Medical Beauty, Skincare, & Wellness Trends We're Saying Goodbye To In 2017

We take trends very seriously over here at Charlotte’s Book, whether researching them to debunk, get you to try new things, or simply to tell you something's not worth it. Skincare, beauty and wellness is our life. With that in mind we wanted to clue you in on some trends we think you can leave behind when the clock strikes midnight on the 31st.

Over-Done Lips

Lips have been on the lips of—well, everyone’s lips this year. And we are really, really hoping to say goodbye to Kylie's over-plumped, over-done pout. We get the allure of the plump pout (like most of us, we have been admiring Angelina Jolie’s perfectly puckered pout since forever), but engaging in such intense artifice to make your lips look not like your lips is not a good look for anyone. If you want to move ahead with a little lip plump, 'subtle' and 'expert' are the words that should be on the tip of your tongue. Restylane Silk hit the market this past year and we test drove this new made-for-subtle lips lip filler. Want to avoid the over-plump Kylie look? Go to a doctor who is experienced and understands that you want Eva Mendes or Julia Roberts, not Kylie Jenner or Khloe Kardashian.

Extreme Face Contouring

This video went viral earlier this year and face contouring has been on the rise since 2015.  We know everyone loves chiseled features, and thanks to social media everyone (even us normal folk) are supposed to look amazing 24/7—but this trend has reached a ridiculous fever pitch. Besides the fact that the layers of contouring, baking, etc. all take forever—and we do mean forever—these trends require some clown-like face painting artistry skills and take one hell of a facial cleanser to wash this much foundation off. Spend all that contouring time on some yoga, meditation, or a heavy workout, all of which contribute to healthier and more glowing you, naturally.

 Drinking Your Collagen (The Wrong Way)

So, there has been a lot of talk this year on drinking collagen. We all know we need collagen, and thanks to the aging process, it starts diminishing as early as age 20. Now you can drink it in water, gin and even beer. While drinking your collagen might sound like a great and easy way to replenish the precious collagen you are losing, besides the less than pleasant taste, drinking it has yet to be scientifically proven as a good way to re-infuse your body with collagen. So until then, leave these drinks behind and use the proven methods of helping your body get more of what it needs: many experts say that the best way to build more collagen and protect what you already have is two-fold. Use sunscreen of course (because UV rays break down collagen) and eat well while focusing on the collagen building blocks, not collagen itself. And if you want to take supplements, focus on taking collagen-building supplements, not just on collagen protein.

Waist Training

Remember Gone with The Wind and Vivien Leigh’s famous (or rather infamous) 23” waist (claims on her waist size rung the gamut of 16—24 inches, but based on our research 23 seems to be the right number, which is still PRETTY DARN SMALL!), where she is squeezed (and we do mean squeezed) into a corset to give her the perfect hour glass shape? Well imagine doing that every day. While the “corset craze” might offer a quick-fix solution, in the long run a healthy lifestyle along with a good exercise regime will give you the real and lasting results you are looking for.

Over-Priced Athleisure

There are now Fendi yoga pants and sweatpants that are hitting upwards of $1,000. Defined by Wikipedia as "fashionable, dressed-up sweats and exercise clothing," (doesn't "dressed-up sweats" kind of encapsulate the whole problem?) athleisure is a word that didn’t exist five years ago. Now the market is estimated at $270 billion and estimated to grow an astounding 30% by 2020. We love that we can wear yoga gear everywhere and anywhere, but we think we've hit peak yoga pant.

Online Skincare, Diet or Exercise Challenges

In 2016, online challenges sure were popular. Everyone from BuzzFeed to POPSUGAR ran skincare, exercise or diet challenges and sometimes (sometimes!) we even tried them out here at CB. That said, to be truly effective, any good routine needs to be just that, an actual routine. Any extreme or temporary changes introduced to your skincare routine, exercise or diet regime can actually be jarring to your system. Not every challenge has benefits that outweigh the risks. The allure of the online challenge is the quick fix, the instant results. That said, take it from the experts: when it comes to taking care of yourself, just like life, there are no quick fixes! So do your research and choose wisely, even if that choice means not participating at all. So, there you have it. While we know there are other trends you should leave behind in 2017, hopefully this list covered a few essentials. We take being pro-active and informed about your body (both inside and out) extremely seriously here at Charlotte’s Book, and know that every woman’s arsenal is only as good as the information she is armed with. So with that in mind, we look forward to keeping you expertly informed and armed to be the best you you can be for 2017 and beyond!

Image via Kylie Jenner Lip Kits

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In 2016, we went in-depth on collagen consumption, griped about wildly expensive yoga pants, did a few online workouts, and decried waist-training. 

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