In the long history of personal adornment, the manicure has remained stubbornly analog - a ritual of human precision, patience, and polish. But 10Beauty, the Boston-based robotics company founded in 2013, is betting that the future of nail care is mechanical. The firm has just secured $23.5 million in new funding led by Story Ventures, bringing its total raised to approximately $70 million. Previous backers include Victoria Beckham and Imaginary Ventures, a venture capital firm known for investing in disruptive luxury and beauty brands.
This autumn, 10Beauty debuted its five-step robotic manicure machine at Ulta Beauty in Boston, and plans are now underway to expand to Chicago. The company has agreements for its first 850 machines across a spectrum of partners - Ulta Beauty, Nordstrom, hospitality venues, fitness clubs, and salons. The service takes between 25 and 45 minutes, depending on the chosen steps, and will cost $30 at Ulta.
The timing is telling. The lingerie industry has long understood that the ritual of dressing - and grooming - is as much about experience as it is about function. From the corset's transformation from structural undergarment to fashion statement, to the rise of the modern bra as a symbol of liberation in the 1920s, the history of intimate apparel teaches us that how we present ourselves is deeply personal and ever-evolving. 10Beauty's promise - to make a manicure as effortless as a cup of coffee, available everywhere you already are - echoes that same shift toward seamless, integrated self-care.
According to co-CEO Alexander Shashou, speaking at WWD's Beauty Inc The Catalysts event in New York last November, "When you change the delivery of something, you can change the entire experience." The new funding will support technology development and the initial rollout across launch partners. As the line between beauty and convenience blurs, 10Beauty may be writing the next chapter in how we care for ourselves - one robotic hand at a time.
Originally reported by WWD