Beau Peters

Thursday, 28 January 2021 16:44

Beauty Science In 2021

The science of beauty is perhaps as old as civilisation itself. From the stunning painted bust of Nefertiti to the glamorous court of Marie Antoinette to the inimitable style of Coco Chanel, we’ve long been fascinated by the beautiful.

makeup 402533 1920 result Salina13, Pixabay

Across the millennia, we’ve been searching for the tools to enhance our beauty, tools to help us reach our fullest potential. For centuries, we’ve used paints and powders, unguents and ointments to bring out the goddess that had always lurked within.

The beauty industry, even before it became an “industry” per se, has always been married to science. Today, however, as we move into the second decade of a new millennium, the partnership between science and beauty has never been stronger.

Even more importantly, beauty consumers have never had more access to information or more choice when selecting the latest and greatest scientifically tested and approved products to add to their beauty regimen.

The Power Of The Beauty Influencer

freestocks JfJjQgXpXeM unsplash result Freestocks, Unsplash

Perhaps one of the most important beauty trends to emerge in recent years isn’t a cosmetic, a skincare product, or an aesthetic procedure at all. Rather, it’s in the rise of the online beauty influencer.

In 2021, the authority of the influencer is likely only to grow, and it is not at all difficult to understand why. Today’s influencers aren’t just successful professionals in the media or the beauty industries. Many bring with them some pretty impressive credentials in some pretty formidable fields such as chemistry, microbiology, and even the medical and environmental sciences.

Now more than ever, we’re turning to science beauty influencers to help us understand the science behind our favourite products and procedures and to introduce us to promising new advancements on the horizon. The particular importance of these science influencers is that they are uniquely qualified to speak with depth and to provide empirical evidence on everything from product ingredients and sourcing to processing and use.

Best of all, because many of these influencers have their own careers, they’re often not on the payroll of the companies whose products they review. That means you can breathe easier knowing that what you’re getting is far more likely to be both objective and trustworthy than a company-produced advertisement or a paid endorsement.

The Power Of The Consumer

Freestocks, Unsplash

Of course, today’s beauty influencers wouldn’t be rocketing into the social media stratosphere if there weren’t a lot of exciting new products reaching the market every day. In the past, some distressingly dubious practices have been adopted by history’s most celebrated divas to help them cultivate their storied looks.

From the consumption of arsenic to achieve the pallor so prized by the Victorians to the use of lead-based cosmetics, or the application of Belladonna to dilate the pupils of the eye, the thought behind some of history’s most infamous beauty trends has been doubtful at best and dangerous at worst.

Thankfully, today we have far more resources and far greater scientific knowledge at our disposal. And that is only serving to grow an already expansive market of products deeply rooted in cutting-edge science and designed to meet the particular needs, interests, and expectations of a diverse consumer base.

Take, for example, the increasing demand for environmentally-friendly, organic, vegan, and cruelty-free, and even CBD-based options. Whatever the consumer demand, beauty scientists are working to meet it, using evidence-based approaches to develop new products and modify existing ones to meet evolving market demands.

Likewise, if you’re experiencing a particular issue or concern, finding evidence-based information is a snap, provided you know where and how to look, including evaluating the data that underlies the information provided and checking — and confirming — the author’s credentials.

For instance, medical researchers are increasingly recognising the role of vascular health in the appearance of the skin. Varicose veins, for example, are now understood to be a leading cause not only of skin blemishes but also of ulcers on the legs. Fortunately, there are plenty of credible medical resources available to help you treat, and prevent, varicose veins non-invasively and with minimal expense or effort.

And that means, no matter what your particular interests or requirements for your beauty regimen, odds are you have a litany of great products and invaluable science-based resources to choose from!

Even better, however, is the fact that beauty scientists are increasingly seeking to develop tools and products that can bring such product customisation to the next level. For instance, extensive research is currently underway into the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) technologies to help consumers define their individual beauty needs, identify products and procedures that can meet them.

The Takeaway

Beauty, at its heart, has always been a fascinating combination of art and science. Never is that more apparent than today. In 2021, beauty science is increasingly grounded in technology, in cutting-edge research, and the needs and interests of the consumer above all.

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Friday, 06 November 2020 09:11

Mens Fashion Trends For 2020 And Beyond

As the weather turns and this rollercoaster of a year comes to a close, we’re choosing to look back on the good and onwards to the future.

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Tuesday, 22 September 2020 15:59

The Fashion of Body Modification

There was a time, barely a couple of decades ago, that many of the body modifications that are popular today were somewhat frowned upon in so-called polite society. Some were deemed within the bounds of acceptability - a tame piercing or two. Yet, tattoos were still treated with an air of taboo; a secret indulgence that most in the mainstream of society shared only with their closest friends. Thankfully, this is less the case today.

We tend to better understand that to modify one’s body is not to sully it but to celebrate it. When we also look at the historical context of body modifications, we can see that they have often bridged beauty with cultural significance. They say something about who we are and the time we live in. As is the case with most forms of fashion.

We’re going to take a closer look at the fashion of body modification today. How does it fit into our lives, and what hurdles do we still struggle to overcome? Where are trends likely to travel in the near future?

Tattoos

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Pexels

Though tattoos have become popular in recent years, they can still be the object of controversy. Many of us consider them as a deeply personal, creative way to collect art on our bodies, but some employers still regard them as a sign of unprofessionalism. It seems strange today that one should have to disguise their personal art to get a job. Still, our choice of fashion when approaching potential employers is important, and could still see us discriminated against. Alongside finding the right business casual clothing, or layering to appear professional while not overdressed, it is often recommended that we cover our tattoos for job interviews.

That said, it is becoming increasingly accepted that tattoos are something to be cherished and collected. Much like we’d invest in artwork for a gallery wall in our homes, body art is a way to engage with creative works that also helps to tell the story of our personal journeys. The artwork we merge with our bodies says something about who we are at specific times. Our understanding and acceptance of tattooing have also helped to support a thriving tattoo industry. Artists are getting their own TV shows and attaining similar wealth and standing to their fine art contemporaries.

As we look to the future of tattooing, it’s worth considering where our creativity could take us. We are already beginning to see tattooing being used to alter the colour of our eyes. The process, known as keratopigmentation, began as a clinical procedure to improve sight issues such as photophobia. However, it is slowly being accepted for cosmetic procedures. Whether this permanent change will catch on remains to be seen, particularly when coloured contact lenses can provide temporary change without such drastic, irreversible steps. Perhaps we’ll start to see contacts as the “testing” step before committing to full alteration, much as some people do with temporary or henna tattoos.

Piercings

Pexcels

Piercings have long been the most common and socially accepted form of body modification. There have certainly been times in recent history when anything other than an ear-piercing was considered to be rather shocking. However, sometimes it takes a shift in culture or a celebrity adoption to open the door. A depiction of Alicia Silverstone getting a navel piercing in the video for Aerosmith’s Cryin’ in 1993 helped to spark a trend for body piercing in the mainstream.

Today, piercing allows for another form of expressing our creativity. Cartilage piercing, in particular, allows us to not just wear jewellery through the piercing itself but position our piercings to connect them using chains and other adornments. Popular too at the moment are plugs and flesh tunnels. This sees the piercing stretched every 6-8 weeks by inserting a larger gauge of plug. We can trace the roots of this method back to the ancient Egyptian New kingdom; another example that to push fashion forward, we must explore our past.

They can also have an effect on our day-to-day wellness. Acupuncture has long been used to treat ailments by putting pressure on specific trigger points. In the same way, those experiencing migraines have begun to use daith piercings to alleviate their symptoms. Targeted on the fold of cartilage just above the ear canal, studies have shown that patients reported improvements after getting the piercing. However, researchers also reported that there is a possibility this is due to the placebo effect.

The future of piercing is probably less likely to be a case of “what else can we pierce” than an exploration of how we can be more creative. While we’ve all become used to the quick piercing stores in the mall, some companies are planning to provide a more nuanced experience. New York-based startup Studs has introduced an “Ear Bar” approach, encouraging consumers to create a unique “earscape” using combinations of piercings. This kind of experiential approach is increasingly in demand with upcoming generations and could well spell the way forward.

Biohacking

As with any fashion, body modifications tend to reflect the times. We can’t ignore the fact that one of the defining characteristics of our present era is ubiquitous and often wearable technology. Subsequently, we are starting to see the worlds of body modification and smart gadgets collide.

Biohacking is gradually gaining in popularity. The intention is to improve the natural characteristics of the body with tech modifications. Some of these are purely to enhance sensations - such as inserting magnets into the skin under the fingertips to feel fields of energy. Others have a more practical purpose. RFID chip implants can be loaded with data such as security or bank information that allow users to enter electromagnetically locked doors, or pay for items with a swipe of their hand.

A U.S.-based magician, Anastasia Synn, has 28 chips and magnets implanted throughout her body. She uses these to enhance her magic act but has also ostensibly programmed them to also to perform various household tasks and interact with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. As such, biohacking may well be the form of body modification that connects us more meaningfully and viscerally to the way we live our lives. While these body mods are done with largely practical purposes in mind, we’ll likely soon see more for purely aesthetic or creative purposes.

Conclusion

Body modification has been a part of our culture throughout history. Today, we see piercing and tattoos as fashionable aspects of our everyday lives. New modifications, such as those used in biohacking, are quickly joining them as ways for us to enhance our bodies for aesthetic and practical reasons.

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Monday, 20 July 2020 16:43

Benefits Of Participating In Sustainable Fashion

The fashion industry is flashy, exciting, and always evolving. However, while the cut of a blouse or the length of a hemline may change over time, there is one tenet of fashion that always remains the same: sustainability.

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