When it comes to confidence, looking your best is key – when you look your best, you feel it too, and that self-assurance shines through. But as we age, it’s common for some insecurities to begin creeping in along with those first fine lines and wrinkles, and often, it can leave you feeling anything but glowing.
Now, more than ever, we’re spending an increasing amount of money on aesthetic and cosmetic treatments in a bid to keep ageing at bay and to some extent, roll back those years – and with celebrities and social media influencers fuelling the trend, reports estimate that searches for cosmetic procedures rose throughout the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, with the increased stress and anxiety taking its toll on our appearances far and wide.
Experts have suggested that our growing fixation with improving our physical appearance may have also been contributed to by the excessive amount of time we’ve had to spend communicating with friends and work colleagues via webcam, with Zoom calls and similar forcing us to confront the way we look head on in a way we have never had to do when face to face.
If you’re one of the many who now find themselves eager to upgrade their look in a bid to return to the confident person you once were, the good news is that there are now a plethora of innovative treatments designed to treat just about every issue. Here, we take a look at some of the most popular aesthetic treatments of 2021 that have been making names for themselves this year.
HydraFacial treatments
For those interested in non-invasive aesthetic treatments, the highly sought-after HydraFacial has been making waves in the beauty world in recent years – and for good reason. Designed to gently resurface the skin without causing redness or irritation and leave you with a more radiant and glowing complexion, it has won itself a legion of loyal celebrity fans – and as a medical grade treatment, it has gained plenty of kudos as an industry-respected treatment, too.
The HydraFacial treatment can be tailored completely to suit each individual’s needs and also focuses on the extraction of impurities and hydration of the skin to offer instant, noticeable results with no downtime. By detoxifying the skin, removing dead cells and nourishing it deep down, it takes a triple-pronged approach that is shown to achieve some impressive results.
Gwyneth Paltrow, Eva Mendes, Denise van Outen and model Suki Waterhouse all consider HydraFacials as a must in their skincare routine.
Facial fillers
Facial fillers have been experiencing a huge spike in popularity over recent years, with formulas and techniques now far more advanced than they once were. Originally seen as a pick-me-up for ageing skin, they are now widely utilised by all age-groups in a bid to add shape and definition to their faces, and were made popular by celebrities like the Kardashians, who are known for their penchant for a little artificial ‘help’.
Following years of development and technological advancements in the field, gone are the days when having such a treatment might render you unrecognisable. Expert aestheticians are instead able to make use of more natural, hyaluronic acid fillers to accentuate and enhance existing features of the face for a subtle effect that promises a more youthful appearance.
Much less invasive than other surgical aesthetic treatments, dermal fillers are one of the most popular facial fillers on the market and are now more accessible than ever. From tear troughs to lips, whatever your issue is, a trained aesthetician will be able to make improvements – but it’s vital to ensure that your practitioner is registered and suitably qualified before taking the plunge.
Veneers and composite bonding
Our pursuit of that perfect Hollywood smile knows no bounds, and we are forever seeking out the next best straightening device or whitening treatment. But these days, you don’t need to settle for minor corrections, and can quickly and easily achieve a complete smile makeover in just a few hours.
Veneers have long been popular amongst the celebrity set, allowing you to completely redesign your smile, with everything from the shape and size to the exact shade of your teeth up for discussion.
But Fulham dentist Fulham Road Dental Practice recently revealed that its most popular dental treatment of 2021 has been composite bonding, which allows dentists to create an even and uniform look to your teeth by gently reshaping your existing teeth, repairing any damage – such as chips and cracks – and filling in any unwanted gaps.
The colour is matched meticulously to your real teeth to avoid any inconsistencies, and the entire process can be completed in a short window of time, with no downtime to follow. Who knew it could be so easy these days?
Microdermabrasion
A cosmetic procedure that uses fine crystals and a vacuum to remove dead skin cells and leave skin looking refreshed, microdermabrasion remains one of the most popular ways to achieve that highly sought-after youthful glow, and can be used on the face, neck, chest, back and even hands.
The procedure aims to gently reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, minor scars and age spots – and although you may experience a little redness afterwards, it’s an in-and-out procedure that takes under an hour.
Not to be confused with microneedling, Microdermabrasion works in a way that does not cause pain or trauma to the skin. When opting for a treatment such as this, you can expect dead skin cells to be removed and your skin to be resurfaced to give you a much-needed confidence boost, and to say goodbye to unwanted pigmentation, acne scars and enlarged pores.
Semi-permanent makeup
While plenty of us opted to go makeup-free throughout the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, that is not to say this same mentality will be taken forward as we emerge from the grasps of the pandemic.
If you are one of the many who got a little lazy with your makeup routine and suffered due to the long-term closure of hair, nail and beauty salons alike, then semi-permanent makeup might now be looking more attractive to you than ever. Microblading and semi-permanent lip and eyeliners will alleviate you of any worries surrounding your appearance should another lockdown occur, leaving you safe in the knowledge that you’ll remain looking your best no matter what – so it’s perhaps unsurprising that many beauty and aesthetics salons have reported a surge in bookings since reopening earlier this summer.
As the name suggests, semi-permanent makeup lasts for quite some time following the first application; some clinics estimate that the makeup could even last up to eighteen months before fading, although it really depends on the type of treatment you opt for.
The good news is that it’s now easier to get a quick confidence boost than ever before, so if you’re feeling a little flat about your appearance, then get yourself booked in for pick-me-up. These lavish treatments are all worth the investment, and will have you feeling a million dollars in no time.
