Brave New Beauty

Is tech about to revolutionise your skincare regime and transport you into a whole new universe of beautification? Joanna Taylor isn’t always convinced…

- Joanna Taylor

Other industries may falter and fail, but how do you own the future in a business that never stops booming? Well, the battle to out-innovate has commenced. Need a manicure in five minutes? Ask Siri. Want Bella Hadid’s electric-blue eyeshadow? Check her Instagram Stories. Forgotten the name of that lipstick you tried on in Tom Ford? The smart mirror has already emailed it to you. This new generation of tech promises everything from a breakout specialist in your smartphone to virtual-reality breast-augmentation simulation. But can a gleaming gadget or futuristic looking app deliver beauty salvation, or are the latest buzzed-about innovations all tech and no trousers?

ZAPPY DAYS

THE BIG IDEA: Byonik – a low-level laser treatment to push layers of hyaluronic acid deep into the dermis, available at The Skin To Love Clinic (Theskintoloveclinic.co.uk). Rolling out at clinics nationwide in 2019.

WHY IT SOUNDS EXCITING: Using low-level laser that works in sync with your heart rate, this machine aims to infuse skin with hydrating hyaluronic at depths that have so far required needles. Sounds like total nonsense? Cosmetic doctor Dr Esho says not: “We can already combine low-level laser with acids to increase penetration into skin, improving fine lines with minimal reactions from patients. But Byonik has taken things one step further. Through a ‘pulsometer’, the device uses the heartbeat to trigger the pulses of the laser. Studies show that as the heart is about to beat, our cells are more permeable, so actives are more readily absorbed. There is no pain, no downtime and no heat.”