks. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Sterilize equipment and clean work areas. | Estimated | No tier |
Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 2 of 18 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 16 of 18. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.
The model tier this role needs
A standard-tier model or lower covers 81% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 94% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 6% is hands-on.
Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.
Wages, employment and outlook
- US employment
- 72,890
- Median annual wage
- $45,330
- Middle half of earners
- $36,040 to $59,700
- Projected change, 2024 to 2034
- +6.7%
Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.
Adjacent roles
The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.
- Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists 66% skill overlap, about 12 months to move Exposure32
- Dermatologists 59% skill overlap, about 15 months to move Exposure39
- Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance 57% skill overlap, about 16 months to move Exposure69
- Shampooers 56% skill overlap, about 16 months to move Exposure57
- Spa Managers 55% skill overlap, about 16 months to move Exposure64
Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.
Questions about Skincare Specialists and AI
Will AI replace Skincare Specialists?
AI already handles 15 of the 18 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 64 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by +6.7% from 2024 to 2034.
What is the AI exposure of Skincare Specialists?
64 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 2 of the 18 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 16 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.
Which Skincare Specialists tasks can AI already do?
The tasks with the highest exposure are: Cleanse clients' skin with water, creams, or lotions; Determine which products or colors will improve clients' skin quality and appearance; Collaborate with plastic surgeons and dermatologists to provide patients with preoperative and postoperative skin care. They are three of the 15 tasks that reach 60 or more.
What AI model tier does this role need?
A standard-tier model or lower covers 81% of the role's importance-weighted task work. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.
How many people work as Skincare Specialists, and what do they earn?
72,890 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $45,330 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +6.7% from 2024 to 2034.
How to cite
Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.
JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Skincare Specialists. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/skincare-specialists
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