Category: GROOMING

Beauty Trends Pop Freaky Formula Lore

I’m a sucker for a good skincare haul. Swiping through Instagram, I see serums with snail slime or vampire facials trending, and suddenly my cart’s full of weird potions promising glowy skin.  Beauty product sales are booming, fueled by odd ingredients like mushroom extract or donkey milk, but critics are calling these fads profit-driven gimmicks that fade fast. As a woman navigating this glittery chaos, I’m torn between the thrill of trying something new and wondering if I’m just chasing a shiny scam. This is a look at why freaky formulas are taking over, what’s driving the hype, and whether they’re worth the buzz, or just another fleeting trend.   The beauty world’s gone rogue. Brands are betting on bizarre ingredients to hook us, and it’s working, even if the glow doesn’t always last. Critics say it’s all about cash, not results, but there’s something addictive about the chase. Let’s unpack the hype and dig into what’s really behind these wild trends.   Odd Ingredients Fuel the Frenzy I’ll admit, I’ve slathered algae goo on my face because a beauty influencer swore it was magic. Ingredients like kelp, bee venom, or even placenta are everywhere now, plastered across sleek packaging that screams luxury. Brands lean hard into the shock factor, knowing a quirky formula grabs attention in a crowded market. It’s not just about hydration anymore, it’s about adventure.   The science is murkier. Some ingredients, like snail mucin, have a bit of research backing their glow-up claims, but others feel like pure hype. I tried a cactus… Read More

Hot by December: 5 Winter fix-ups to get you summer-ready

While everyone’s hibernating in puffer jackets and pretending mulled wine counts as a health drink, you could be quietly levelling up. Because being hot in Summer isn’t just about sweating through your linen shirts – it starts now, when the heaters are blasting and nobody’s watching. Here’s your Winter hit list to make sure you emerge from the cold season hotter, cooler, and just a little bit smugger than the rest of ’em. 1. Fix your gross feet Use Bathefex Softsole Express Heel Peel or Foot Peel to sort out those dry, cracked footsies. The shedding process takes up to a week, so this isn’t something you want to do in Summer when everyone can see the dogs. Take the time to look after your feet now while they’re covered up! Pro tip: follow up your peel with a thick moisturiser on your feet, locked in by a pair of socks, when you go to bed each night. We promise by Summer you’ll have the most divine feet. 2. Learn to make a signature dessert It’s prime baking season and if you want to entertain (or be entertained) this Summer, you better know what you’re bringing to the table. Practice making something that is simple, crowd-pleasing and fast. We suggest Maggie Beer’s Lemon Possets levelled up to be served in the lemon rinds (very Summery) or Butternut Bakery’s Brown Butter and Miso Choc Chip Cookies (you’ll want to add miso to everything!) 3. Sort out your skin mate Summer skin starts in Winter. You can’t… Read More

Beauty from the bush: The Efficacy Cream by AIJAN

In a land where the sun kisses the earth with a bit more enthusiasm than most places, Australian skin faces its own unique set of challenges. With harsh climates and relentless UV exposure, skincare here requires a bit more than your average hydration and repair. Enter The Efficacy Cream by AIJAN, an emerging luxury skincare brand that has cracked the code with Australia’s first patented desert saltbush botanical complex. This remarkable cream is not just a skincare product; it’s a revolution in a jar. With a proprietary blend of clinically proven native extracts, it nourishes, revitalises, and protects the skin, making it as essential as slip, slop, slap in your daily routine. Forget the clutter of a dozen beauty products; The Efficacy Cream streamlines your regime into one efficient step. Packed with bioavailable peptides, vitamins, antioxidants, and potent phytochemicals, it ensures long-lasting hydration while diving deep into the skin to promote cell renewal and collagen production. For those of us who have gathered more than a few years of wisdom, this cream is clinically proven to support skin over the age of 35. It strengthens the skin’s moisture barrier, enhances elasticity, and addresses those pesky fine lines. It also works wonders on evening pigmentation, providing targeted protection against environmental pollutants and free radical damage. So, if you’re looking to face the Australian elements with a skin that’s as resilient as it is radiant, The Efficacy Cream by AIJAN might just be your new best friend. It’s skincare that respects the environment and your skin, ensuring… Read More

Why you need TRUYU products in your lineup

In the ever-evolving world of beauty, keeping up with trends can often feel like a full-time job. From the understated elegance of the ‘clean girl’ look to the dramatic flair of the ‘mob wife’ aesthetic, 2024 has been a whirlwind of shifting styles. Amidst the changing tides of makeup products, one constant remains: the importance of reliable beauty tools. Enter TRUYU Beauty, the brand that’s fast becoming a staple for Australians wanting to stay on trend without stretching their budgets. TRUYU Beauty stands out for its commitment to providing high-quality beauty tools and accessories that cater to every look, whether you’re embracing natural, minimalist vibes or opting for something more daring and defined. The brand’s extensive range includes cosmetic brushes, mirrors, curlers, and a full suite of manicure and pedicure products. Not to mention, they’ve got all your brow essentials covered too. It’s a head-to-toe offering that not only promises ease of use but also boasts accessibility—available at Big W, Aussie Pharmacy, and Amazon.com.au. In a country where self-care is a booming industry, with Aussies spending an astonishing $1.6 billion monthly, TRUYU Beauty proves that staying chic doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag. Their tools empower beauty enthusiasts to express their unique styles and creativity, all while ensuring that their routines remain cost-effective. TRUYU Beauty is truly a game-changer for those who want to ‘tool up’ and celebrate their individual beauty. Whether you’re giving yourself a fresh manicure, perfecting your brows, or ensuring your makeup application is flawless with their brushes, TRUYU… Read More

The best blue clay mask for men by Rhone Men’s Care

In 2024, the landscape of men’s skincare undergoes a remarkable transformation, embodying a societal shift towards recognising and addressing male-specific skin care needs. Rhone Men’s Care, an Australian made and owned brand, stands at the forefront of this change, particularly with the introduction of the country’s first Blue Clay Mask tailored for men. This innovative product, already an international favourite, caters to a multitude of skin concerns with a single application – from anti-ageing to acne – simplifying the skincare routines of men everywhere. Rhone Men’s Care is dedicated to crafting products that respect the structural uniqueness of male skin, such as its epidermal thickness and sebaceous output. Their range, developed by expert chemical engineers, harnesses the power of natural bioactive phytonutrients, avoiding synthetic materials commonly found in men’s grooming products. This commitment ensures that men across the globe, from Australia to the Middle East, have access to uncomplicated, effective skincare solutions. Among their standout offerings is the Blue Clay Mask, priced at 55 AUD for 50g. This antioxidant-rich, botanical blend features key ingredients like Australian Kaolin Clay, Sandalwood Seed Oil, Bilberry Extract, and Davidson Plum Extract, designed to soothe, firm, and hydrate the skin while addressing a variety of concerns. Rhone Men’s Care also offers a Beard & Face Cleanser (100ml/38 AUD), Beard Oil (30ml/40 AUD), and Beard Balm (50g/40 AUD), each infused with hero ingredients tailored to promote skin health and facial hair vitality, such as Willowherb Extract, Kakadu Plum, and Organic Hemp Seed Oil. Rhone Men’s Care not only pioneers the bridging… Read More

Transform your skin at this leading Melbourne salon

Melbourne’s esteemed salon, Shine Skin and Body, continues to redefine the standards of skincare with its latest innovation, the exclusive Carbon Blackhead Removal Facial. This unique offering marries the benefits of a traditional carbon facial with Shine’s heralded extraction process, marking a significant leap forward in facial treatments. Sheridan Rollard, the visionary owner and facialist behind Shine Skin & Body, was motivated to blend the revered Carbon Facial, often nicknamed the ‘China Doll Facial,’ with their signature extraction procedure to create a treatment that not only purifies the skin but leaves it impeccably clear, radiant, and with a porcelain-like finish. The inception of this novel facial treatment was not without diligent scrutiny and experimentation. After a meticulous six-month trial period, Rollard noticed that while carbon facials were effective in drawing out impurities and stimulating collagen production, they often led to post-treatment breakouts. This insight spurred the quest for a more comprehensive solution that would prevent these breakouts by ensuring all impurities were thoroughly removed from the skin. The Carbon Blackhead Removal Facial is a testament to Shine’s commitment to providing holistic and transformative skin treatments. Lasting 70 minutes, this facial begins with advanced cleansing techniques, followed by a carbon facial phase where the carbon attaches to oils and impurities. This is complemented by Shine’s signature extraction process, tailored steaming, and pore extraction, which vary in duration to cater to individual skin conditions. The treatment concludes with the application of hydrating serums and sunscreen, offering a multi-dimensional approach to skincare that ensures clients leave with skin… Read More

All about Palmer’s multi-targeting Skin Success Range

Celebrating over 180 years of excellence in skincare, Palmer’s continues to stand out with its Skin Success range, a testament to the brand’s commitment to innovative, targeted solutions for uneven skin tone and pigmentation issues. Known globally for the iconic Cocoa Butter Formula, Palmer’s roots actually trace back to 1840, focusing on targeted skin treatments. The Skin Success range, marking a significant milestone, remains a favourite among skin experts and customers alike for its efficacy and affordability. With a unique formula aimed at addressing age spots, dark spots, and uneven skin tone, the Skin Success range works not just on the surface but penetrates deeper layers of the skin, supporting the skin rejuvenation process. Remarkably, 98% of women reported visible results within just four weeks of usage, a testimonial to the range’s effectiveness. Dr Liz Dawes-Higgs, a renowned dermatologist based in Sydney, highlights the importance of the unique blend of ingredients, including Niacinamide, Retinol, Vitamin C, E, and Songyi Mushroom, in combating pigmentation and improving skin tone. “The synergy between these key ingredients maximizes the skin benefits, offering a comprehensive solution to pigmentation,” she explains. Pigmentation issues are widespread, affecting individuals across various ethnicities, ages, and life stages. Dr Dawes-Higgs touches on the commonality of pigmentation in Australia, exacerbated by the nation’s high UV levels, hormonal changes, and ageing. Interestingly, recent studies have indicated that skin discolouration is a more perceivable sign of ageing than wrinkles, making effective treatment all the more critical. Palmer’s Skin Success range not only addresses the concerns of those seeking… Read More

American Crew’s Travis Kelce haircut

While Taylor Swift undeniably reigns as one of the biggest stars on the planet, her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, is swiftly making his mark as a close second – especially with Aussie fans eagerly anticipating his presence in Sydney. As Travis basks in his newfound fame, he’s already leaving an impression on Aussie culture, evident in the increasing demand for the ‘Travis Kelce haircut’ among local barbers’ clientele. Matthew Clarke, an esteemed Australian Modern Barber of the Year awardee and proprietor of Esq. Male Grooming in Milton, notes a noticeable surge in patrons requesting the ‘Travis haircut,’ particularly after the Super Bowl and in anticipation of Taylor’s Australian Tour. With Travis’s arrival in Sydney today, Matt graciously shares his insights on achieving and styling this sought-after look. For those aspiring to don the Travis Kelce haircut, Matt advises consulting your local barber for a buzz cut fade and presenting a few reference photos beforehand. He emphasizes the importance of reference photos in effectively communicating the desired haircut and individual style preferences, especially for those unfamiliar with barber jargon or venturing into a new aesthetic. Alternatively, if a shorter style with a slightly lengthier side appeals to you, Matt recommends inquiring about a classic crew cut with a low fade. This approach achieves the illusion of the Travis Kelce haircut while retaining hair thickness on the sides. Upon acquiring the Travis Kelce cut, Matt suggests styling the look into a short quiff or a slicked-back style. For a short quiff, he recommends utilizing the American Crew Fiber… Read More

Summer facial hair survival guide

As the mercury rises across Australia, and the long-awaited summer makes its grand entrance, most of us look forward to basking under the warm sunshine. Yet, this season of joy can also pose challenges for those sporting facial hair, resulting in discomfort and irritation. We present to you the ultimate ‘Summer Facial Hair Survival Guide,’ packed with expert tips to keep your facial hair looking its best during these warmer months. Veteran American Crew All-Star and distinguished barber, Gary McKenzie, with over 35 years of experience, brings you his pro tips to maintain a healthy, well-groomed beard and moustache, even in the sweltering heat. 1) Clean Facial Hair is Half the Battle Facial hair can act like a sponge in the summer, absorbing sweat, dirt and oils. Neglecting this build-up can lead to skin irritation, ingrown hairs and acne. Regular use of a good cleanser, such as the American Crew Beard Foam Cleanser, is crucial to keep your facial hair fresh and clean. Get your hands on it at The Iconic. 2) Beware of Dehydration Frequent swimming in oceans or pools during the Aussie summer can damage your facial hair as salt water and chlorine dry out your skin and hair follicles. Moisturising your skin and conditioning your beard or moustache is essential to avoid that crunchy texture. The American Crew Beard Serum offers an easy solution to hydrate your facial hair and moisturise the skin beneath. Grab yours from Adore Beauty. 3) Prioritise Sun Protection Sun protection is paramount not only for your facial… Read More