You could never accuse the beauty treatment industry of resting on its laurels. New and innovative treatments are abundant in 2014, keeping our insatiable desire for a more youthful appearance heartily fed! Here are a few of my favourite (ingenious) things!
Termed ‘the facial from within’, Restylane Skinboosters is a product developed by Restylane as a new treatment modality for fillers, Dr Will of FacePlus MediSpa explains.
“In the past we have used Hyaluronic acid to fill and create volume to the face but as this substance is naturally hydrophilic (meaning it attracts and retains water wherever it is placed under the skin) it is now being innovatively used to hydrate skin from the inside out by being placed diffusively just under the skin.”
This hydrophilic action then hydrates and nourishes skin from within creating a very natural, softened and rejuvenated look. The result is long lasting improvements in skin quality and condition.
“This innovative treatment is the only product on the market that is carefully designed to revitalize skin by providing deep dermal hydration; promoting the production of healthy skin by balancing the nutritional environment of the skin through attracting and releasing water when needed,” he says.
Pardon the pun, but this one did raise an eyebrow with me. I’d heard of eyebrow tattooing and tinting, but extensions? Weren’t they better left on the lash? Apparently not, Final Touch Brows creator, Danielle Kurukchi insists. “The beauty of the Eyebrow Extensions is that the individual brow hairs are attached to the skin as well as the natural brow hair with a specially formulated, skin safe, advanced adhesive,” she explains, adding that this bespoke application can fill in gaps, thicken or extend the natural brow, offering a more natural look than pencils or powders. “They are also ideal for people who have lost their brows due to illness or treatments and who desire a more permanent solution.”
Fancy an on-the-hop skin diagnosis from your laptop? My Beauty Potential is a new website featuring leading technology designed to help both men and women learn about their skin, ageing and beauty. Borne of the boom in Australian’s seeking cosmetic procedures, My Beauty Potential is a patented system designed to provide a succinct and easily accessible skin assessment in ten minutes flat. Associate Professor and founder, Greg Goodman, says that MBP features include the ability to define the one feature that would make the most difference to the beauty of the individual – such as their frown lines, brows, or sunspots – as well as whether the MBP participant would benefit best from investing their time and money into fixing their skin surface or the support for their facial tissues in terms of building up volume or taking action against their wrinkles. “No other program or educative material can give this sort of intensely personalized knowledge to improve appearance,” he notes.
Feeling – and looking – tired? Dragging yourself – and your under eye bags – from A.M to P.M everyday? Well, Scraping may hold the answer for your epidermal lethargy. The Ancient Chinese method – now bringing beauty benefits in the modern day – is hinged on the belief that muscle tension (aka frown lines and tired looking skin) is caused by blockages of blood and your body’s ‘Qi’. Ivy Han, General Manager of Liangzi Health Oasis – who offers the procedure – explains that it not only eases muscles, but also boosts immunity and aids recovery of chronic disorders. “Scraping involves rubbing the surface of the skin with a smooth-edged instrument to release Myofascial tension,” she explains. During the treatment a warming sensation is experienced and light bruising will appear before fading over time. “The light bruising represents unhealthy elements from injured areas of the body” she says. Once found, it can then be eased, leading to less tension in the body – and appearance.
You may have seen the lash lift effect without realizing it. Kate and Pippa Middleton are both fans, and it is currently the lash look du jour for those well and truly fatigued by fake lashes. Australia’s reigning brow queen, Amy Jean Linnehan, has pioneered the procedure locally, heralding it as the most modern way to amass natural lashes. “Silicon shields are bonded to the eyelids with a gentle formula,” she explains of the hour-long procedure. The pads ensure the lashes are lifted from the roots only, not like in the past where the lashes were curled and set as opposed to the ‘lash perm’ which can over-curl the top lash into the lid, making them look shorter, not fuller. “Conversely the Lash Elevate ‘refreshes’ your eye area and takes years off without the hassle of having lash extensions applied every 3 weeks. It lasts a genuine 8 weeks,” she says.
Teeth are one of the first things people notice, and also one of the first areas to age. It is also the one area most women are reluctant to treat, because it usually involves braces or invasive restorative treatment, explains Cosmetic Dentist, Dr Angelo Lazaris. Invisalign is the alternative to braces, utilizing a series of clear, virtually invisible and removable aligners to gradually move teeth into their desired position, without the use of metal or wires. “The Invisalign aligners are comfortable to wear, removable and virtually invisible,” notes Lazaris. “And no-one will notice you’re wearing them!” In most cases, the cost and treatment time of Invisalign is comparable to traditional braces, however unlike braces, these clear aligners can be removed to allow patients to brush and floss their teeth as usual, making it a healthier alternative for teeth and gums.