What’s a builder without his tool kit? And in the same vein, what capabilities would make-up artists, hairdressers, and skincare professionals have without the assistance of specially designed tools? Technology has had a major impact on the beauty world and its product innovations, particularly when it comes to beauty tools. Key innovations change from year to year, with BD exploring what is to come for 2016 below:
Deep clean
Euromonitor predicts that major innovation will hit beauty’s bread and butter – skincare. “As skincare remains the biggest contributor to absolute growth and makes up around a quarter of total beauty’s annual revenue, innovation, a key driver of growth will remain a key focus of beauty players,” the company reports. Skincare brands are now increasingly utilising tools to enhance their current brand offerings. These devices assist in enhancing the results of their hero products – penetrating the skin’s layers with further efficacy than hands. Euromonitor believes the sector will continue to flourish. “The rise of devices in skincare, from cleansing to anti-ageing and electronic face masks, has shaken up both the competitive field and innovation in skincare. Beauty companies have been introducing cleansers and lotions that work with the devices and can further enhance their efficacy.”
and are two popular cleansing brushes in this innovative sector. Relying on oscillating technology, they move at lightning speed to deep cleanse the skin, with interchangeable heads for different skin requirements. The tools no longer stand alone in the field thanks to the flooding of like-minded technological devices. Now oscillating technology has been joined by vibrating sonic technology. Skincare giant has taken steps into the arena with its Sonic System Purifying Brush and Sonic System Massage Treatment Applicator. Both tools focus on skin stimulation – increasing blood flow and radiance and enhancing the results of the brand’s specialised products. Similarly Arbonne’s Intelligence device integrates ultrasound technology to push product deeper into the layers of the skin, maximising results of serums and creams.
For the slightly more hardcore skincare lover, spa-style offerings are now available in the home with everyday devices. ’s Rejuvaderm Home Roller features 192 biodegradable polymer needles to penetrate the epidermis. It claims to increase penetration of the skin with products by up to 40 times. A similar take on more intensive regimens is the Homedics Radiance – a device that uses salon-grade diamond tips to produce at-home microdermabrasion. The at-home spa trend is set to continue, with products similar to ’s Lady S growing in popularity, focusing on skin stimulation and anti-ageing results in a petite portable device.
Dry in a dash
This theme continues when it comes to hair care tools – with consumers eager to have access to salon-standard services at home. Similarly influential is an eagerness for a streamlined beauty routine, with time-poor consumers seeking hair tools that dramatically cut down styling time. Australian brand ambassador Geoffrey Herberg says consumers have a desire for “at-home spa-type hair and scalp treatments that deliver a luxury feel and sensory experience that are performed in limited time.” He continues: “Luckily, heat tools have come a long way from the appliances of the past… in the last few months in particular, there have been many technological advances in the hair heat tool space.”
For 2016 there is a focus on tools that can treat and style the hair while wet. For pre-styling there are products such as the Lady Jayne TanglePro – a hairbrush designed with Flexi-Glide technology for brushing hair while wet without pulling or damaging locks. Now there is a rising number of those that dry and style simultaneously. Those like Wet & Dry Straightening Brush, which utilises ionic conditioning to dry hair while keeping it frizz-free.
has also released the Wet2Straight to take on the growing interest in such products. It's a brand already familiar with salon-style beauty tool offerings – last year they developed the Keratin & Argan Oil Nourish Straightener – incorporating the beauty benefits of hero ingredient argan oil. Now the brand has just released the Conical Tong, offering consumers the same benefits of hair care and styling integration.
Face value
While the beauty sponge has made itself a mainstay in beauty regimens around the globe, it seems professional make-up artists will never turn their backs on brushes. 2016 has been a massive year of brush launches with celebrity MUAs forming alliances with beauty brands left, right and centre. These collaborative efforts have seen professionals integrate their experience with the best products in the business to design sleek and innovative tools for make-up application.
There is a shift towards synthetic bristles rather than the traditional animal hair – influenced by not only politics (and a movement away from animal-based products) but preference. While traditionally natural brushes have been favoured for pigment-hold and precision, times are changing thanks to development in synthetic design. Cosmetics Design comments: “Most tool makers and brands opting for synthetic fibres now, use fibres that behave in ways that natural fibres simply can’t. Technology has advanced and new complexities and functions can be built into the brushes.” Continues Michael Mink of FM Brush Company: “Advanced synthetics will ensure that there is no reason for people to use animal hair in the manufacture of brushes.”
This year has seen a flurry of cosmetics companies turn to synthetic designs that mimic animal hair for product pick up, application and feel, encased in designs focusing on ease of handling and precision. Manicare utilised the experience of Liz Kelsh for its collaborative collection, featuring a synthetic brush range that is planet-friendly and MUA-friendly at once. Nude by Nature also followed the trend – the brand recently released a bronze-tipped collection of ergonomically designed tools that integrate ultra-soft high-quality synthetic fibres. It’s a trend also embraced by fellow brush line , as well as – who focus on using only cruelty-free synthetic bristles.
