Living more consciously year round seems to be the theme for 2014. Everything from the food we eat, to the juices we drink, the cars we drive and the clothes we wear have details about what they contain and where they come from. All steps in the right direction.
Certain things never loose their appeal – essential oils and aromatherapy, for example, have always been important to improve ambiance but are becoming more mainstream in a clinical way for treating mental and physical ailments. And now there is a wonderful blend between science, technology, botanical and organic products that spas are in a prime position to offer.
Looking your best this year means getting away from the faux beauty fashions of the past few years and adopting a less complicated and fresh faced approach to personal care. Improved skincare formulas and electrotherapy to combat aging and a greater understanding about the body as a whole, have resulted in this more hands off approach. Even plastic surgery offices seem more focused on updated injectables, more subtle lip injections, fat harvesting and reinjection to soften fine lines and wrinkles rather than turning to more extensive surgery.
This doesn’t mean we can let go or neglect ourselves. We are returning to hippydom!
Exercise is the only area where extremism seems to be in vogue. High-intensity interval training, hot yoga (be warned: intense heat can cause irritation for some skins) and extreme outdoor sports activities have become very popular and when we travel today we often look for destinations that offer spa facilities, exercise options and healthy menus that can boost our health and well-being rather than giving us an opportunity to get off track and over indulge.
Two newer trends that we are looking to introduce at SkinSense this year are topical probiotics to help control acne and strengthen the skin’s natural defense barrier, and a treatment protocol for targeting stubborn pigmentation.
One thing that will never change however, is the need for a skincare routine that hydrates and protects during the day and treats at night. And of course, regular facials. No matter how great all the new products and protocols turn out to be, daily maintenance will always be necessary.
