In a time when exercise, nutrition, and self-love have formed an overall wellness movement, the way we look at beauty is changing.
From mental health, greener products, and fewer boob jobs - the industry is going holistic.
Investigating underlying health issues before treatment is a priority, as is educating women to self-accept.
"If a young girl comes to us and is concerned about acne, we have a chat with them about their lifestyle," explains beauty therapist and tutor at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology Jade McCreedy.
"We look at things like their gut health and what they're eating.
"We then consider a range of holistic treatment plans designed to help tackle acne and help (them) feel better about themselves," she says, noting social media can magnify females' quest for perfection.
"This is especially true for young girls that follow influencers on Instagram, who have seemingly perfectly shaped bodies, skin, brows, and lips. What most young girls don't consider are the photographic and video filters."
Vogue magazine labelled Instagram influencers "the retailers of the 2020s" because moving product and driving sales have become their most valuable skill.
For plastic surgeon Dr Tristan de Chalain, his patients' post-op social media posts help generate more work, but it's important females have surgery because they want it, he says, not because of anyone else's influence, and that includes their partner's.
New Zealanders can expect to pay about $5000 an hour for aesthetic surgery, and de Chalain cautions any decent plastic surgeon won't do a procedure for the sake of it: "A lot of what we do is based on psychology."
He pushes the point "it's your body", however, there's a very real phenomenon of "plasty surgery-olism".
"I would say most women would have one [procedure], but it's not uncommon to have two or even three," he says.
"When I started in practice in Auckland (20 years ago) it was still very hush-hush, you didn't mention you had something done, and now it's getting to the point where 'Shucks, it's my right. I'm a liberated woman, I can pay for this and I'll flaunt it'."
De Chalain is Canadian-born, grew up in South Africa, and has worked in the United States. Based in Auckland, he consults and operates in the Bay of Plenty once a month.
His most sought-after female surgery is labiaplasty (reducing the size of the Labia minora - the inner vaginal lips), a procedure that he performs once or twice a week.
Excess tissue can cause discomfort when wearing tight clothing or during exercise but the surgery can also be purely cosmetic.
Rhinoplasty (nose jobs) are always popular; eyelid, brow surgery, and mini facelifts for women aged in their 40s; and full face and neck lifts for women in their 50s and 60s. De Chalain is a specialist craniofacial surgeon and also does facial trauma work.
When it comes to breasts, explantations (removal of implants) are on par with the number of augmentations, with many women worldwide reporting ailments they believe are tied to their silicone implants.
Smaller, more natural-looking breasts are making a comeback and breast reductions and lifts are likewise a frequent request.
Women tend to be braver about physical pain than men, and self-esteem can be the reason why they seek surgery more, de Chalain says.
"I often hear things like: 'I want to feel better about myself'. 'I want to be able to take off my clothes in the changing room at the swimming pool without feeling embarrassed'.
"Very seldom do I hear people blatantly say: 'Oh, I want to attract a mate so I'm going to get a breast augmentation'."
Self-care
Women want to feel better on the outside and on the inside, says beauty therapist Laura Vaughan of LV Body and Skin.
"If it makes them happy and their life brighter, go for gold," she says, explaining some clients (aged up to 70) come weekly for their organic spray tans, because of the boost it gives them in confidence.
"My vision of beauty is how it makes a person feel," the 30-year-old says.
Her thoughts are backed up by cosmetic nurse Clare Rodwell at the Skin Centre, who says women want to look great for their age, not necessarily younger.
"Females want to look good, if they look good, they feel great."
Rodwell treats patients aged in their 20s to their 80s for botox and dermal fillers and says younger patients come for prevention.
"They look at their mothers and grandmothers and some see the beginnings of the same lines."
She likes patients to have thought about having treatment, rather than coming in on a whim.
Internationally trained cosmetic tattooist Amelia Jonck owns Features Inc in Tauranga and says some beauty procedures can be life-changing.
She tattoos eyebrows, eyeliner, and the lip border, and hopes to soon offer 3D tattooing of the areola for cancer patients who've undergone breast reconstruction.
Cosmetic tattooing is a safe, semi-permanent, and effective method for restoring faint eyebrows, partial eyebrows, or no eyebrows.
It can also be beneficial for unsteady hands, eyesight issues, Alopecia sufferers or those undergoing chemotherapy.
"(They) love the results, as do people of all ages who recognise that our faces need the balance of eyebrows," she says.
What's available now in the beauty world is huge, says McCreedy of Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, and while it gives women options to suit varying individual needs, it's important to be well-informed.
"It can be confusing when considering which product to use, and, without professional advice, you can have adverse reactions or undesirable results."
To name but a few trending treatments: there's plasma skin tightening at Features Inc; skin needling; and a sonophoresis facial, which uses ultrasonic technology.
At the Skin Centre, there's laser hair removal; Platelet Rich Plasma, which sees your blood drawn, spun to separate the platelets from red blood cells, and put back into your skin.
Furthermore, a fat transfer can be performed under local anaesthetic by a doctor in surgery to achieve a "natural" breast augmentation.
Product choice is also vast, with an increased emphasis and pressure on the industry to go plant-based from skincare, haircare, make-up, body care, and edibles.
Gemstone face rollers and anti-ageing facial yoga are also popular with the au natural folk who swear they're wrinkle-fighting wonders.
Away from facial and body treatments, there's a push for sustainable wardrobes.
Tauranga personal stylist Megan Hewett of The Style Company cautions against buying "wardrobe orphans" - pieces that hang in your wardrobe but are never worn.
Rather than quickly fulfilling your shopping needs, she encourages women to understand and embrace their own style personality, and to be more conscious about where they spend their money, no matter their income.
Clients' budgets can be like "comparing grape juice to the most expensive champagne", she says.
"We are all unique, and we all place different values on what we see as important and meaningful", adding that a perk of her job is helping women feel more aligned with who they are.
"Many ladies lose a lot of confidence in their style when their body shape changes, often after having babies, and then again at menopause."
McCreedy says the industry's holistic approach is about educating women to self-love and self-accept.
"Being healthy is beauty, confidence is beauty, and being kind to yourself is beautiful."
Trending in beauty
• A move towards holistic practices.
• Spray Tanning (many salons use organic products). A tan lasts seven to 10 days depending on how you look after it and costs around $45.
• Summer fashion. Megan Hewett from The Style Company says metallics, sheer silhouettes, pink with orange, big sun hats, petite bags, and feminine dresses will be all the rage.
• Cosmetic tattooing. Microblading, powder/ombre brow, or combination eyebrows, all cost $500 for the initial treatment, then $200 for a touch-up four to six weeks later. For further information, see: featuresinc.co.nz
• Botox and fillers. The cost of treating a frown is roughly $250 at the Skin Centre. Dermal filler prices start from $650 per millilitre. Botox lasts three to five months, and fillers depending on where they're placed, nine to 12 months. Lip filler costs $650 for 1ml and normally lasts six to nine months.
