7 treatments you HAVE to try before the end of 2016

While there are a few reasons a certain year might go down in history as a year to remember, for die-hard beauty aficionados it will most likely be remembered as the time of incredible, must-try treatments. From the ones we’ve tried, to the ones we wish we had and the ones we’re still on the fence about (PRP facial that’s you…), there are frankly not enough days in the year to tick everything off our wish list. Although we can’t buy you the extra hours you need to try them all, we can make it easier to decide which ones to go for first. From celeb faves to those that kicked up a social media storm, read on to discover our edit of the best in beauty from recent times…

By Georgia Day

• 1 Cryotherapy

  If you’d have told us that 2016 would be the year we donned a swimsuit and stepped into a chamber with a temperature of around -90°C we’d have thought you’d lost the plot, but thanks to a bikini-clad Millie Mackintosh on Insta, that’s exactly what we spent the year doing. Usually the preserve of athletes recovering from injuries, beauty lovers have since discovered the effectiveness of the 2-minute cryotherapy treatment in encouraging collagen production and stimulating blood flow around the body, helping to achieve tighter, more taut skin over time.
• 2 Olaplex

  These days it’s not even worth contemplating getting your hair coloured without adding the supercharged Olaplex treatment into the mix. While the jury’s still out on whether this trumps the newly launched Smartbond treatment, what we (and Kim K and countless beauty vloggers) do know is that thanks to its ability to repair the bonds that are broken during the colouring process, hair is left softer, stronger and healthier-looking than ever before. It couldn’t be easier to add into your usual routine either, just ask to add it on to your end of year colouring appointment.
• 3 Galvanic facial

  2016 was undoubtedly the year of the facial and frankly, if it doesn’t come complete with a mask that’s scary enough to frighten small children, it’s not worth having. We love LA favourite (beloved of stars such as Demi Lovato) FacePlace, which comes with said scary mask as standard, and uses amongst other elements, low voltage galvanic currents to push an anti-ageing vit C and zinc solution deep into the skin. As a result of the current, skin is also left firmed and pores are substantially tightened.
• 4 Microblading

  If you weren’t concentrating on your skin in 2016 then chances are you were busy perfecting your brows a la Cara or Suki. And with microblading, the newest treatment in brow town, getting the full, groomed arches of your dreams just got even easier. Achieved by tattooing pigment under the skin beneath your natural brows, microblading differs from regular brow tattooing because each hair is drawn on meticulously, stroke by stroke with a handheld pen rather than a machine. The results are incredible, not to mention natural and beautifully subtle. Time consuming yes, but oh-so worth it.
• 5 Russian Volume Lashes

  Set to revolutionise the way we think about lash extensions, the RVL technique (named after the Russian therapist who first developed them) uses feather-light lash extensions to achieve a wide-eyed flutter. Thanks to individual lashes that are much finer and softer than the regular ones, your technician can apply several onto one lash at a time, as opposed to the one-for-one of usual extensions. The result means that the finished effect is lashes that are longer and darker, but also fuller and far longer-lasting. We’re hooked.
• 6 Microneedling

  One of the best ways to increase your collagen levels in 2016 came courtesy of microneedling, a celeb-endorsed treatment which just about everyone in Hollywood is hooked on. The treatment improves collagen production through the use of hundreds of tiny needles, which puncture skin and stimulate its internal healing process. If the thought of needles has put you off trying it thus far, we urge you to rethink it. The sensation is more akin to having your brows threaded and the payoff (plump, pillow-y skin and better product absorption after just one treatment) is well worth any mild discomfort.
• 7 LED facial

  If there was one movement that democratised dermatology in 2016 it was the eruption of beauty salons offering LED facials. Once the preserve of professionals, but now on almost every high street around, these short (lunchtime-friendly) treatments harness the power of different coloured light wavelengths and penetrate deep into the skin to treat concerns like acne and hyperpigmentation. Loved by A-Listers like Kourtney Kardashian (her Insta post is still racking up the likes), this non-invasive procedure is pain-free and is the fast route to skin salvation.