Trending: Clean K-Beauty and Textured Hair Twists

Hair twists are trending, and reportedly benefit hair by protecting it so it can grow longer. Is this true? One expert responds.
Hair twists are trending, and reportedly benefit hair by protecting it so it can grow longer. Is this true? One expert responds.

This week's look at top trends in beauty revealed growing consumer interest in one leading K-Beauty brand, Amuse Makeup, and 30 modern twists for textured hair. Read on for more.

Amuse Makeup Clean K-Beauty

Searches on "Amuse Makeup" are up 120%, according to Google Trends. This K-beauty brand was featured a few weeks ago by Mind Body Green (MBG) Lifestyle in the report, "Your Glow Awaits: 9 Korean Makeup Brands with Clean Formulas and Bold Colors."

See archived: K-beauty A to Z: Interview with Janice Kang

According to MBG, K-beauty has "perfected the plush, buildable application," which is demonstrated in Amuse Makeup's Soft Cream Cheek product. The cream blush is vegan formula and is said to sink into the skin to make it appear "plumped with moisture like a fruit bursting with sweet nectar."

The product features a star-shaped sponge tip applicator to make application fun. The soft cream texture is designed to dry to a velvety finish and adhere well to the skin for lasting effects. The product retails for $14.45.

Ingredients (Peach Tan): Water (Aqua), Cyclopentasiloxane, Methyl Trimethicone, Glycerin, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Mica (CI 77019), Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Pentylene Glycol,1,2-Hexanediol, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Sorbitan Isostearate, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Magnesium Sulfate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Caprylate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate,Aluminum Hydroxide, Ascorbic Acid Polypeptide, Beta-Glucan, Tocopherol, Fragrance (Parfum), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Red 30 (CI 73360), Iron Oxides (CI 77499).

30 Passion Hair Twists and Expert Insight

Also this week, Trendspotter highlighted "30 Passion Twist Hairstyles to Try in 2023," featuring two-strand twists created in 2018 by Miami hairstylist Kailyn Rogers (The BohoBabe). The artist named the styles for her mom, Passion, and they appear across social media platforms.

According to the story, there are various benefits to hair twists. For example, they are said to protect hair and allow it to grow, and they are reportedly "water-friendly."

This called to question some things the industry knows about hair. For one, what does water-friendly mean in this sense? Water is known to be a plasticizer for hair, which lowers its tensile properties and increases the tendency for breakage. So in this case, water-friendly probably means the style stays put once it's wet.

Then there is the twisting of hair. Some studies have demonstrated that the tight curls and twists in textured hair can potentially lead to cracks and breakage in individual fibers. This calls to question its alleged benefit of protecting hair so it can grow longer.

We reached out to one industry expert on textured hair to ask: Does twisting ethnic hair break it? Or strengthen it? He responded as follows.

"You asked a good question. Twisting hair involves apply significant tension on hair while twisting. The hair remains in twisted form for a week or two before next wash day; African-American consumers wash their hair every two weeks, on average. However, products applied during twisting help to minimize the negative effects of extra tension (force), generally. These twists products contain ingredients that strengthen hair to mitigate damaged from applied tension or force."

So in fact, there is truth behind the twist.

More in Consumers/Market