The economic downturn has led to a huge increase in the popularity of at-home beauty products in the US, with retailers creating mini-DIY sections in stores. And experts don’t expect women to return to their old ways when conditions improve.

As beauty brands connect more with their consumers, Beauty For All is L’Oréal’s attempt to make itself more accessible by turning away from a super glam aesthetic. But do we really want brands to abandon unobtainable glamour for more humble, emotive and ‘real’ visual tropes?

With the ‘blowout bar’ phenomenon moving from niche to mainstream and promising women everywhere a much needed dose of ‘girl time’, what’s really behind this addictive and fast-growing beauty regime?

Asia's selfie obsession – especially amongst women – is more prominent than ever. In response, there's been an explosion of beautifying apps that automatically detect facial features, and enhance them according to Eastern beauty ideals.