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Here at Allure, it's our job to step back from the churn of social media noise and new miracle ingredients and help guide you — and your skin — toward the formulas and technologies that really deserve your attention. We do it every day. But once a year we step back and we look forward, so we can tell you about the most interesting skin-care trends you can expect in the year to come. We don’t have a crystal ball — but we're pretty prescient. (Sure, it helps that we have access to all the new products in the pipeline and the best experts in the business.)
So what do we see for all of us next year? At-home skin-care devices that multitask like a Dyson Airwrap, the return of an OG skin-care ingredient, and a potential boon for your bank account. These are our predictions for the biggest skin-care trends of 2023… check back in 12 months and let’s see how we did!
- Hadley King MD, a board-certified dermatologist and a clinical instructor of dermatology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City.
- Dendy Engelman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City.
- Tiffany J. Libby, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and Director of Mohs Micrographic & Dermatologic Surgery at Brown Dermatology in Rhode Island.
- Mona Gohara MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Branford, Connecticut and an associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine.
1. There Will Be a Deluge of New Prescription Topicals, Pills, and Lasers
We've recently heralded the arrival of some exciting new neuromodulators and fillers but there has also been the quieter debut of some less invasive — yet very powerful — treatments for skin conditions. And there are more to come. Why now? Well, honestly, the FDA is just getting around to it — for good reason.
"While COVID was at its height, a lot of the FDA's energy and resources were dedicated to life-saving drugs, so there was a delay with [approvals for] treatments that weren’t classified as such," explains Dendy Engelman, MD, a dermatologist in New York City. And while the skin-focused innovations that are now starting to get approved again won't save lives, in Engelman's opinion they're still important. "A lot of dermatological conditions are visible and that can impact mental health," she says. "There are many papers looking at the psychosocial impacts of psoriasis, acne, and eczema." Thankfully, there’s been progress in treating all three of these conditions this year through in-office tech, topicals, and injectables, and there are expected to be more strides made in 2023. Epsolay, a first-of-its-kind topical cream to treat rosacea, was approved this past spring, and Dr. Engelman lauds one new laser as a complete game-changer for treating resistant acne.
"AviClear is a revolutionary new acne treatment that has Accutane-like effects without any of the systemic side effects or risks," she explains. (Dr. Engelman has worked with the company in the past.) She also highlights another breakthrough development called Sotyktu, an oral treatment for adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy. Hadley King, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and a clinical instructor of dermatology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City, adds to this list of new innovations: "The revolution we've seen in treatments for psoriasis over the past 20 years is now starting to happen for atopic dermatitis as well, starting with Dupixent," says Dr. King of the injection approved in June 2022 to treat moderate-to-severe eczema. “And this [revolution] may be just beginning for alopecia areata [an autoimmune condition that causes hair loss] as well — Olumiant [an oral medication] was approved in June 2022.”
2. A Witch Hazel Resurgence Is Upon Us
Witch hazel has been a skin-care staple since Queen Victoria was on the throne. Thayers launched its famous witch hazel toner in 1847, and since then, skin-care devotees young and old have been using the botanical ingredient in their routines to stop oil and prevent acne. For a while, though, the ingredient fell somewhat out of fashion thanks to its potentially drying and sometimes irritating effects.
“Witch hazel is a botanical extract derived from a flowering plant, and preparations have been made from its leaves and bark for ages,” explains Dr. King. ”Witch hazel is a natural astringent, so it is often used to remove excess sebum and temporarily decrease the appearance of pores. It can be drying to the skin if overused, so be cautious to not over-apply."
But the latest witch-hazel formulas have become far more elegant since we all toner-ed our complexions raw back in the early aughts. Dr. King recommends seeking out ingredient lists "that combine witch hazel with ingredients that moisturize and support the skin barrier," like snow mushroom and lavender. Thayers, that original witch hazel-centric brand, recently launched the Hydrating Milky Toner, a soothing sister to its most famous product. It combines its star ingredient with snow mushroom and hyaluronic acid. Humphreys new clarifying pads remove oil without the burn or redness of cleansing pads of the past thanks to the addition of balancing aloe, and Dickenson’s new micellar makeup remover and line of toner-serum hybrids use calming ingredients like rose to temper their hand-picked witch hazel harvest.
3. Menopausal Skin Will Receive Some Long-Overdue Attention
Menopause is not a word that has been uttered often in the beauty industry, but in 2022 it’s been on the lips of beauty brands big and small, established and emerging. And we're taking that as a sign that we'll be seeing more focus on and visibility for women over 40 — and their skin-care needs — in 2023.
Naomi Watts' new brand Stripes aims to normalize the discussion of menopause symptoms — like collagen loss and skin dehydration — in addition to addressing them: The Dew As I Do daytime moisturizer and The Power Move Plumping Serum contain complexion-quenching squalane and hydrating ectoine to temporarily restore volume. And it follows on the heels of brands like Pause Well-Aging, whose Cooling Mist is now a classic for fighting the feeling of hot flashes, and Womaness, whose Daily V Soothe lotion combats frustrating vaginal dryness.
And even classic brands are launching whole lines dedicated to skin-care concerns during and after menopause: Vichy’s Neovadiol Meno 5 Serum targets the wrinkles and loss of firmness caused by reduced collagen and lipid production that begins in perimenopause (the early stage of transitioning into menopause), and No7 factors menopausal skin's sensitivity into their Menopause Skincare range, which includes a ceramide-rich eye cream and overnight cream.
4. Skinimalism Reigns Once Again
In 2023, maximalist morning skin-care routines will officially give way to highly curated arsenals. We are entering the era of skinimalism: quicker, more efficient, and potentially more affordable regimens. Efficiency isn't the only reason people are leaving 10 ten-step routines behind. Dr. Engelman says COVID-19 has caused tides to turn.
"During the pandemic, we saw a significant uptick of impulse online shopping-driven by mindless TikTok scrolling and lack of access to dermatologist. Now that we're (somewhat) back to regular scheduling, there is less time to be doing the 12-step day and evening routines," explains Dr. Engelman. She also notes that along with more streamlined routines, consumers are also looking to get the best value for their products — especially since they're now more conscious of what’s in them: "Patients are significantly better educated about skincare and also on how they spend their money. If they know they have a set amount of money to spend, they want the treatment that will give them true results."
Dr. King points out the growing market for skin-care products that hydrate and have a subtle shimmer for extra glow. Also destined for success amongst Gen Z-ers devoted to keeping it simple: fragrance-free moisturizers, multi-use balms and facial oils, and makeup-skincare hybrids like tinted moisturizers for a hydrating radiance that mimics a social filter. According to Tiffany Libby MD, a double-board certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon, this desire to let our real, healthy skin shine through our makeup means less products but more sunscreen layering, which is always a positive. "Multi-tasking products like makeup products for eyes and cheeks that have SPF will maintain popularity," she predicts. "It's important that you have a base layer of SPF first, as makeup with SPF is never enough [sun protection]."
5. At-Home Skin Tech Will Keep Getting More Sophisticated… and Smaller
Much like Airpods, phones, and virtual assistants, at-home skin devices get more sleek and efficient with every passing year. The SolaWave Advanced Skin Care Wand, an Allure editor favorite and Beauty Box alum, now offers microcurrent, LED, and heat therapy in one teeny stick that could fit in your smallest purse. Dermaflash recently upgraded its classic device and launched the optimized Dermaflash Luxe+: It quietly pulses at 14,000 vibrations per minute for more efficient hair removal, and its new microfine blades get even closer contact for a smoother shave and better exfoliation. And not long ago we were introduced to one of the most versatile at-home devices to hit medicine cabinets: the Therabody TheraFace Pro. Aside from helping to temporarily sculpt the face with microcurrent, the handpiece comes with three percussive therapy attachments to relieve jaw and neck tension, three LED light rings to provide users with different benefits, and a cleansing ring to break up oil and debris. And for those seeking something tried, true, and time-tested — but also upgraded — the NuFace Trinity+ recently became a two-time Best of Beauty Award-winner; it now includes a button that increases the device's microcurrent power by 25% for areas that need extra attention. At this rate, we're predicting pocket-size Fraxels by 2024. You heard it here first!
6. Your Skin Will Maintain Firmer Boundaries
TikTok is full of trends you want to avoid. (Rubbing jalapenos on your eyes to cure styes? We'll pass.) But one of them is far from a scroll in the pan… it's quickly become a dermatologist-approved approach to skin-care that will be par for the course forevermore (or at least for the next year). Yes, we're talking about skin cycling, a regimen that hinges on balancing exfoliation and recovery to help protect the skin barrier. Dr. Whitney Bowe, a MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, created the strategic method to let skin rest after it's exfoliated. "It's a four-night cycling schedule: exfoliation night, retinoid night, recovery night, recovery night, repeat. You will get the most out of the active ingredients in your skin-care products while minimizing irritation by building in those needed recovery nights," Dr. Bowe previously explained to Allure.
Other trends like slugging and making a "moisture sandwich" have also made it clear that we're looking repair and maintain our skin barriers — the uppermost layers of the skin that protect us from the bad stuff (inflammation, irritation) and hold on to the good stuff (moisture and also more moisture). Peels and retinols are great, and have their place, but going overboard can (and often does) result in face-stinging, redness, and flakiness. "Skin cycling and slugging, which have been popularized by social media, reflect the trend towards simpler ingredients and paring down one’s skincare routine to focus on general skin health first," says Dr. Libby. Depending on your skin type and needs, that means striking a balance between barrier-strengthening formulas and exfoliating ingredients (if you don’t know where to start with those, we’ve got you covered).
7. Dermatologists Are Bottling Their Expertise
After the launch of dozens of celebrity brands in recent years, we're turning back to lines born from the expertise of beauty professionals — hairstylists, makeup artists and, yes, dermatologists. Skin doctors launching their own lines is not a new phenomenon, but we haven't seen a boom like this since the aughts. This time the founders are doctors who've become household names thanks to social media — their fans want a tiny piece of their practice for themselves, no matter what city they live in.
What does this new guard of dermatologist lines have in common? A tight edit. In recent months, social media skin celebrity and board-certified dermatologist Shereene Idriss, MD launched her own (currently sold out already) brand called Pillowtalk Derm (the name is inspired by Dr. Idriss' own IG persona) and is laser-focused on discoloration and hyperpigmentation with her three-product lineup. Dr. Bowe, creator of the aforementioned skin-cycling concept, also launched a line of moisturizers and exfoliators this year — the four-product lineup is designed to give you your very own turnkey skin-cycling routine. And Rose Ingleton, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, created just seven formulas, all infused with antioxidant-rich fruit extracts native to her home island of Jamaica. (The SuperFruit Brightening Cleanser won a 2022 Best of Beauty Award.)
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