First discovered in Africa’s Wadi El Naturn desert in 1985, a water sample revealed that tiny micro-organisms produced ectoin as a self-defence molecule to protect against dehydration from high salt concentrations. Used within serums and moisturisers, “it’s great for helping to shield and protect cells, as well as for preserving hydration,” Dr Shotter notes. “All of this feeds into the glass skin trend, which has been around for a couple of years now, but shows no signs of going anywhere.”
Meanwhile, you may come this close to eliminating dry skin altogether with snow mushrooms. “They claim to be able to absorb multiple times more water than the classic, hyaluronic acid,” says cosmetic chemist, Dr Ron Robinson, founder of the skincare brand BeautyStat, who is also on Hailey Bieber’s Rhode advisory board. Not to mention, snow mushroom molecules are smaller in size, so are able to dive more easily into the skin.
Think of ectoin and snow mushrooms as hyaluronic acid’s shy, nonchalant cousins: efficient at binding to water molecules to pull moisture into the skin skin but in a quiet, considered way; lesser known but not to be underestimated.
Beaut-AI
The race for AI-powered innovation in the beauty industry is heating up. Moving beyond virtual makeup try-ons, Renude is the first-of-its kind platform to combine comprehensive skin analysis with multi-brand product recommendations. It accurately identifies a range of common skin concerns, assesses overall severity and creates a skincare routine focused on ingredients to deliver visible results bespoke to you. It will even connect you with your own (human) aesthetician to answer any ongoing questions and evolve your routine as your skin changes, making this a very futuristic skincare hybrid.
Combined tech
Demand for bespoke beauty is gaining steam, none more so than in the facials space where ‘off menu’ treatments will replace the conventional one-size-fits-all approach. “While the simplicity of a standardised treatment menu is appealing, it overlooks the unique complexities of everyone’s individual skin – their life stage, lifestyle, medical history and their skin goals,” says celebrity facialist Keren Bartov, who only offers customised treatments at her Notting Hill clinic and counts Carey Mulligan and Isla Fisher as clients.
She qualifies this thinking by adding that the lack of a fixed menu means she is then free to combine different technologies for turbo-charged results. “We blend traditional skin treatments— like cleansing, massage, lymphatic drainage, peels and extractions — with up to five clinically proven medical technologies in a single treatment,” she says, adding that Softwave ultrasound technology is a favourite for snatched skin.
“This fusion allows us to address a multitude of skin issues simultaneously, including lifting, firming, tightening, improving texture, unclogging pores, reducing pigmentation, enhancing collagen production and boosting overall skin glow,” she continues. “The real game-changer with these medical devices is the immediate radiance clients experience post-treatment, with the results improving progressively over time after they leave the clinic.”
Collagen banking
Off-label use of the weight loss drug Ozempic became a cultural phenomenon in 2023. It also created a new beauty concern, dubbed ‘Ozempic face’, to describe the hollow, sucking-on-a-straw look that can be a side effect of rapid weight loss.