The best beauty buys to snap up this spring
IT’S TIME to make some space on your shelf for this season’s most exciting launches, from high-tech wrinkle busters to the new hair heroes you won’t be able to live without. From cutting edge ingredients to future skincare superstars, here is our pick of the best new beauty products and treatments out there.
CUTTING-EDGE INGREDIENTS LOOK FOR: Polyhydroxy acids
Chemical exfoliators break down the bonds that hold dead cells to the surface of the skin. Once these dead cells have been removed, a brighter complexion is revealed beneath.
Until now alpha and beta hydroxy acids were the ingredients most commonly found in chemical exfoliators. But these acids can be too harsh for sensitive skin.
Enter polyhydroxy acids: a much gentler alternative. They work in a similar way to alpha and beta hydroxy acids to resurface the skin but their much larger molecules keep them from penetrating too deeply.
They are therefore less irritating and so suitable for those with sensitive skin.
These acids also help lock in moisture, which strengthens the skin’s barrier function. LOOK FOR: Retinaldehyde (retinal) Vitamin A is a potent anti-ageing ingredient and is most commonly found in beauty products as retinol.
But this year a supercharged derivative of vitamin A – retinaldehyde, or retinal for short – is set to be popular.
It works with the skin’s natural mechanisms to enhance collagen production, soften fine lines and wrinkles and speed up cellular turnover. It is also clinically proven to work faster than retinol. LOOK FOR:
Astaxanthin
Astaxanthin is a great antioxidant ingredient that can boost sun protection, increase skin elasticity and decrease inflammation. It has long been found in beauty supplements but is now being used in skincare.
SKINCARE SUPERSTARS
LOOK FOR: Temperature regulation Rosacea is a skin condition that results in redness, swelling, dilated blood vessels and blemishes on the face and is thought to affect one in 10 of us. New for rosacea sufferers is the first temperature regulating skincare range, created by French pharmacy brand SVR. The game-changing formulas use ingredients such as endothelyol and liquorice root to calm the sensations of skin overheating, help eliminate redness and reduce the temperature of the skin.
LOOK FOR: Multi-tasking marvels
As a society we are increasingly time poor so any product that helps to get us out of the front door quickly in the morning is a win. And this year sees the launch of some of the most exciting multi-taskers yet.
LOOK FOR: No-needle skin tightening
If you suffer from sagging skin and don’t want to go down the injectable route, there’s a whole wave of new brightening and tightening products on offer containing plumping ingredients such as Aminofil.
HAIR HEROES LOOK FOR: Charcoal
Charcoal is the ingredient of the moment and can be found in everything from toothpaste to face masks. In skincare it acts like a magnet to attract and absorb dirt and sebum but it is now being used to soak up excess oil in hair too.
LOOK FOR: Fibres
Thinning brows can add years to your face. If you don’t want to get semi-permanent make-up, choose a brow-boosting product containing fibres.
LOOK FOR: Peptides
We’ve known about the benefits of peptides for the skin for decades but now the same technology is being used to plump and add volume to the hair.
AT THE CLINIC TRY: The no-trace face
Microdroplets are big news in anti-ageing and give a completely natural look, not overfilled or frozen. This new technique uses minute amounts of neurotoxins, plus much smaller amounts of filler, to soften lines, rejuvenate the skin and restore the contours of the face. The results are subtle: nobody will ever know that you’ve had anything done. You can expect to pay from £200. (For more information call 020 7436 4441)
TRY: Vanishing veins
Getting rid of unsightly thread veins has never been easier. ThermaVein uses a unique process known as thermocoagulation, which seals the vein walls with a micro current, causing the thread vein to disappear. And new this year is ThermaVein Rapide, which enables a faster treatment of larger veins. Prices start from £250 and depend on treatment area. (For more information visit thermavein.com)
TRY: High-tech tattoo removal
Tattoo Remoov is the latest treatment to remove semi-permanent make-up mishaps such as botched brows or wonky lip lines as well as small (5cm by 3cm or less) body tattoos.
The 30-minute procedure uses a dermo power device, a small pen-shaped instrument containing 88 miniscule needles that gently scuff the skin, drawing the tattoo pigment to the surface.
The number of sessions required to remove all pigment varies depending on your age, the age and depth of the tattoo and skin thickness.
It costs £250 for the first treatment and £100 per session after that. It is not suitable for pregnant and breast-feeding women. (For more information call 020 7436 4441.
For advice on cosmetic surgery, consult your GP. For more tips, see lesleyreynolds.com