The latest trend in beauty for 2010 is the merging of psychology with cosmetics and skin care. Neurocosmetics, mood boosting and the prefix psyche are words that will be used more and more to describe treatments and products in the near future.

Cosmetics companies have come up with products that claim to affect serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain, therefore offering a mood elevating effect. Linda Papadopoulos’ Psyderma range is one such brand and includes the ingredient Idebanone, claimed to help neurotransmissions across the right and left brain hemispheres, and other ingredients to help address skin problems caused by stress. Other brands are advocating this trend by describing benefits of products or ingredients in the context of psychological benefits instead of just physical or skincare benefits. This is the case with high end, natural brands such as REN, whose Damask Rose Biosaccaride Body Cream contains a natural ingredient that promotes endorphin release and Damask rose to induce a deep sense of calm and wellbeing.

Another buzzword this year is Peptides. Neuropeptides and pentapeptides are just two of many variations of this ingredient that are hailed as the wonder ingredient of the moment. Peptides too are being used in many high end brands, including NV Perricone, for their ability to make skin look and 'act' younger by producing more collagen and elastin and reversing the thinning of ageing skin. Neuropeptides’ are also said to effect feelgood or serotonin levels in the brain.

It was only a matter of time before someone came up with the idea of merging psychology and beauty as a good selling point. The idea has been around in the industry for a while but had not achieved mainstream impetus. I predict it will be used in salons, spas and clinics in a big way in the future, probably with beauty treatments being somehow blended with a therapy session to rid you of all your demons and while your skin is being reborn and for a few extra financial units (that's future money) you can have a karma cleansing (or brainwave re-alignment) head massage at the same time! It's ironic that while the world in general is embracing a more spiritual way of thinking, it is also becoming more sci-fi. In the beauty industry we have hi-tech chemicals and ingredients that can penetrate the skin to effect physiological functions of our bodies, skin and psychology while there is also the very modern tendency for well informed consumers to choose natural and organic products and treatments.

Admittedly, I am a traditionalist and cynic. I have no problem with the idea of products being touted as helping stress levels and psychology, in fact I strongly endorse the idea. I am just wondering whether I like the idea of synthetic ingredients being able to penetrate the skin and act on my neurotransmitters! Is this a harmless process and am I being overly cautious? Maybe I don't know enough about these new ingredients. Is this a fad, or will we be using synthetic mood elevating prozac type body lotions in the future? What's wrong with a good body massage to cheer us up?

I can’t help gravitating towards the alternative to this new trend, where natural brands such as REN, Aromatherapy Associates, Neal’s Yard and Raw Gaia are promoting the virtues of products and ingredients in the context of psychological and mood elevating benefits. The fact that certain ingredients, smells and even colours affect our psychology as well as physiological processes in the body is not a new idea. Are the natural product merchants jumping on the new trend bandwagon or are the trend predictors and forecasting agencies simply spotting what the natural product companies were doing anyway?

Whatever the case, consumers will benefit from this new trend of getting a psychological and health boost by using certain products. In fact the natural and organic 'merchants', aromatherapists, herbalists et al, were the original ambassadors of psyche beauty. Essential oils have been used for years to improve psychology, mood and health and can, along with other natural ingredients, penetrate the skin and enter the blood stream.