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Embrace your inner tech geek with our guide to 2012’s hottest beauty appliances

Appliances Someone asked the Pure Beauty team what we thought our best sample ever had been the other day, and the unanimous answer was – the Clarisonic. We think that choice is testament to just how the techno-beauty world has grown and developed in recent years. There are now numerous products available to tackle everything from wrinkles to hair removal. Yet while there are more and more products available, and more advances in technology than ever, customers are often still wary of parting with the big sums of money sometimes needed to invest in a beauty gadget. The Philips ReAura, for example, costs just shy of £800. For this reason it’s important you’re geared up with knowledge that will help your customer decide whether to invest their money or not.

FACE IT

A lot of development has taken place in the electrical skincare category. The Clarisonic has changed the face of cleansing, with sonic technology that promises to cleanse skin six times more effectively than can be done manually. The brand has become so popular that it is releasing more and more targeted products, including the recently launched Opal, a sonic infusion system designed to improve eye serum absorption in order to reduce lines around the eyes. There have also been developments in light-based technology, such as the launch of Philips RéAura, which tackles the signs of ageing using thousands of microscopic lasers. Meanwhile, products such as Oxy Clearlight have targeted consumers with problem skin. Matthew Jamieson, senior product manager for OXY, says there are several factors that have influenced the development of the category: “Consumer desire for something new, the belief that an appliance may do a different or more thorough job than manual routines, and the increasingly scientific backing which is becoming the norm.”

BODY BOOST

The main developments in body-based beauty appliances have been in the hair removal sector, with advances in light and heat-based technology that eradicate the need for hair removal methods by stunting hair growth in the first place. One of the most talked about launches was that of the Philips Lumea, which uses Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) technology to keep hair in its resting phase. The Clarisonic has also become popular as a body care appliance, as it promises to exfoliate for fewer dry patches, softer, smoother and firmer skin. It is also touted as a great way to prepare the skin for the application of self tan. It appears products that promise to speed up mundane beauty tasks are particularly popular among appliance fans. Another that we expect your customers to love is the MICROPedi, a battery charged pedicure tool that removes dead skin from the feet by filing it away in seconds.

POLISHED TO PERFECTION

The oral-care category has seen some massive developments in recent years, with the majority of consumers now opting for power toothbrushes over manual brushing. However, according to research by Oral-B, there are still a number of consumers who need to be convinced to switch from manual to power cleansing. Helen Johnson, oral care business leader at Procter & Gamble, says: “Research by Oral-B found almost 40% of Brits said they chose not to use a power brush because they do not want to change their brushing habits to an oscillating brush.” To target these consumers Oral-B has introduced a new brush to the market. Johnson explains: “The new TriZone power brush is the solution to these concerns. It uses a traditional toothbrush head with three bristle areas to mimic the familiar manual brushing sweeping action, while successfully providing superior dental cleaning – removing 100% more plaque than an ordinary toothbrush.”

HAIR RAISING

Appliances continue to be the most effective and popular way to tame tresses, with the current trend being for heated rollers that will achieve a Kate Middleton-esque loose wave. The key to using any electrical appliance on the hair is to protect it with a heat-defence spray. Many appliances are now built to protect hair, infusing strands with smoothing ions, or keratin conditioners such as those found in Remington’s new Keratin Therapy range, but it’s still important to keep it protected. All heated styling appliances work by heating the hair to such extreme temperatures that the keratin holding the hair in place breaks. When you understand that, you realise just what stress the hair is under when being styled with heat, and why it’s therefore important to protect and treat hair if using heated stylers regularly. Having said that, we love a good hair appliance, Enrapture Encode Totem Hair Styler and Remington Wrap to Waves being our Pure Beauty faves.