How To Get That Wealthy, Smooth, Tech Billionaire Glow
Grooming is a world filled with jargon, technicalities and insider knowledge – some of it true, a lot of it bluster. That's where the Grooming Glossary comes in: a brand new series that drops the science on the world of skincare and haircare so you can self-care better – and with the know-how to separate the wheat from the chai-infused anti-aging miracle potion. This week: the 'secret weapon' of the ever-young 1 per cent. No, they're not lizards. They're using Profhilo.
Frequent is the question posed to the global cabal of tax hurdlers: "How do you sleep at night?" Probably not very well. These people are monstrously busy. They're also at a moral conundrum. Where so many fret and sweat over the minor indiscretions (and imagined implications) they made on a single date nine years ago, the One Per Cent have bigger bluefin tuna to fry: ending world hunger for one. Or not ending it. Lobbying for progressive tax policies. Or not. Beauty sleep, then, is a pipe dream.
Which begs the question: why do you look so youthful, very generic bald tech-inclined billionaire? How does one maintain such a shiny, crease-lite dome when so many stifling matters cloud the grey matter within? In fact, how do all of the ruling technocracy's hegemons enjoy what The Telegraph so adroitly dubbed 'billionaire face' in an article earlier this year? Dr Joshua Van Der Aa, a Harley Street-based aesthetics professional, may well have the answer: Profhilo.
"Obviously, I've always seen a lot of actors and models. But equally, I'm getting bankers, lawyers, CEOs and entrepreneurs of all sorts [asking for the treatment]" says Van Der Aa. "If anything, this has become a bit of a secret weapon, especially for those pushed for time. They often have quite dry skin with fine lines and general signs of ageing and in any competitive profession, the rules of the jungle apply, and nobody wants to come off as the older, weaker, outdated specimen ready to be replaced."
'Secret weapon' is the operative term here. The reason you haven't heard of Profhilo may be its relative infancy in the aesthetics market. The Italian-born treatment only gained traction around four years ago after winning 'Product Innovation of the Year' at the 2016 Aesthetic Awards in London, says Van Der Aa. Given the slower (but growing) uptake of men in the cosmetic treatment game, Profhilo has bubbled under on the radar since, amassing an ardent fandom thanks to a relatively safe, risk-free alternative to heavy-duty fillers, or the muscle freeze of Botox. Still, a needle is involved.
"Profhilo is an injectable, hyaluronic acid-based biostimulator, which means that it boosts the formation of collagen and elastin in the skin," says Van Der Aa. Collagen and elastin keeps skin looking supple and bouncy; hyaluronic acid bonds to water molecules, delivering extra moisture and cleaning up the stuff that damages your skin according to a 2011 study. That means a more glowing face. "Unlike adding volume the way filler does, imagine it as a thin layer of moisturiser just beneath the skin to help plump, moisturise and smooth fine lines and wrinkles. It’s good for professionals who want to appear young and dynamic, without looking as if they're having any treatments. They worry that people won’t take them seriously if they look 'done' or injected in any way, which is why Profhilo is so great."
The benefits of filler, without the risk of looking like an inflatable sofa. Glorious. Your reservations are palpable, too: semi-invasive, no fuss work sans side-effects sounds too good to be true. But one look at Real Self, a user-review platform that allows for an honest, open space to share patient experiences, shows results. In DIY photography that's without the compliments of a ring light, lines are subtly reduced and skin does look firmer. Granted, an overnight contract as the new face of a Dolce & Gabbana fragrance seems unlikely, but the improvements are marked, and they really are visible.
The One Per Cent glow doesn't come cheap, mind. Makes sense. That said, Van Der Aa does point to long-term expenditures, and a slight saving if Profhilo is prioritised over other procedures. "I charge £400 per treatment, which should be repeated every six months. So on a yearly basis, it’s actually cheaper than Botox," he says. "It’s important to know though, that if it’s your first time, you will need a booster dose after a month for optimal results."
Which, in the grand scheme of things, isn't a huge cost for something that actually works. But it's not a nominal amount either. Despite being favoured by the financial upper crust, Profhilo sits right in the middle. And if you too are losing beauty sleep to concerns of climate change, revenue diversification or maybe just the evening you accidentally slammed an Uber door into the face of what could've been the love of your life, perhaps it's time to Profhilo over the cracks.
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