Medical botox is growing and for some, it can drastically improve quality of life

What does someone who gets Botox look like? Taut, rich, fake, “done”? Anyone who pigeonholes such people is at least a decade behind the times and unaware of how toxin injections may be helping their friends, colleagues and neighbours with a number of non-beauty-related complaints, from excessive sweating to teeth grinding.

I suffer from neither, but Dr Joanna Christou of the Cosmetic Skin Clinic in London treats these and many other complaints in the same way she softens my frown lines.

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Got a niggling beauty question? Our expert is on hand. This week, Alice is concerned that her sweet tooth will cause skincare problems

One of the joys of being a beauty journalist is the unsolicited advice. A skin expert once glanced at my face and said, “You eat loads of sugar, don’t you?” To be fair, I was fuelled entirely on caffeine and cookies at the time, but the fact that it was obvious from looking at my skin was not welcome news.

It’s called glycation, and occurs when sugar molecules attach to fats and proteins, causing a loss of elasticity in the skin, lines and dark spots. Sugar fiends also tend to have crosshatched lines in places such as the upper lip, from deceased collagen.

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Why leave your beauty regime to the professionals when you can do it yourself

As the worlds of beauty and tech collide, care regimes are expanding to include treatments previously only available via a professional. Hi-tech at-home gadgets include an A-list-approved device that lifts and tightens skin, an LED light mask that lives up to the hype and tackles a laundry list of skin issues, a spendy laser hair removal tool that is girl-maths-approved (think of all the £ you’ll save on salon appointments), a nifty eye tool that depuffs and brightens, and a clever brush that connects to your phone via an app to give you a customised deep cleanse.

1. Light Salon Boost LED face mask £395, thelight-salon.com
2. Foreo Luna 3 Plus facial cleansing and massage brush £269, lookfantastic.com
3. Theragun Theraface Pro £375, therabody.com
4. Omnilux Eye Brightener £96.80, omniluxled.com
5. Philips Lumea IPL 9900 hair-removal device £539.39, philips.co.uk

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Familiar rituals and moments spent reconnecting with your body could be soothing

Whenever people ask, as they often do, for product recommendations for use during chemotherapy, I’m invariably honoured but hesitant. I would hate anyone to think I placed undue importance on beauty at such a time. Beauty products should be pleasurable, and can be soothing and comforting, but they’re not medicine and, as with any illness, cancer treatment is about doing as the experts direct and hoping for a positive outcome.

But I also know, having loved too many people who have had chemotherapy, that it’s a time when everything seems at sea. Familiar rituals and moments spent reconnecting with one’s body can be of value. And so if products can be adapted to newly sensitised skin, a recommendation is helpful.

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Under-15s will need parental consent to buy products as, experts say, social media driving potentially harmful beauty boom

A leading chain of Swedish chemists is introducing age restrictions on anti-ageing skincare amid rising concerns across Europe over the potentially damaging effects on children of their turning to such products prematurely.

Apotek Hjärtat, which has about 390 pharmacies in Sweden, is to stop selling “advanced skin care” products (including the ingredients AHA acid, BHA acid, vitamin A, vitamin C and enzyme peeling) to customers under 15 unless they have parental consent or a relevant skin condition.

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New techniques to see you through that awkward time between salon appointments

That time between salon appointments can be tricky. Not only can your hair be lacklustre, but dreaded roots become a real issue if you use dye. Unless you are ready to transition to your natural colour, it’s time to invest in a root cover-up.

Root touch-ups have come a long way from their “hair mascara” beginnings. They come in semi-permanent to permanent formulas and wash-in and wash-out solutions. They’re available in different forms, too, from sprays to mousse and powders. Finding the right one for you depends on your needs. If it is a quick fix, go for a can spray. A dye might be a better choice if you need a more durable job.

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From shapewear to surgery, the male quest to build the perfect behind has become a super-sized business

In a nation divided by politics, culture wars and the appropriate way to eat a scone, it seems that there is one thing we can all agree on: we like big butts and we cannot lie. In this (and every) regard, Kim Kardashian has a lot to answer for. The 2007 pilot of her reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians began with her momager Kris Jenner discussing her “junk in the trunk”, and Kardashian’s ginormous bottom was hefty enough to “break the internet” after its official unveiling on the cover of Paper magazine in 2014. Her exaggerated hourglass silhouette changed the shape of the “ideal” woman’s body; a decade later, buttock augmentations are the fastest-growing procedure worldwide, with the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reporting a 137% increase since 2018.

Now men are getting in on the act. Fitness bible Men’s Health recently reported that “men are building their booties – and reaping the benefits”, while the Daily Mail was typically restrained, trumpeting that: “The 2024 fitness trend for men will be gigantic BUTTS.” Meanwhile, fashion and fitness retailers from Lululemon to Kardashian’s own brand, Skims, are scrabbling to corner the market in glute-hugging menswear. According to Ashley Wilson, head of brand at the bestselling gymwear business Gymshark: “We have noticed that men’s glutes are getting more attention in the gym, and have recently created products to meet the demand to accentuate this area.” A spokesperson for Spanx, which relaunched its men’s shapewear line in 2018, tells me that its Ultra Sculpt fit (which promises a perkier bum) is increasingly popular.

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In her monthly column about beauty culture, our columnist takes on the blurring of the line between the beauty and wellness industries

Hi Ugly,

I’ve been obsessed with makeup and beauty products for years and have read a lot (and seen a lot of TikToks) about how your beauty routine can be a form of meditation or mindfulness. I felt that way for a really long time .

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For some people, going bald or experiencing thinning hair can have a significant impact on mental wellbeing and self confidence. Madeleine Finlay speaks to Rudi Zygadlo about how it affected him and what he eventually did about it, and to consultant dermatologist and hair specialist Dr Sharon Wong about what exactly is going on when our hair thins, which treatments are available to help, and what we can expect from new technologies in the pipeline

Read Rudi Zygadlo’s description of his hair transplant

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