The beauty market is continuing to push boundaries and developing new and exciting technologies, products and treatments. So what are the beauty trends this fall, what is the market bubbling about right now?

The hot mix of ingredients in your beauty cream this year                                                       

Cosmetic brands promoting stem cells has dramatically increased this year, even though there is a debate if stem cells in skin care actually has the biological effect on the skin that the industry claims. Stem cells in skin care are supposed to stimulate cell growth which would lead to skin rejuvenation. It is said that skin care with stem cells can convert resting adult stem cells to newly-minted skin cells and to “reset” the skin’s ageing clock. However the form of stem cells that is currently used in beauty products (plant stem cells) is mainly protecting the human skin stem cells from damage and deterioration. We can say that stem cells in skin care do provide an optimal environment for your own stem cells, so they can function as good as possible. And who knows, what is just around the corner? Stem cells are big in the medical world and as we all know, a major part of advanced cosmetic ingredients used today, came initially from the medical industry… 

Another “it-ingredient” is peptide. Peptides help the skin to produce collagen and elastin, fibers in the skin that creates the mesh that keeps the skin tight and firm. Peptides (both synthetic and natural) are mainly used to reverse aging and sun damaged skin. Interesting is that some peptides inhibit neuromuscular transmissions and thereby reduce mimic movement that cause wrinkles and lines. A while ago I had the opportunity to listen to Dr Diana Howard from the Dermal Institute and according to her peptides together with antioxidants such as vitamin A, C are ingredients that we can trust when it comes to delivering results in the skin. However one has to always pay attention to the formula, the concentration, the packaging and the mix of ingredients to be sure. (For example vitamin A is very sensitive to oxygen and light, hence it should never be stored in a jar, only in packaging with pumps or tubes, and preferably used at night time).

Advanced Beauty

Maybe it is due to the recession, the fact that people are more hesitant to spend their money, but there is a decrease in the use of cosmetic surgery, and an increase in non-invasive (less expensive?) treatments. Injections (Botox, hyaluronic acids) are still on the rise. People tend to act more preventive, starting to see dermatologists and beauticians regularly and before the actual problems occur. Beauticians and spas are going towards more high tech treatments, using advanced therapy equipment. The well known spa brand Kerstin Florian has recently launched K-lift, a device to treat mature skin and prevent the skin from sagging. K lift is marketed as a facelift without surgery. It uses a combination of kinetic energy, LED light and pulsifying micro current.

Eyes, eyes baby

There is boom in chic eyelashes and eye brows! Eyebrow bars, dedicated only to treatments on the eye zone, can be found in almost all department stores in London, Paris, New York…Treatments like threading (sculpting eyebrows with cotton thread), tinting, waxing, lash extensions and special massages for the eyes area are offered. Blink – eye brow store has just opened at Henri Bendel in New York, and in the menu they even offer a separate section for male grooming; Eye brow Tidy & Trim! Movie star eyes are no longer an unachievable dream. To get those long and intense lashes, Revita lash has launched a high tech product that stimulate lash growth, a nourishing balm that works as a conditioner for the lashes and is said to make a change in 3 – 10 weeks time. In our own Raison d ‘Etre spa we have followed this trend by launching Lash extensions – An effective and yet simple way to have magic eyes for up to 6 weeks. The eyelash extensions are applied one by one for a natural, but amazing look! (Saves us 5 minutes every morning, as hardly no eye makeup is needed anymore!)

At our spa at NK Rosenrummet  our fantastic Agge makes all the diference and are soon to launch eye brow design, threading and style with Nina Asgar, celebrity eyebrow designer  – more info to come! But rest assure, we can make all the difference to your eyes!

Stay tuned for Part 2…!

//Maria