Six big beauty trends to tune into right now …

The Side ‘Do

After first making its mark high up on the head in the 1980s, the side ponytail was very deservedly sidelined from the style files. Until last year, when the low-slung side pony started appearing on celebrity heads, such as Nicole Kidman, Nicole Richie and Eva Longoria.

This year, the shift seems to continue, with a variety of side-style. At the Baftas, Sienna Miller used a side-swept ‘do to show off her dress’s elaborately bejewelled back. While at the Oscars, best actress winner Marion Cotillard did a modern-day Veronica Lake, with hair tumbling over one eye and shoulder.

Velvety Skin

It stars Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johnasson, so it’s little surprise that The Other Boleyn Girl is a bit of a beauty-moment film. But the other beauty star has got to be their skin, which looks as rich and plush as the intensely textured Tudor costumes. The key: modern matt – a finish that is somewhere between satin and velvet. Get it with mineral makeup, which is a powder-like blend of pigment that also includes mica, for a slight light-reflecting sheen. It also happens to be the base of choice for most celebrity and film makeup artists, for the way its smooths out skintone, without leaving the complexion looking flat. Great buys: i.d Bare Escentuals BareMinerals Loose Foundation SPF15 ($70) and Bloom Pure Mineral Makeup Powder Foundation ($35), both available from Adore Beauty.

Cell Technology

While embryonic stem cell technology is a controversial topic in the science world, skin stem cell technology is the latest buzz in beauty, with a number of companies launching creams that claim to target the skin’s stem cells. Basically, skin stem cells are the ‘mother’ cells, which divide to produce regular or ‘daughter’ cells when the body signals that help of some kind is needed – for example, to create new tissue in order to repair a wound. While the skin stores a good supply of stem cells, some experts believe that these cells become tired with age, and start missing the SOS signals. One result of which is premature ageing. Which is why some brands are formulating treatments to reboot stem cells in ageing skin. One such: Amatokin ($230, from Myer).

Other companies prefer to protect rather than stimulate the skin’s stem cell environment. For instance, Dior, which has just launched its Capture R60/80 XP range (from $99, from department stores). And then there’s Estée Lauder, where the labcoats are more concerned with preserving the cells the body is already producing. Its new Re-Nutriv Ultimate Youth Crème ($395, from department stores) uses a highly concentrated form of the antioxidant resveratrol to extend cell life and ultimately delay signs of ageing.

The Super Naturals

While cutting-edge skincare science, such as that above, will probably always have a miracle-in-a-jar glamour and excitement to it, the back-to-basics backlash is in full swing. Green really is beauty’s new black, as an increasing number of shoppers question what is in their products, and therefore going into their bodies – and what cost these products have been to the environment. Natural beauty companies tend to be very mindful of their impact at all stages of the production process. It’s not just about pure farming methods, but also such issues as animal welfare, fair-trading and recycling.

The ultimate level of natural beauty is certified organic. As more ingredients become available organically, look for more certified-organic stamps to appear on the beauty counters and shelves. Origins recently launched its organic line, which has been endorsed by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) – find it at department stores. Another newie to this market is the German brand Lavera (watch for it coming to a health store near you), which is stamped by the BDIH (Association of German Industries and Trading Firms).

Nails that Care

With the industry trend towards the natural realm, it’s no wonder that nail care, a category of product whose health safety has long been debated and questioned, is having a rethink. And reformulation. One by one, major companies are working to remove the controversial ingredients formaldehyde, toluene and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) from their mix. In the meantime, some smaller companies already boast formulations completely free from these chemicals. For one there’s Zoya, which has over 200 shades, from classic to perfectly-on-trend (for example: Indigo, $15, pictured here). See Zoya for more info. And then there’s the long-lasting Bio Sculpture, a gel-based mix (also available in a gazillion colours) that’s just as lovely for finger- and toenails as it is kind to the technicians who spend all day painting it on. For your nearest salon, go to Bio Sculpture.

Fragrance News

Another month, another slew of new scents. Some of the splashiest this season are from some big celebrity and fashion names. In the star scent ranks, Jennifer Lopez and Kylie Minogue are both releasing new mixes. From Lopez there’s Deseo (from $80, available from March 9, from department stores), which is Spanish for desire. Inside the quite fabulous rough-diamond-inspired bottle is what’s described as a floral woody fragrance. Perfect for transitioning from summer into winter, its notes include watery bamboo leaves, star jasmine, orange blossom, warm amber and patchouli.

Kylie’s new Showtime fragrance (from $55, available from March 24, from department stores) also boasts a jewel-like bottle – but this one is more diamond meets disco ball. And where Deseo is quite mellow and laidback, Showtime is a high-energy super-sweet concoction – think strawberry, loganberry, blackcurrant, licorice and praline-vanilla.

Over in the world of fashion fragrances, jet-setting designer Michael Kors is releasing a new limited-edition addition to his Island range – Capri ($138, available from March 16, from department stores). Conceptualised as basically the island in a bottle, it features Mediterranean-esque top notes of bergamot and Italian basil, followed by a floral heart of rose, violet and dark fig, along with accords of olive tree and sensual skin.

As for fashion brand Kenzo, the obsession is India, and more specifically Holi, the Indian festival of colours that celebrates spring. Which brings us to KenzoAmour Indian Holi ($99, from department stores and Kenzo), a musky floral that features a flurry of pink notes (rose essence, pink pepper, peony petals) and the very Indian-inspired notes of rice steam, incense and sandalwood. (PS - $10 from every sale will be donated to Plan, to assist its work with children in poor and remote Indian communities).