When it comes to the beauty industry, I'm a massive geek. I love nothing more than discovering a leap forward in innovation, a revolutionary application technique or scientific advances that make beautifying ourselves even more effective. There's no doubt that 2015 will the year that provides us with oodles of innovative products that we wonder how we did without - and if these launches are anything to go by we're in for a huge treat. I've picked five products that push the boundaries of what I thought possible, providing ease of use and effectiveness paired with fabulous ingredients. Here are the five beauty technologies you need to know about in 2015...
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1. Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water* (£20.00)
As the king of priming, it's no surprise that Smashbox are launching the first primer water that provides a photo-finish result in a whole new way. Sixteen years after the brand's iconic launch, this spritz offers everything we love about the original but in the lightest and most refreshing form imaginable. Free from silicone, alcohol and oil, packed with revitalising elecrolystes to wake up skin and restore moisture, this can be spritzed over skincare and before makeup to offer all the benefits you'd expect from your daily prime. It helps to hydrate and keep makeup in place, while also helping to set makeup when sprayed at the end of application; you can even spritz it over your face throughout the day to perk up your look and ensure you're looking flawless. I love this formula, the convenience and the ease of use; although it doesn't offer the hardcore 'blurring' of a traditional velvety primer, it does help makeup to look fab and your skin to feel like it's glowing. I fully expect more skincare-come-makeup products this year, utilising the technology available to ensure they're as fuss-free as possible.
2. Hand Chemistry Hyaluronic Body Mist (£17.00)
We've seen brands such as Vaseline dabbling in spray format moisturisers, but never has a body product offered such a lightweight texture with simultaneous hardcore hydration. From the people behind Hand Chemistry comes a product that's sure to be a best seller, thanks to its instantaneous absoption that minimises morning faff. The water-like texture is absoprbed into limbs within seconds to leave them feeling smooth to the touch, delivering both immediate and longer-term hydration. There's no need to battle with heavy or greasy creams that make it practically impossible to put on a pair of tights, nor does masssaging product into skin need to take longer than applying lipgloss. Thanks to the high concentration of hyaluronic acid in a base of purified mushroom, tamarind and corn derivatives, after applying this daily for four weeks a single application will keep skin hydrated for up to three further days - this is the new generation of body moisturiser.
3. Ameliorate Skin Smoothing Body Lotion (£27.50)
You may not have heard of Keratosis Pilaris, but I'm betting you've heard of 'chicken skin' - the annoying red bumps many of us find at the tops of our arms for no apparent reason. When I was a teenager I was so paranoid about my red arms that I was never seen in anything above the elbow; it wasn't until years later that I learned how common the condition was. This genius product aims to target a real problem for many, helping to slough away rough skin that can cause the bumps and leaving arms looking so much better in only a few days. Containing high levels of natural AHA Lactic Acid, this luxurious body lotion encourages the skin’s optimum exfoliation process to remove dead cells and soften rough skin. Added conditioning ingredients including Vitamin E and Sweet Almond Oil keep the skin hydrated around the clock to transform the appearance of stubborn areas of Keratosis Pilaris. Within a week of using this daily I noticed a huge difference, with my 'chicken skin' almost vanishing completely; paired with regular dry exfoliation, this is a product that works. I predict big things for it if it can make such a difference to me in such a little amount of time.
4. Pur Minerals Liquid Veil 4-in-1 Spray Foundation* (£26.00)
There's a revolution in foundation coming our way and first up we have a spray format that provides a lightweight result and glowy finish, thanks to Pur Minerals - who are more well known for loose powders and mineral bases. Although it's a bit of a faff to apply (I believe you're supposed to spray the base onto a foundation brush, but you can also apply direct to the face) it's a fabulous innovation that's set to revolutionise the way we think about makeup... Who would have thought we'd spray the stuff right on, like a character from Death Becomes Her? (If you were born post 1990 you probably won't have a clue what I'm referring to, but for the older readers it definitely channels your inner Meryl Streep. ) It's not particularly convenient and I'm not a fan of the flakes of product that appear on my face when it mixes with moisturiser, but it's the first step in providing that celebrity 'airbrush' finish from the comfort of our own home.
5. Clarins Lip Comfort Oil (£18.00)
Lip balms are about to go superpowered, thanks to Clarins' innovation that wipes away everything you know about hydration. Scrap balms, greasy potions and messy pots of sickly sweet pink things, the new Lip Comfort Oils provide all the hydration you need in an easy-to-wear oil format. Featuring a luxurious blend of hazelnut oil, mirabelle and organic jojoba oil, the formula ensures glossy and luminous lips while protecting them from sun, wind, and dehydration. If you're put off by the inclusion of oil (in both the name and formula,) then this is actually more like a gloss than a runny oil and provides the benefit of a balm without as much wax. Available in two shades that provide just the subtlest hint of colour, this is incredibly comfortable and long-lasting; it provides comfort to sore lips without compromising on the look, thanks to its glossy texture. I've no doubt this is the first of forthcoming revolutions in the lip care category.
What do you think about these five innovative products and the way in which they push the boundaries? Are you excited to see what the next twelve months brings?
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*Launches February 2015
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As the king of priming, it's no surprise that Smashbox are launching the first primer water that provides a photo-finish result in a whole new way. Sixteen years after the brand's iconic launch, this spritz offers everything we love about the original but in the lightest and most refreshing form imaginable. Free from silicone, alcohol and oil, packed with revitalising elecrolystes to wake up skin and restore moisture, this can be spritzed over skincare and before makeup to offer all the benefits you'd expect from your daily prime. It helps to hydrate and keep makeup in place, while also helping to set makeup when sprayed at the end of application; you can even spritz it over your face throughout the day to perk up your look and ensure you're looking flawless. I love this formula, the convenience and the ease of use; although it doesn't offer the hardcore 'blurring' of a traditional velvety primer, it does help makeup to look fab and your skin to feel like it's glowing. I fully expect more skincare-come-makeup products this year, utilising the technology available to ensure they're as fuss-free as possible.
2. Hand Chemistry Hyaluronic Body Mist (£17.00)
We've seen brands such as Vaseline dabbling in spray format moisturisers, but never has a body product offered such a lightweight texture with simultaneous hardcore hydration. From the people behind Hand Chemistry comes a product that's sure to be a best seller, thanks to its instantaneous absoption that minimises morning faff. The water-like texture is absoprbed into limbs within seconds to leave them feeling smooth to the touch, delivering both immediate and longer-term hydration. There's no need to battle with heavy or greasy creams that make it practically impossible to put on a pair of tights, nor does masssaging product into skin need to take longer than applying lipgloss. Thanks to the high concentration of hyaluronic acid in a base of purified mushroom, tamarind and corn derivatives, after applying this daily for four weeks a single application will keep skin hydrated for up to three further days - this is the new generation of body moisturiser.
3. Ameliorate Skin Smoothing Body Lotion (£27.50)
You may not have heard of Keratosis Pilaris, but I'm betting you've heard of 'chicken skin' - the annoying red bumps many of us find at the tops of our arms for no apparent reason. When I was a teenager I was so paranoid about my red arms that I was never seen in anything above the elbow; it wasn't until years later that I learned how common the condition was. This genius product aims to target a real problem for many, helping to slough away rough skin that can cause the bumps and leaving arms looking so much better in only a few days. Containing high levels of natural AHA Lactic Acid, this luxurious body lotion encourages the skin’s optimum exfoliation process to remove dead cells and soften rough skin. Added conditioning ingredients including Vitamin E and Sweet Almond Oil keep the skin hydrated around the clock to transform the appearance of stubborn areas of Keratosis Pilaris. Within a week of using this daily I noticed a huge difference, with my 'chicken skin' almost vanishing completely; paired with regular dry exfoliation, this is a product that works. I predict big things for it if it can make such a difference to me in such a little amount of time.
4. Pur Minerals Liquid Veil 4-in-1 Spray Foundation* (£26.00)
There's a revolution in foundation coming our way and first up we have a spray format that provides a lightweight result and glowy finish, thanks to Pur Minerals - who are more well known for loose powders and mineral bases. Although it's a bit of a faff to apply (I believe you're supposed to spray the base onto a foundation brush, but you can also apply direct to the face) it's a fabulous innovation that's set to revolutionise the way we think about makeup... Who would have thought we'd spray the stuff right on, like a character from Death Becomes Her? (If you were born post 1990 you probably won't have a clue what I'm referring to, but for the older readers it definitely channels your inner Meryl Streep. ) It's not particularly convenient and I'm not a fan of the flakes of product that appear on my face when it mixes with moisturiser, but it's the first step in providing that celebrity 'airbrush' finish from the comfort of our own home.
5. Clarins Lip Comfort Oil (£18.00)
Lip balms are about to go superpowered, thanks to Clarins' innovation that wipes away everything you know about hydration. Scrap balms, greasy potions and messy pots of sickly sweet pink things, the new Lip Comfort Oils provide all the hydration you need in an easy-to-wear oil format. Featuring a luxurious blend of hazelnut oil, mirabelle and organic jojoba oil, the formula ensures glossy and luminous lips while protecting them from sun, wind, and dehydration. If you're put off by the inclusion of oil (in both the name and formula,) then this is actually more like a gloss than a runny oil and provides the benefit of a balm without as much wax. Available in two shades that provide just the subtlest hint of colour, this is incredibly comfortable and long-lasting; it provides comfort to sore lips without compromising on the look, thanks to its glossy texture. I've no doubt this is the first of forthcoming revolutions in the lip care category.
What do you think about these five innovative products and the way in which they push the boundaries? Are you excited to see what the next twelve months brings?
*Launches February 2015
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