From instant hair colours, to make-up vending machines, science is changing the face of beauty forever...
Techology is moving faster than ever and the lines between science and beauty are blurring. Want to know the latest beauty trends? According to Datamonitor s senior analyst for Consumer Insights, Ramaa Chipalkatti, just look to every other area of your life and you will see where the next innovation will come from.
Gone are the days when beauty was a seperate entity, only thought of in terms of skincare and make-up - the latest beauty trends mean that some of the biggest brands have started to incorporate food, recycling and even wearable technology into their products to keep up to date with the rest of the world.
The latest beauty trends draw on how we live today, whether that's streaming and downloading (we all expect to have access to instant results in 2014), or blurring reality with Photoshop. There are now products that can offer all of this and more, whether that's one second nail varnish remover or body make-up to give you an airbrushed effect every day, the way we view the latest beauty trends in changing.
This is the future of beauty
Everything from the way we buy products, to the way those products are packaged and the way we use them is changing. Find out for yourself how you will be shopping for the latest beauty trends according to Ramaa...
Instant beauty
With the rise of social media, streaming and downloading, we've become a nation of people unable to wait for anything. So the beauty industry has been hard at work to keep up with fast-moving technology, creating super-speedy products that will give us instant results.
The Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover and the L'Oreal Hair Chalk are just the beginning of seriously fast beauty, giving us the power to change our look in minutes and without an expensive salon price tag. Look out for hair sprays and serums that can speed up drying time, firming body creams that work in 15 minutes and even 3D printers which allow you to mix and create your own palettes at home.
Ultra-hygienic skincare
Washing your hands regularly throughout the day goes without saying - but what about your face? Your delicate complexion is out there just as much as your digits, yet you probably only wash your face once or twice a day.
As we become more clued up to cleanliness, new ways to fight germs have been invented, such as handbag-sized anti-bacterial hand gel - a must for public toilets - and mini disposable toothbrushes to clean on the go.
But what about for our faces? Clarins are first off the block, with their Extra-Comfort Anti-Pollution Cleansing Cream, which aims to protect and soothe skin tormented by a city climate. Extracts of moringa, shea and mango nourish and purify the skin to remove the day's toxins to leave the skin feeling clean and comfortable.
Intelligent sun protection
Wearable technology was the big buzzword of 2014 and will soon be moving into beauty. While we all wait for the jewellery that tells us when to top up our suncare protection (yes really), make sure you invest in some brand new, super-charged SPF - even in winter.
The Eve Lom Daily Protection is so much more than just a regular SPF. Featuring actual skincare benefits as well as 50+ protection, this lightweight fluid can actually replace your regular moisturiser and still stop harmful UVA and UVB rays penetrating the skin. It doesn't come cheap at £70 a bottle, but it really is worth every penny.
Faking it
New products are launching all the time that mean we might not have to go under the knife to fight the hands of time. Which is good news, because we're no longer content to just work on the wrinkles and imperfections on our faces: We now want everything from our necks to our toes to be perfect.
Step up temporary but very good cover-ups, from Sally Hansen's Airbrush legs - which conceals veins, uneven skintone and blemishes for perfect-looking pins - and Bosom Couture's new Boob Glue, which gives your breasts a lift without going anywhere near the surgeon's table.
Back to basics
Science research is moving fast. We now know (well, the scientists now know) so much more about plants, insects and animals, meaning their secretions (bear with us here) can be used to our advantage.
Everything from sheep grease, to fish oil and bird poo can pop up in the ingredients list of your favourite skincare buys. But don't be freaked out, because they have some amazing beauty benefits.
Take Dr Organic's Snail Gel for example: This pre-moisturising treatment contains snail slime, which is full of mucin extract - a complex of proteins, glycolic acids and elastin. Mucin can restore your skin back to its best, helping your regular moisturiser to work harder and soothing the skin as part of an effective anti-ageing routine.
The ultimate all-in-ones
First we had BB creams, then CC creams and now, obviously, DD creams. As each new product launches, we expect more and more from each, forcing beauty boffins to create bigger and better, all-in-one buys.
The newest of these comes in the form of a Daily Defence fluid. As well as the standard prepping, priming and protecting properties that we expect from any multitasker, a DD cream also incorporates anti-ageing benefits into its make up.
We love the Decleor DD Daily Defence Fluid Shield, which also adds sun and pollution protection to its list of credentials. Apply all over before make-up application (the one thing a DD cream doesn't do is add a hint of colour) for a mattifying effect, or dab on throughout the day to refresh your make-up.
Beauty restaurants
Beauty comes from within, so it makes sense that we're looking to health foods and drinks to help us look our best. We will soon be chowing down in dedicated beauty restaurants, which offer food and drink based on skincare needs.
It's already happening in the smoothies and juices we make at home - Miranda Kerr doesn't drink green juice because it tastes nice, it's the secret to her gorgeous, glowing skin.
Beauty supplements are also starting to be incorporated into moisturisers and serums, eliminating the need to pop pills. Try the Vita Mineral Daily Supplement Moisturising Cream by Ren, to get your hit of vital nutrients with your regular hydration.
Food-inspired beauty
The lines are further blurred as food becomes a big inspiration for beauty. One unusual collabortion is the new OPI collection in association with Coca Cola.
A range of ten colours that are inspired by the sweet drink, the collection features the perfect red, taking over from the brand's classic Big Apple Red. The idea is that these nail varnishes will make you feel happy, in the way your favourite sugary drink will.
Nails Inc have also created a nail polish with health-boosting kale benefits. The nutrient-rich veggie can strengthen your nails, protecting them from the inside out, which Nailkale promises to do.
Nails naturally contain keratin, which kale can improve with powerful antioxidant properties, making it the perfect accompaniment to an on-trend polish.
Thoughtful beauty
Caring for our planet couldn't be a bigger topic right now. Fears of overspilling landfills, melting ice caps and the hole in the ozone have got us all worried for future generations. The beauty industry has also caught on and is encouraging customers to think green with their beauty purchases.
This doesn't mean rocking an emerald lipstick, but using refillable packaging, instead of throwing away empty bottles, or returning empty tubes to be recycled by the brand. Mac already run 'back to Mac', which asks for used packaging to be returned each time you top up on your favourite products. Six returns equals a free lipstick of your choice. What's not to love?
German beauty brand, Artdeco also offers refillable packaging on their products, so you can buy your favourite make-up pieces in environmentally-friendly versions and top up your current palettes, tubes and compacts.
Faceless beauty
We're so used to being able to purchase food and drink from vending machines all over the world, but how great would it be if there was a make-up, skincare or haircare vending machine on every corner?
This could soon be a reality, as we move further towards self-service shopping and environmentally-friendly packaging. Benefit have already installed Glam Up and Away kiosks in US airports. Designed to look like pink buses, these vending machines house 30 of the brand's best-selling products, from the Hoola bronzer to the Porefessional primer, so you can jet off with all your beauty must-haves in your hand luggage.
The vending machines are also interactive, with a user-friendly screen featuring tips and tricks to help you use their products effectively.
Fingers crossed one pops up at Heathrow soon.
