JOANNE watkinson
WHO’S FOR SECONDS?
SECONDHAND, vintage, thrift, recycled, re-sale, no matter what you call them, they are all essentially the same thing, clothes that have been pre-owned and pre-loved. So, if buying something that has previously hung in someone else’s wardrobe doesn’t float your boat, look away now.
It’s Secondhand September, an initiative launched by Oxfam to encourage people not to buy any “new” clothes for a whole month. It coincides with the launch of the charity’s secondhand boutique inside Selfridges on Oxford Street, curated by former Vogue stylist Bay Garnett, whose vintage credentials are about as good as they get. Selfridges has purchased all the stock and all proceeds go straight to Oxfam.
Our high streets are packed with charity shops. They are a lifeline to those whose economic situation leaves them with no other option, and if you have never ventured inside one, they aren’t all a jumble sale with tatty looking stock. Far from it. Let’s not forget they have to function like any normal business, while their workers may be volunteers, each store needs to turn over enough money to pay their rent and rates, so more often than not the merchandise is nicely ordered by product category, size and even colour to make shopping more appealing.
Staff sift through the donations carefully and remove any undesirables such as smalls (Covid precautions are also in place, with donations being quarantined before being put out on sale). Of course charity shops aren’t the only port of call for preowned clothes, there are the online market places such as eBay and De-pop, perfect for those wanting to buy high street clothes that perhaps they missed the first time around.
There are also “curated” vintage shops popping up online. Curated, in this instance, means cherry picked for their quality, washed and repaired, however the prices are slightly higher for their troubles.
If you’re a designer label lover but find the prices too high, then second hand is the way to get your kicks without the hefty price tags.
With the rise of re-sale sites such as Vestiaire, Vide and HEWI, you can get your hands on nearly new clothes and handbags from some of the world’s biggest luxury brands at knock down prices and you don’t even have to leave the house.
THE biggest beauty trend of 2020 hasn’t been a particular shade of lipstick or musthave moisturising serum, it’s been the return to DIY treatments after salons shut their doors due to the pandemic. According to stats from Clearpay, the biggest-selling beauty gadgets during the first few months of lockdown were electronic IPL (intense pulsed light) devices, as shoppers took the opportunity to zap away unwanted hair while they had more time at home and weren’t spending so much on salon visits. While you may think that summer is the optimal time to begin hair removal, in fact, due to the nature of IPL treatment (which can’t be done when you’re tanned) and the time it takes, autumn or winter are actually the ideal seasons to prep your skin, ready for the warmer months.
There are a few factors to consider before you shell out upwards of £200 on an IPL device, however. Here, hair removal experts talk through everything you need to know...
What is IPL and how is it different to laser hair removal?
“LASER and IPL are both types of intense light,” says Alicia Trenchard, aesthetic practitioner and brand ambassador for hair removal device brand Sensica. “The difference between them is that laser is a very focused, relatively narrow beam of just one specific colour or wavelength of the light spectrum, whereas IPL is a non-focused flash of light that consists of a range of colours and wavelengths.”
It’s important to note that IPL doesn’t actually remove hairs permanently.
The flash of light causes the hair follicles to become dormant so they won’t grow, but they can ‘reactivate’ later, which is why top-up treatments are needed to keep skin hair-free in the long run.
What types of skin/hair colour is IPL suitable for?
IPL technology does have some limitations, meaning it won’t work for everyone.
“IPL light is very easily absorbed by dark colour materials,” Alicia explains, which is why it’s most effective on darker hair. “This means if you have light brown or blonde hair, the IPL is not very well absorbed, if at all, so less or no heat is created in the hair, and the treatment is likely to be less effective. Hair that is white, grey, red or very blonde is not suitable for treatment with IPL or laser, as it will be completely ineffective.”
At the same time, because darker skin absorbs the light, IPL devices can’t differentiate between the hair and the skin.
“Due to the way the technology itself works, IPL isn’t suitable for the darkest skin tones, or Fitzpatrick skin tone six,” says Emily Buckwell, head of partnerships at beauty retailer CurrentBody.
That also means you shouldn’t do IPL when you’re tanned – real or fake – which is why it may be better to start treatment in autumn or winter. “It is recommended to wait a minimum of four weeks after sun or sunbed exposure before applying IPL treatment,” Alicia says. “You should also avoid applying fake tan or daily tan products for at least one week before.”
How should skin be prepared before IPL treatment?
“IT’S very important to shave the hair before treatment. Any visible hair, stubble or debris on the surface of the skin will absorb the light energy, rather than the energy reaching the hair follicle,” says Emily.
Alicia adds: “For best results, the hair must be in the follicle to be treated by the light, therefore do not wax, thread or tweeze the hair out.”
How long does it take?
“EACH IPL pulse takes only a fraction of a second, so to cover an area of skin is very quick,” says Alicia. “Treating an underarm will only take one or two minutes, whereas treating a larger area, such as legs, will take longer and depends on your height and leg diameter.”
Emily recommends 12 weekly treatments to begin with: “This allows you to target the hair follicle at different growth stages, meaning you’ll see long-term hair reduction. After that, we suggest a monthly maintenance treatment to keep up your results and target any small areas of regrowth.”
Sales of IPL devices, that use pulses of light to control hair growth, have risen during the lockdown, KATIE WRIGHT finds out more about how they work and the dos and don’ts
Are there any risks associated with at-home IPL?
“HOME-USE IPL devices are very safe, however, there is a very small risk of a few side effects, which if they do happen to occur, are mostly temporary and resolved within a few hours or days,” Alicia says. These can include skin redness, sensitivity or slight itching, or in rare cases swelling, burns or scarring. “These side effects can be avoided or minimised by carefully following the instructions for use.”
Emily agrees: “As long as it is used in accordance with the instruction manual, you shouldn’t experience any adverse side effects. IPL really works as long as you are consistent with your treatments.”