“The application of science.” That’s how the dictionary describes it. Cold, steely, distant. That’s what many think when they see or hear the word ‘technology’… as if it were some awful word that immediately conjures images of robots and computers. Not many people think of technology when it comes to beauty, however — and they couldn’t be more wrong.

In recent years, beauty and technology have been running hand-in-hand, with developments on the cosmetic front making it easier and more time-effective for those interested in maintaining (or, in some cases, obtaining) their desired look. While the newest in technological advances have obviously made a breakthrough in chic metropolitan salons the world over, they have also found their way into Harrisburg, with local salons and day spas welcoming the latest technology-inspired trends into their businesses.

One of the few permanent makeup artists in the area is Doris Law, owner of both About Face, Etc. and A-Physicians Aesthetic Service in Camp Hill. A trained cosmetologist for 25 years, Law began performing permanent makeup treatments two years ago after training under the instruction of an industry-leading specialist in Philadelphia. When asked about her procedures, Law insists that permanent makeup is neither a passing fad nor a frivolous decision on the part of those with more money than they know what to do with. “It is both a very medical profession, as well as to beautify the face,” Law insists, adding that many of her clients use the benefits of permanent makeup to camouflage birthmarks and scars from accidents and surgeries.

In addition to the medical necessity of permanent makeup, however, are the obvious beauty enhancements that the procedure creates. In order, Law lists the most requested procedures as permanent eyeliner, permanent eyebrow, and the application of full lipcolor and lipliner.

“It’s getting more and more popular with the over-40s crowd,” Law said, explaining that, for those still interested in applying other cosmetics in addition to the permanent makeup, the procedure “actually cuts your makeup time in half.” “Women who are active … they just don’t have the time to stand in front of the mirror,” Law observes, adding, “it truly is a freedom.”

The procedures, which cost approximately $500 each, last an average of one hour and require three visits — the initial visit, followed by two touch ups in 28-day increments.

A permanent treatment, the procedure is intended to last a lifetime. “It really is popular,” Law notes, enthusiastically, “and it’s getting more and more popular!”

The computerized process, which lasts an average of 45 minutes to an hour, costs $30, in addition to the cost of the hairstyle … a small price to pay for the opportunity to see the finished style without a single cut of the scissors.

As for technology in the hair industry, VanVoorhees welcomes the helpful advances and acknowledges their benefits, all the while hoping that the two hands of the stylist remain ultimately responsible for creating the beauty. “Our industry is one that relies on the physical touch,” he emphasizes, “We’re one of the few professions that can say that.”

One of the most popular — and one of the most obvious technologically inspired — beauty enhancements to hit the market in the past decade or so has been the sunless tanning systems. Once considered just a passing fad by many, the concept of sunless tanning has more than caught on, with dozens of tanning salons popping up in the local area alone. Like permanent makeup and computer imaging, sunless tanning effectively has the power to enhance a person’s appearance — with little time and no effort on the part of the client.

According to Jason Gift, manager of Sun Capsule, a local establishment with salons in downtown Harrisburg and Lemoyne, tanning in a salon, as opposed to the sun, has its definite benefits, including health and time factors. “Being man-made, we can keep out the harmful rays and do it quicker,” than natural tanning, he explains, adding that the highest percentage of B Rays (the harmful rays that can cause cancer) found in Sun Capsule’s beds is only 7.5% in comparison to the average 30% of B Rays that are given off by sunlight in the northern part of the country.

And while the tanning process has evolved in time — becoming more cost effective and more readily available — one of the biggest developments has been the creation of the accelerated tanning system, a system that can give you a complete tan over a lunch break.

Accelerated tanning gives you a “deeper, darker tan faster than the normal sun bed,” Gift said, “and we guarantee a tan in at least two nine minute sessions” — not a bad outcome for something that is over in the time that it would take to unfold your blanket and get settled in the sun.

Although tanning results differ with the individual — depending upon the person and how long their pigment keeps the tan, according to Gift — the wide variety of tanning options that Sun Capsule offers, including the traditional bed, the accelerated tanning beds, and a high process tanning bed, the client is more than capable of achieving the desired look without ever spending a minute sweating in the sun’s rays. “It’s definitely popular,” Gift affirms, speaking on both the industry in general and technology’s influence on it, adding, “We’ve been in the business for going on eleven years.”