Tried plopping lately? We help you get to grips with the latest beauty buzzwords
Plopping is the most fashionable way to get the most out of your curly hair.
Nothing will make you feel old beyond your years faster than hearing about a beauty trend and not knowing what it is.Â
Having just got to grips with 'balayage and lobs' (that’s a long bob, to you and I), 2020 has a heap of new ones that are baffling to everyone but industry professionals and 20-somethings on TikTok.Â
While in the midst of a global pandemic you might be forgiven for washing your hair once a week and limiting make-up to a slick of mascara (so people can find your eyes), there will be a time when you’ll want to get back on the beauty train and look a little more put-together. And when you do emerge from your low-maintenance cocoon, your hair stylist might ask you about root-tapping, a make-up artist might come at you with mysterious talk of draping, and your beautician might confuse you with an offer of lamination. So here are the buzz words you need to know this year.
Don’t worry, no one is offering the newest form of a colonic. This is the most fashionable way to get the most out of your curly hair. If you have natural curls that never quite look right, this may be the method for you. After washing your hair, pile it, soaking wet, into the centre of a large, long-sleeved t-shirt. Wrap the shirt around your head and secure it with the sleeves. Apparently, the traditional, wrap-and-twist-in-a-towel method is the enemy of the curl. You’re crushing the shape of your ringlet with the twist and causing frizz with the towelling fabric. Leave your hair plopped in the t-shirt for 10 to 30 minutes, depending on how much time you have, and let it air dry, or diffuse it afterwards. Voila: Bouncy, beautiful, frizz-free curls, with lots of volume.
There are thousands of plopping videos online, if you need further instruction, and special jersey wraps are on sale to assist you in your curly endeavours, but we say, 'save your money and use any large man’s t-shirt'.
Sure, we know what rejuvenation is, but that’s old hat, according to some beauty experts. You should pre-empt those problems and delay time. Sounds crazy? Well pre-juvination is the fastest-growing field in cosmetic dermatology and, apparently, they might have a point. Subtle applications of Botox and fillers are being used in skin-savvy women (and men) who want to get ahead of skin aging. It’s a less-is-more approach to keeping skin fresh and youthful, instead of trying to improve an already damaged face. But you need a good practitioner, with a light touch, to get the most from this look.
Nope, this isn’t something your dad is out doing to the weeds in the vegetable patch. It is, in fact, a method of concentrating mascara onto the lash line to give more definition. It’s almost like creating the illusion of eyeliner, but with only your mascara wand. It isn’t to be confused with root-tapping, which your hairdresser will do to smudge the line of your highlights at the root to allow a more natural regrowth. Root-pulling is what you do to weeds in the garden!
This is both a great way of hiding your tummy in a lovely dress and the newest way of applying blusher to achieve a contoured look. I know, we’ve all just become familiar with contour and highlight, but things have moved on and it’s time to use blusher, instead. Draping is a method of sweeping your blusher from the apples of your cheeks up to your temples to get a more sculpted look. Although it sounds terrifying, at first, if you have a Celtic skin tone it may actually be a more flattering way to contour than with a darker palette. But be warned, this can turn 1980s very quickly, so be careful with both your application and the colour you choose.
We may all be longing for a sunny holiday in the Med' this year, but while that’s not going to happen, here’s the best way to look like you’ve had a week in a hot place. Sun-stripping is the new bronzer or new strobing, depending on who you’re speaking to. The key here is to think about where the sun actually hits your face, so you’re gently sweeping product from one cheek, across your nose, and onto the other cheek. You can also do a sweep across the top of your forehead, too. Just remember to tap off any excess product from your brush before you begin; you don’t want to end up with a dark stripe across the centre of your face.
No, we’re not talking about using office equipment to make fake identification cards. Lamination is a method of setting your eyebrows so they stay full and fluffy all day, every day; a perm for your brows, if you will. Now, this isn’t for everyone. You will need a naturally good, strong brow with a great shape. If you rely on the magic of micro-blading for the illusion of fullness, this isn’t for you. You may not want to leap straight into a semi-permanent fluffy look, so if you’d like to try the trend without the commitment, you could turn to soap brows, which is what all the celebrity make-up artists use. All that requires is some soap, a spoolie (the little round brush you use to comb your brows), and a spritz of face mist or setting spray.
It might be fair to assume this was something to do with a badly ironed shirt, but it’s not. It’s a pretty make-up trend that is a nod to a very famous, 1960s Twiggy look. It might sound intimidating, but it’s an easy way to wear a graphic eyeliner with no heavy blending to mess up and it can be a great way to add a splash of colour to an otherwise very simple make-up look. Katie Jane Hughes is the queen of the floating crease; a quick look at her Instagram should give you all the inspiration you need.
Every time I see this word, I imagine it being said by Scooby Doo. Bronde is a super-flattering hair colour that has taken the celebrity world by storm. The perfect mix of blonde and brown, it’s a great, subtle colour option that won’t show the same regrowth as a head full of very bright highlights. Caramelly tones suit most skin colours and you can add a face frame (that’s a couple of blonder highlights around your face), if you’re used to more brightness. The perfect colour for 2020, when you’re going to the salon less often than usual.
It may sound a little scary, but fibro-blasting is the newest non-surgical way to lift, tighten, and reduce loose skin. Your aesthetician places a probe near the skin, which produces an arc of plasma energy that evaporates and causes the surrounding area to contract and tighten. It’s particularly effective around the eyes and can be used as an alternative to eyelid surgery, but is good for any area where fine lines and a little sagging are bothering you. And because of the way the blasts work, the resulting appearance continues to improve for a few days after the treatment, as the skin produces new collagen and elastin.
In these pandemic times, as much as you might miss your hair and beauty appointments, you may not feel comfortable enough to head to a salon or spa, but fear not, 2020 is the year of virtual beauty.
Jennifer Rock, aka The Skin Nerd, pioneered this in Ireland (before we realised what a mess this year was going to be) with her online skin consultations, and now you can get everything from scalp consultations to make-up lessons from the comfort of your own home. It may not be the same as seeing your favourite stylist or make-up artist in person, but it is a great way to keep them working and keep you looking great.
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