2021 beauty trends and buzzwords

Despite the roadblock that was the 2020 trend of “sweats and track pants”, Australians fascination with all things beauty and cosmetic continues to grow. From Botox to peels and everything in between, social media and social culture have us looking into all the newest offerings in the beauty sector.

Dr Giulia D’Anna, founder of Dermal Distinction said that the beauty industry is constantly evolving with new offerings and services based on consumer demand. “We continue to have this desire to look younger, healthier, fitter, whilst still appearing natural in appearance. On the back of extended COVID lockdowns last year and continued celebrity influence, new trends are constantly emerging in our space.”

Giulia has given us the quick 101 on the newest Beauty Buzz Words which are setting the trend in 2021:

Skinboosters

Not your typical beauty treatment, but this is all about improving skin quality and structure. Using minute needles, super hydrating hyaluronic acid is injected just under the skin. This creates a super hydrated skin layer that functions better and looks radiate. Skin boosters work in two ways. The first is via hydration. Where cells are super hydrated, they function much better as nutrients are able to get to the cells, and by-products and waste can also be drained away by the lymphatic system. The second function of skin boosters is via the skin needling process. The controlled stimulation of the needles entering the skin creates improved collagen levels. Skin boosters are perfect for the tear trough area, and fine lines/wrinkles.

Probiotic skincare

Given the new mask, rules have created their share of skin problems (acne, oily skin and breakouts), introducing “good” bacteria to the skin is so important. Much like probiotics in our diet, probiotic skincare is focused on improving the natural skin bacteria or microbiome. Good bacteria are required to keep the “bad” bacteria under control. Kind of like the goodies winning over the baddies in a movie, except when the goodies win in the skin, you get perfect skin without breakouts.

Blue-light skin protection

Spending all our time in front of a device has created its own kind of skin damage. Our devices emit energy rays, known as blue light, which can hurry-along the ageing process as UV rays do. This can result in pigmentation, or age spots and collagen breakdown. This will become increasingly more important to all of us because the amount of time we are spending in front of computer screens is unprecedented. A really good habit is to wear sunscreen when using your device and to also turn down the brightness of your screen. Both of these will help shield our skin from the unwanted effects of this light energy.

Niacinamide

This one is not new, but Niacinamide (otherwise known as vitamin B) is here to stay. Niacinamide has an incredible effect on the skin by improving hydration and moisture retention, reducing inflammation and improving the radiance of the skin. Used morning and night, Niacinamide is perfect for all skin types.

Hand repair

Hand sanitiser is the new handshake. We all use it multiple times a day to help reduce the spread of bacteria and viruses. Whilst it is perfect for the job, what hand sanitiser also does is to dry the skin out. The skin can become sensitive, red and even peel. We will see a rise in hand repair lotions, that can be used to reduce the skin damage that hand sanitiser has caused. Look for hand repair creams that are fragrance-free, one of the biggest irritants in all skincare.

The fox eye

I have seen this trend really starting to emerge now thanks to the likes of Kendall Jenner and other celebrities. Dissolvable threads (or surgical stitches) are placed under the skin in a non-surgical procedure to redrape the skin around the eye and temple upwards. This is also known as a thread lift. This creates an eyebrow shape that is flattened and creates a sleek eye shape too. Just be careful of the results, as the Fox eye may not be as long-lasting as you hope. Some people only notice a change for 2-3 months, and I am not sure that the cost, effort and invasiveness of the thread lift procedure is warranted for such a short period of time.

Buccal Fat removal

Made famous (or infamous) by Demi Moore recently, this surgical procedure is performed by oral surgeons and plastic surgeons. An incision is made at the back of the mouth, and the natural fat pads in the lower part of the cheek are removed. This gives more definition to the cheekbone, but also a “sucked-in” contoured look to the face. This is a surgical procedure and can be associated with some discomfort and plenty of risks. Take care on this one in researching your chosen practitioner and also be aware of the outcome. Demi took this to the extreme, but most people will experience a beautiful contoured appearance.

The 8-point lift

Zoom has made us look at ourselves more than we ever have, and sometimes the way we look on Zoom is not very flattering. I have had many people that have consulted with me about improving their confidence. The 8-point lift is a non-surgical enhancement of the face, where we focus on improving the cheekbones, temple, under-eye, lips, chin and jawline using 8 different points, thus the name. The 8-point lift is perfect in taking a natural approach to age management, and overall improvement in proportion and face shape.

The gold facial

Gold has long been admired for its anti-inflammatory properties, so it makes perfect sense that gold powder might be introduced and used in facial treatments. After cleansing the face, and a deep exfoliation, a gold-infused mask is applied to the skin. Not only does it look absolutely sensational, but your skin will also look clearer and more radiant than ever afterwards.

Tweakments

I have always found that my patients prefer to fly under the radar when they undertake cosmetic procedures. So when performing enhancements, I am generally looking for recommendations that are not dramatic, take time to produce and appear naturally beautiful. A perfect example is the Muscle relaxant Nefertiti lift. This is where we use Botulinum toxin (Botox, Dysport or Xeomin) to produce a relaxation of the facial muscles. This creates a super sharp jawline, jowl reduction and beautiful facial contour as the lower depressor (the muscles that pull the face towards the floor) are reduced. So the face has a natural lift in response.