NEW BEAUTY 2014

Eight professional tips and tricks for a gorgeous year ahead

1 THE NEW THEORY What’s really happening when you suddenly crave glazed doughnuts? In the past, experts may have attributed this to a lack of willpower, but now things have changed. “Approximately 20 percent of daily calories are used by our brains. As brain activity is so costly, self-control and decision-making cannot be relied on indefinitely. As a result, willpower is a limited resource,” says Dr. Darya Pino Rose, author of Foodist: Using Real Food and Real Science to Lose Weight Without Dieting. “Ironically, increasing your blood sugar can help restore willpower. But finding a healthy way to raise blood sugar in a state of depleted willpower can pose quite the dilemma. Tired brains find it easier to just grab a cookie. In order to achieve true success in health and weight loss, we’re better off quitting diets and focusing on building healthy habits we enjoy.” What we perceive as carbs are actually fats with no nutrition. So whenever you’re tempted, ask yourself: is this natural or processed? 2 THE RIGHT APPS According to a recent study at the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, people who spent two hours using a device with a backlit LED display – such as an iPhone or iPad – had a corresponding dip in melatonin levels. “Melatonin is the ‘darkness hormone’,” says lead researcher Mariana Figueiro. An increase in melatonin production – which usually kicks in about two hours before your natural bedtime – preps you for sleep, telling the body it’s time to nod off, she says.

So while it may feel cosy to get caught up in Instagram as you snuggle in, prolonged viewing can cut into your sleep or make it difficult to fall asleep at all. Worse, experts theorise that late-night tech time may be to blame for those impossible-to-lose 10 pounds. There is the old admonishment to shut down, but that’s easier said than done.

Of course, if we can’t stay away from our iPhones, then we might as well take advantage of modern stress-busters. Here are some vital downloads: LIFT APP: Get support on creating a new habit to stay younger and slimmer with the Lift app, be it going to bed earlier or running every morning. HEADSPACE APP: Try the site’s guidedmindfulness meditation sessions on the go, for relaxation sessions that are quicker than your average cab ride. ISLEEP EASY APP: Deep breathing leads to deep sleeping with this app, a meditationbased substitute for sleeping pills. YOGIC BREATH APP: Tap into pranayama, or yogic breathing, with a selection of breathing techniques.

And when it is bedtime, check out. Avoid any nighttime screen activity that’s too active, be it rapid-fire texting with a friend or getting amped up on Angry Birds.

3 THE YOUTH REGENERATOR

Aside from a visible improvement in health and clearness of the mind, breathing in nature may just be the most inexpensive and basic way to a beautiful you. Dr. Liam Harkness of Be Urban Wellness is a loyal follower of Earthing ( www.earthing.com), a worldwide movement fast gaining grounds for its theory that modern lifestyle has disconnected humans from the earth’s energy, thus contributing to ailments and accelerated ageing. “You know how we tend to think of going to the beach on a holiday to unwind? This is a natural proclivity because we belong to nature and we absorb the earth’s energy when our feet hit the ground. That is why we feel so rejuvenated.” The ideal solution is to simply kick off your Louboutins for a few hours each day and walk barefoot – if you can, sit on the grass and take in the fresh air. For those who have no access to such privileges, then Earthing’s Universal Mat will bring the wonders of Mother Nature to you. BAZAAR TIP: Treat your feet to some much-needed TLC. “Foot massage can relieve eye strain, relaxing and opening the face and allowing our beauty to shine through easily,” says Melanie Sachs, author of Ayurvedic Beauty Care.

4 THE NO-KNIVES METHOD

Shares Dr. Kee of Sloane Clinic, “Ultrasound has been around since 2009, but we are seeing a trend of patients looking for something non-invasive. Most of the treatments that see great results are those that stimulate collagen production by cheating the skin into thinking it has been damaged.” Ulthera, an ultrasound therapy that has garnered rave reviews, now includes the body. Additionally, the new Clear + Brilliant Permea, says Dr. Teh Jia Li, consultant aesthetic physician at Beverly Wilshire Medical Centre, “will combine the Clear and Brilliant laser with a topical antioxidant treatment. The special Permea hand-piece is optimised for brighter, more even skin tone and enhanced skin permeability.” BAZAAR TIP: La Mer Treatment Lotion and the Lifting Contour Serum are your must-haves for a contoured face shape and luminescent complexion. Mr. Yuthavee Visitsunthorn, regional education manager of La Mer, advocates prepping the face with the lotion first and then massaging in the serum with the unique Lifting Contour Massage. 5 THE ENHANCED LIFT “When you hit your 40s and 50s, you can’t rely on Botox alone as it works mainly on muscles. I foresee that this year will see more fillers coming up to address the more superficial fine lines,” says Dr. Kee. The key lies in hitting the right places; Dr. Frederic Brandt likes injecting near the hairline for a lifting effect most noticeable in the brows and forehead. Overseas, a new form of Botox claims to stymie excessive sweating and breakouts. While we wait for it to pass a second trial, Dr. Teh clues us in on the Beverly Wilshire Signature Lift: “Combining different modalities of threads, fillers, and Botox, this lift addresses ageing and redefines the nose. It’s the non-surgical method to facelift and rhinoplasty.” BAZAAR TIP: “If you overstimulate your skin, your cells can’t turn over as quickly, and you are removing the natural moisture factor of the skin, leaving it vulnerable,” says Laura Nicholson, Swiss Line international training manager. “Retinol is light-sensitive so the best time to use it is at night.” Use Cell Shock Age Intelligence PM-Repair Lotion, which contains Retinol Cyclo Complex with the Youth-Inducing Cream, to smoothen wrinkles and shrink pores. 6

THE NEXT MATT In the heat of Fashion Week, models were treated to a rare spot of pampering as Estée Lauder creative director and backstage mainstay Tom Pecheux made sure to first prep their skin with a soothing massage focusing on specific pressure points using Estée Lauder Daywear Advanced Multi-Protection Anti-Oxidant Moisturiser and a quick dab of Revitalizing Supreme Crème, particularly under the eyes, the inner corners, and the brow bone. No wonder the girls at Balmain Spring/Summer ’14 were positively radiant, matt and utterly relaxed. Pat McGrath, backstage make-up extraordinaire, has also created runway trends for the upcoming season based on matt, velvety complexions, and a foundation that runs in the same vein – stay tuned. BAZAAR TIP: The SS14 twist on matt? Skin that is effervescent but not dewy. Matt but never cakey, the secret lies in first prepping the skin with a lotion to ensure it is even, toned, and perfect for foundation. We like Clé de Peau Beauté Illuminating Concentrate, which boosts radiance with a lotion, an essence, and a mask.

7 THE ASIAN PERSUASION

Korean skincare brand Sulwhasoo has long favoured ginseng and ancient Korean medicinal herbs, and the rest of the world is catching on fast. Sothys has incorporated Siberian ginseng, known for its resilience in the harshest environments, into the Lifeline Energizing Treatment, a facial reported to immediately restore radiance. Lab Series Skincare for Men is also spicing up its Age Rescue line with a Face Lotion and Eye Therapy infused with energising ginseng. Richard Sawyer, the brand’s international education director, reveals, “G-Action – short for Ginseng Action – speeds up the penetration of the ginseng extract, which is very pure and encapsulated in such a way that it helps amplify the skin’s energy.” BAZAAR BAZAAR TIP: Consider other proven ingredients like aloe vera, wolfberry, and white jelly leaf. Olay has zoomed in on the latter as a highperforming component to hold water, thus keeping skin well hydrated. 8 THE FRESH DETOX Liver cleanse, move aside – colon cleanses are now de rigueur, and they don’t have to be uncomfortable. Be Urban Wellness is kick-starting the new year with a sophisticated colon cleanse programme. One starts with an Epsom salt flush on the first day, followed by ingestions of the Intestinal Draw Formula to eliminate toxins, a mapped-out seven-day series of therapies that include abdominal massages, yoga, Pilates, as well as oxygen chamber and far-infrared sauna sessions. Not quite ready to take the plunge? Expel ageing oxidants by taking a leaf from Liv Tyler’s page; a hot bath of dehydrated ginger, essential oils, a cup of baking soda, and Epsom salts (just make sure these ingredients are parabenfree) will have you glowing in no time.

BAZAAR TIP: Twenty to thirty minutes, once or twice a month, is all it takes to feel rejuvenated. We like Les Fleurs de Bach essential oils; founded by Gerard Wolf, the all-natural, certified organic essential oils are extracted from flowers discovered by Dr. Edward Bach based on his methods (the doctor identified 38 basic negative states of minds and corresponding flowers as remedy). For the exhausted mind and body, try Epuisement, a blend of centaury, hornbeam, oak, olive, and wild rose.