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The Face of Beauty in 2018

It's truth universally acknowledged, that we will always find time and money to spend on ourselves when it comes to beauty. So we thought we'd do a little catch-up to get you thinking about your current beauty offering.

Cleansing
There is no longer a one-size-fits-all approach to beauty, and the cleansing market in particular has exploded with offerings. While makeup wipes are taking a beauty when it comes to how they are clogging up our environment, there are tons of safer options out there. Since arriving in stores around four years ago, Micellar Waters have finally found their footing, as more and more women understand what they actually do. Buying a bottle of what basically looks like tap water had so many of us confused, but we're all getting the hand of the science of it, finally. (Micellar Water Cleansers contain tiny micelles, tiny balls of cleansing oil molecules, suspended in soft water). 
These cleansing waters - influenced by a Japanese approach of applying a cleanding water and leaving moisture behind - meaning no need to wash off the remainder - take off makeup and leave skin soft and supple afterwards. However, many of us won't stop there, and there is some doubt as to whether cleansing with micellar water is enough. If anything, these waters often form part of a double cleanse: where we use the first product to remove dirt and oil (often an oil-based product) before following with a gel-based cleanser (or cleansing water), to remove excess oil. 

Another concept that British women have finally taken onboard is using oil to cleanse their skin. Applying oil to your face does sound a little worrying, especially for those with oily or acne-prone skin, but like attracts like, so using oil as your first cleanse means you are taking away the excess from your skin, therefore allowing your second cleanse to actually clean your skin.

TRY: We stock Strictly Professional's Micellar Water Cleanser and we're already hearing it's amazing at removing stubborn makeup!

Moisturising:
Gone are the days of slapping on your fave moisturiser in the morning and being done with it for the day. Today, depending on our skincare needs, moisturising can be as complicated as you like. Starting right after the morning cleanse, many of your clients are now: 

 

- Spritzing on a face mist to ensure zero dryness post-cleanse
- Applying a serum - Hyaluronic Acid-based to pump up moisture retention, or Vitamin C-based, to give a glow
- Applying SPF - it's finally been accepted that this is a daily no-brainer, regardless of the country you live in, how dark your skin is, or the weather conditions
- Applying a refreshing stick balm - an influence from Korean beauty trends
- Apply a moisturiser
- Apply a primer - often moisturising and either illuminating or mattifying
- Using foundation - we can choose anything from illuminating with zero oil, to moisturising and mattifying at the same time
- Carrying a face mist around to keep makeup - or bare skin - feeling fresh

TRY: Kaeso's Elixir Beauty Oil is amazing at prepping skin ahead of makeup and makes a great overnight skin treatment too...


Masking:
Head to any social media platform over the weekend and you'll see #selfcare and #selfcaresunday at the top of the trending hashtags list. In 2018, the phrase 'self-care' has replaced what we used to call 'me-time', but it has become intertwined with our mental state too. Taking time out, from just five minutes to a couple of hours, has become a huge trend, and has no doubt increased the revenue of tons of beauty brands. Instead of barely finding the time to apply a five-minute mask, your customers are now willing to put aside time for indulgent baths, complete with candles and bath bombs, while they apply two, three, sometimes four (or more!) face masks, all targeting various skin issues and needs. The implication is that, while we're all taking more time to focus on ourselves, we are a) becoming more comfortable with ourselves, in what is currently a very judgemental landscape when it comes to social media and b) taking our minds off the daily stresses of our lives. Which can't be a bad thing, right?

As well as the types of masks being too numerous to mention (sheet, clay, gel etc), we're also seeing masks for more specific areas: lips, under eye, necks, breasts and more!

TRY: Beauty Pro and Barber Pro masks have all the bases covered, from sheet masks to under-eye masks and more!


Keeping up!
To keep up with the latest beauty trends, check out popular beauty hashtags on Instagram, and look out for news on Korean, Japanese and French beauty brands. While the Korean and Japanese brands are all about pushing forward, often with quirky ingredients and lower price points, the French pharmacy industry has long been admired for providing no-nonsense, science-based products that work. Keep experimenting to find out what works for you, and your clients. And be sure to check out our ever-growing array of beauty offerings!

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