What’s #trending in the beauty world?
From high-tech face primers and drinkable skincare to granny perfumes and Russian spas, see the latest beauty industry trends you need to know about NOW
FEEDING YOUR FACE
Forget about slathering on anti-ageing creams – the new skincare saviours are now arriving in liquid form. Companies such as Fountain - who recently followed up its highly-anticipated Resvertrol Beauty Molecule launch with a new digestible Hyaluronic Acid drink – are at the forefront of the trend for drinkable skincare solutions, while collagen-boosting liquid supplements Skinade and Pure Gold , plus Brazil’s BeautyIn drinks which were given out during London Fashion Week, are also making in-roads.
Go RunwayREAL HAIRCUTS RETURN
From Beyoncé’s dramatic pixie cut (which never actually saw the light of day outside of Instagram) to Karlie Kloss’ swingy bob, real honest-to-goodness haircuts are making a comeback after seasons of long locks and extensions. Taking the trend head on is Daniel Hersheson who, together with son Luke, has come up with a definitive menu of great haircuts. Simply called Eight Cuts, each look has been inspired by iconic women - such as Debbie Harry, Stevie Nicks and Linda Evangelista – but all made to be tweaked and perfected on you.
GRANNY PERFUMES
Just as fashion designers are inspired by vintage looks, so too are perfume makers - that’s why they’ve been sticking their noses into the archives to come up with modern re-interpretations of scents our grannies used to wear. Nicknamed ‘retro-olfaction’ by the fragrance industry, it seems we can’t get enough of vintage florals like rose, violet, gardenia, jasmine and tuberose, which evoke nostalgic reveries of flapper girls, the roaring 40s and the golden age of glamour.
SAY ADIOS TO OMBRÉ
Move over ombré, there’s a new hair colour technique in town! It’s time to get acquainted with Ecaille or tortoiseshell hair colouring. Created by London-based colour specialist Jo Hansford, Ecaille (or le ecaille which means tortoiseshell in French), is a softer take on the stark two-tone ombré and gives manes a glossy, multi-tonal look that can even brighten up your complexion. Scar-Jo, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Jessica Alba are already fans.
THE NEW GREEN JUICE
Could algae – yes, we’re talking pond scum here – be the new secret weapon in beauty? Perhaps. New research suggests that algae could be ideal for skin and hair products because of the protective cells they use to shield themselves from the harmful effects of the sun. Seaweed and kelp are fairly commonplace they days and beauty firm Algenist is already using alguronic acid, a protective algal oil, in its range of anti-ageing skincare products. Just don’t ask us to drink it!
ANTI-AGEING HAIRCARE
It’s time to treat your hair as you would your skin. The latest round of haircare products have been inspired by anti-ageing skincare innovations - from Alterna’s Caviar CC Cream Leave-In Hair Protector, loved by Katie Holmes, to Pantene’s Age Defy hair range created in collaboration with anti-ageing experts from Olay. And there’s a new focus on scalp health too – ‘scrubs’ like Philip Kingsley’s Exfoliating Scalp Mask help treat dry, flaky scalps and manage oil levels.
Is nail art over? Well, almost. The buzz backstage at fashion week was certainly about taking a more restrained approach to nails with natural tones, simple block colours, half-moon designs and new takes on the French manicure all making an impact. However, glitter and textured effects and stick-on letters and numbers (like Nails Inc’s Monogram Manicure set) will help those that still want a nail art fix.
TINTED TEXTURES
Grunge-y berry shades are everywhere from nails to lips this season – but how to wear them without coming over all Morticia Addams? It’s all about sheer washes of colour and tinted textures. Containing less pigments that the vintage mattes of previous seasons, layer up colour with lip crayons, hydrating glosses and subtle nail lacquers for a softly-softly approach to the 90s grunge look.
AMAZING OILS
Beauty bods have been tapping new sources to keep up demand for mosturising hair and body oils: the African continent is bursting with natural skin hydrators like Shea Butter and Marula Oil, while L’Oreal has just invested big in Murumuru Butter for its new Absolut Control Amazonian Oil which nourishes and tames frizz-prone hair. Currently sold only in Brazil, we really hope the beauty giant thinks British locks are ‘worth it’ too!
IN OUR PRIME
Not to be outdone by the new BB and CC creams, primers are back with a vengeance. Applied after moisturising but before make-up, the new primer formulas (like Clinique’s new Superprimer Face Primer range) are tackling everything from spots and blocked pores to redness, dullness and discolouration while creating a smooth and even base for your foundation.
GET WITH THE BANYA
It’s time to spa – Russian style. Russian banyas (or saunas) have been tipped as the latest trend in wellness, with new banyas popping up all over Europe (including Banya No 1 in east London). Like Turkish hamams, the steam is wetter for a deeper hydration and to help kick-start detoxification - but then things take a turn into the peculiar! The treatment also involves being lightly thwacked with birch, oak or eucalyptus leaves and twigs, which are said to help improve circulation.
