You know something's become a thing when pop culture comes up with a new word for it. And in the case of “tweakments,” a term that refers to non-invasive cosmetic procedures, we kind of understand why. Today’s beauty treatments have become as commonplace as grabbing brunch, and just as widely loved and accepted.
Using state-of-the-art tech, our skin is smoothened, lifted, and brightened, shaving years off our faces in as little as an hour inside the dermatologist’s office. And while the effects are often instantaneous and noticeable, they’re also subtle enough to go undetected, which can perhaps make people wonder what’s making us look so fresh. Did we get botox, or just a really good night’s sleep? And it’s not that we’re still keen on hiding it. With a growing consensus that these non-surgical prettifying procedures are an essential part of our self-care, the conversation has certainly shifted toward how we’re enhancing our own features in our own terms. Whether we give our lashes a movie star makeover, boost our collagen and lift our skin with a high-tech ultrasound device, or rejuvenate with a pampering next-gen facial, the beauty world is our oyster.
The realm of these aesthetic marvels isn’t just relegated to one’s face. The world of body sculpting and hair rejuvenation has also advanced, as did the at-home facial tightening gadget industry, with the most modern tools promising anti-aging in the palm of our hand. And while we have yet to discover the actual fountain of youth, here, we’re giving you a roundup of some of the top treatments we think have come pretty close.
Ultherapy
We have long be Ultherapy believers. It's still one of the most advanced and effective treatments out there and it deserves all the attention it's long been receiving. The non-invasive skin-lifting procedure tightens and smoothens the skin, creates a more defined jawline, and a youthful decolletage with just one session with results that can last up to over a year. The machine’s micro-focused ultrasound also targets skin with an option of three depths, allowing the customization of the procedure to fit a client’s needs and target the different areas of the face. By reaching both the deep dermis and the fibrous layers of the skin, it helps stimulate the body to produce collagen and elastin. With a dramatically refreshed appearance visible in as early as three months, and improving over time, this one-and-done procedure is truly a favorite in our books.
Despite being a relative newcomer, Sofwave is clearly making its presence felt, delivering noticeable results to lift, sculpt, and smoothen. It uses what it calls the Synchronous Ultrasound Parallel Beam technology to target the skin at the right depth (mid-dermis) and temperature to trigger the skin’s natural healing responses, which in turn encourages collagen production. We love how it rejuvenates and helps address fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin in the face, neck, and jaw. And unlike other devices, Sofwave uses parallel beams, making the treatment area per pulse bigger, thus taking less time with treatments ranging from 30 to 45 minutes. It also comes with an integrated cooling system to make treatments more comfortable.
Dubbed by Facial Care Center as their “Red Carpet Facelift,” the Sublime Star is one treatment we like to keep on regular rotation. The non-invasive procedure combines the synergistic benefits of bi-polar radio frequency technology and infrared light to boost collagen production, resulting in instantly tightened and lifted skin. It also helps minimize the appearance of pores by reducing inflammation, and helps soften the appearance of fine lines. Think of it as an instant glow-up for when you need your skin to be glass skin smooth, with, of course, even better results over time.
While the best way to get fit is still through a healthy diet and exercise, we definitely wouldn’t say no to a little help from cutting-edge science. Marie France’s Tesla Body Former is one such treatment, employing FMS (Functional Magnetic Stimulation) to burn fat and tone muscle. By targeting specific areas, it triggers motor neurons and excites muscle contractions to give you the feeling of a high-intensity workout, via a 30-minute session equivalent to 50,000 crunches or lunges. It’s great for sculpting areas such as the abs, derriere, thigh or arms, and also helps accelerate lymph flow and improve microcirculation.
There’s something about a good hair day that adds a spring to our step, and Svenson’s Bio Scalp Laser Treatment is here to make sure our tresses are always healthy and beautiful. The treatment involves having 572 red and blue light-emitting diodes directed at our scalps to help encourage hair growth. The blue light is antibacterial and is great for seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff, while the red light helps regenerate cell activity and encourage growth. The treatment is also advisable for those with Alopecia Areata (an auto-immune condition), and helps prevent male or female pattern hair loss, which can be due to genetics. It likewise helps address massive shedding episodes brought about by having COVID, or caused by stress.
One of the best facials we’ve tried—and absolutely loved—is Belo Beauty’s Renova Powerfacial. This pampering treat helps induce rejuvenation onto different layers of the skin, while triggering natural collagen production to address skin texture issues or wrinkles. It starts off by getting rid of dead skin via jet-powered crystal dermabrasion, followed by infusing pores with nourishing serums. The comprehensive treatment then introduces ultrasound technology for skin tightening and lifting, before finishing off with infrared laser for faster skin recovery. If you need to look great for an event, while gradually improving your skin, then this facial is definitely one to try.
Don’t let its cute exterior fool you, the Foreo Bear Microcurrent toning device is one hard-working, results-delivering beauty gadget we can’t live without. The device’s advanced microcurrents mimics the body’s natural electrocurrents on a cellular level, toning the skin and muscles, and resulting in a lifted face, jawline, and neck when used on the regular. It has varying intensities to suit your preference, complemented by an anti-shock system, and T-sonic pulsations to massage your face as you glide it gently. It’s like doing anti-aging face yoga to tone and smoothen, without ever having to break a sweat.
Imagine skin-tightening, wrinkle-reducing, pore-shrinking magic all in the palm of your hand, and you have the Luxelle RF Beauty Wand. The handy gadget is like an at-home facial and uses advanced radio frequencies to heat the deepest layers of the skin, sparking collagen and elastin production. The anti-aging device has varying levels of intensity to suit your needs, and over time, lifts the skin and improves its texture. It also helps skin absorb products better and likewise soothes muscle fatigue.
If your favorite sheet mask and anti-aging gadget had a baby, the Dr. Franz Microcurrent Dual Mask would be its high-achieving and hydrating progeny. The two-part system first involves the Enriching Mask, which contains micro hyaluronic acid and enriching nutrients to hydrate one’s complexion. Then there’s the Empowering Mask, which is layered on top, and utilizes its Tissue X microcurrent technology to send healing waves through the deeper layers of the skin. It promises better absorption of active ingredients to improve skin barrier health, help reduce the appearance of fine lines, and tighten the skin.
There are very few things in this world more beguiling than voluminous, screen siren lashes and nothing as nifty as eyelash extensions. And while this technology may have been around awhile, New Lounge approaches it with artisan level care. Clients can choose from different levels of curl or volume, and their lightweight sable lashes are applied meticulously by hand to enhance one’s eye shape. We love that this treatment gives you I-woke-up-like-this glam for as long as four to six weeks, but for best results, they recommend a touch-up every three weeks.
With eyebrow trends leaning towards healthier and fuller-looking iterations, there’s no better time than now to try Brow Lamination from Browhaus. The treatment lifts your brow hairs into perfectly shaped arcs while also filling in gaps, before perming it into place. Brows get instant definition, for as long as four weeks, with almost no downtime. It’s great for people who want instantly made-up eyebrows, but may not be so keen on microblading. The only caveat is that this isn’t recommended for people with sparse brow hairs, in which case one can opt for Browhaus’ other services.
A statement pout can do wonders for one’s look, and while makeup does help in getting the illusion of fuller lips, there are also times when a little extra boost may be needed. For this, we love the noticeable yet discreet effect of Restylane lip fillers, which uses hyaluronic acid to add volume to your puckers, still keeping them looking soft and kissable. By adding fullness, it also smooths out wrinkles, and gives lips a silky finish. The injectable likewise helps improve the color and appearance of the lips, giving new life to the phrase my-lips-but-better.
We all want to age gracefully, but that doesn’t mean we need to live with wrinkles and lines—especially if we don’t want to. Over the years, anti-wrinkle, skin-smoothing products have been proven quite effective in helping us look younger and fresher. Xeomin, a neuromodulator that contains Botulinum neurotoxin A, is one such injectable. It works by blocking the release of chemicals in the body that cause muscle contractions, so frown lines are softened in the areas where it is applied. Another plus is Xeomin’s precision manufacturing process, which uses double-filtration to isolate only the therapeutic components of the molecule, and remove unwanted proteins. Under the hands of a trusted medical professional, it’s a highly commendable product sure to work wonders on your skin.
Imagine the luxury of experiencing the world with perfectly coiffed hair, looking like the kind of girl who has the time to regularly get a blowout at a salon. Well, with the Dyson Airwrap—which we consider one of the most advanced at-home hair styling tools in the market—that can pretty much be you. What makes this newest iteration amazing is that it comes complete with multiple attachments to suit different hair types, and also doesn’t need extreme heat so as not to damage one’s tresses. There’s an attachment to tame flyaways, one to curl the hair and add volume, and one to smooth and control as you style. It does take some time to learn how to best use and maximize this tool, but at the end of the day, the results are sure to be worth it.
