London – The beauty industry is a hotbed of innovation, constantly coming up with new products designed to separate us from our hard-earned cash.
The latest creations range from sci-fi leggings that use your own body heat to eliminate cellulite to a mirror that lights up when it sees you.
So which new products are snake oil and which worth splashing out on?
Hairbrush bristles that coat your hair(Lee Stafford Frizz Off Square Root Brush)
Celebrity hairdresser Lee Stafford’s latest range of brushes boasts specially-treated bristles that, he claims, smooth the hair with each stroke. Each bristle has a keratin coating, a tiny fraction of which will be left behind on the hair each time the brush is used. Keratin is the protein which hair is composed of; it is also the main ingredient of salon-based hair-smoothing treatments.
Verdict I was disinclined to believe that this would work and found the square shape of the brush awkward to use at first. But after a few days, I have to admit that the Frizz Off really does seem to smooth my hair. Half a dozen strokes of the brush on any section of my hair make it feel surprisingly sleek and look shinier.
I’m impressed.
3/5
I nfra-red lights for tauter thighs(macom-medical.com)
Ok, so moisturising tights aren’t a new idea, but these come from a manufacturer of surgical compression garments which boasts clinical studies to show that they can increase the elasticity of skin by 67 per cent, making your thighs look tauter and reducing the appearance of cellulite, too.
It’s thanks to the fabric, which contains minute ‘bio-crystals’ that absorb your body heat then reflect it back at your skin in the form of ‘far Infrared rays’. The rays rev up the circulation of blood within your skin and improve lymph drainage, too, to prevent water retention.
The snag? They’re expensive, and you have to wear them for six hours a day for 60 days to have a chance of seeing results.
Verdict I tried the high-waisted leggings which fit like a second skin but stopped at mid-calf, so they tended to roll up. I wouldn’t feel comfortable exercising in them.
Worn under jeans they’re snug, but not too hot as one of the leggings’ features is a heat-regulating effect, so if you’re cold they warm you up and if you’re hot, they cool you down.
But I don’t see much improvement after a couple of weeks.
2/5
Super-fine cloth wipes off make-up
MakeupEraser, makeuperaser.co.uk
This pink cloth is a skin-friendly version of the sort of microfibre cloth that you can use for household cleaning. It is made from knitted polyester-silk fibre, which is many times finer than human hair. When it is wet, its filaments are so fine that they are is able to break the surface tension of the oils that bond make-up to the skin (even waterproof mascara).
The other side of the cloth has longer fibres, which you can use to exfoliate.
Verdict A great idea and easy to use. I feared that it would feel like a scouring pad, but it’s gentle and does a good job. My skin is clean so there won’t be any make-up on my pillow in the morning.
4/5
Turn your hairdryer into a straghtener(The Power Styler, daroko.com)
Clip the two small ceramic ‘wings’ on to the nozzle of your hairdryer and, bingo, it’s a straightener. These attachments are ceramic and as the hot air blasts out of the dryer, they heat up, so they act like mini-straighteners, smoothing down the cuticle - the outer layer of the hair.
All you have to do is sandwich your hair between the wings and your brush, and rake it from top to bottom as you dry (best not done on the fast-blow setting, I find, or the hair goes everywhere).
After one swift going-over, my locks appear sleeker, smoother and shinier. I can feel the difference, too, as any thick frizziness has gone.
Verdict Brilliant. Simple, inexpensive, portable and effective.
5/5
Plaque-busting pulsing toothbrush(Foreo ‘Issa’ toothbrush, foreo.com)
This space age toothbrush feels as peculiar in your mouth as it looks, with its soft, silicone ‘bristles’ and vibrating pulses that are designed to dislodge plaque as you brush.
As bacteria doesn’t breed on the silicone, it is supposedly more hygienic than other brushes.
You only need to change the brush head once a year and its long-lasting battery only needs a charge every two months. It claims that using it for two minutes morning and night will have your teeth looking whiter and brighter in a couple of weeks.
Verdict It feels soft in the mouth, very different from bristles, and the pulsations make my whole skull buzz, but my teeth feel squeaky-clean. After using the brush for a couple of months, I visit my dental hygienist to show off the results, only to be told that levels of plaque on my teeth have more than doubled. Eek. I’ve gone back to my normal toothbrush.
1/5
Nylon powder to thicken brows Silk Fibre Brow Enhancer)
Big bushy eyebrows are all the rage (thanks, Cara). Rather than colouring in your own eyebrows, this product is made of minute nylon fibres that cling onto your brow hairs to darken and thicken them. It comes in four shades, from Light to Extra Dark.
Verdict I try the Light shade, which is plenty dark enough for my mid-brown eyebrows. The application wand comes out coated in powder and looks as if it will smudge, but, it is easy to use and after 60 seconds, the product has set – though it comes off easily enough with warm water and cotton wool.
5/5
Golden gloves that smooth your hands(proskins.co.uk)
These thin, stretchy gloves might look unremarkable, but they claim proven anti-ageing effects for your hands.
They are made from a yarn embedded with tiny particles of 24-carat gold. Gold is inert, but attached to every particle are thousands of moisturising molecules of hyaluronic acid. Wearing the gloves for four nights is said to give a noticeable moisturising effect.
Verdict Wearing the gloves overnight isn’t as bad as it sounds; the material is thin and breathable. I wore one for four nights and it had a definite smoothing effect. Expensive, but a treat for hands.
3/5
Miror that lights up when it sees you(
Sensor Mirror, simplehuman.com) The ring around the edge of this sleek and futuristic-looking mirror automatically lights up as your face looms close to it, thanks to motion sensors in the casing. Along with the ten-times magnification, this gives you a very clear picture (or, rather too much detail) of your face.
Verdict A beautifully designed piece of kit that works wonderfully too. With this level of magnification, applying eyeliner or tweezing eyebrows precisely is a doddle.
But I worry that having it there the whole time would encourage an unhealthy obsession with my skin. Luckily, it folds up neatly into its own travelling case, along with a recharging lead; out of sight – to put those wrinkles out of mind.
4/5
Daily Mail