Love trips to the hairdresser to get your highlights done? Weekly sessions at the nail salon set in stone in your calendar? Just can’t go a month without a facial?
As our stay-at-home lifestyles become the new normal, beauty routines are spinning off the grid. While your hair styling might still be considered an essential service, many salons are shutting down – and the same goes for beauty therapists and masseuses (sob).
But just because we are seeing family, friends and colleagues face-to-face far less often doesn’t mean that your beauty regime has to slide from view.
Taking pride in your appearance – whether that’s covering your greys, exfoliating your décolletage or wearing perfect eye makeup – is a great way to kick up your self-confidence.
And let’s be honest, DIY right now means far more than redecorating your home office in a sunny shade of lemon. Here are a few top grooming tips from the experts.
Hair care extraordinaire
“Feeling good about yourself can do wonders for your state of mind and what you think of yourself, especially when people are at home and not being able to go outside and still having to work,” says Jaye Edwards, owner of EdwardsAndCo hair salons and online stores.
Edwards has closed all eight salons across the country and is focusing instead on giving good hair from afar.
He has launched The Lockdown with EdwardsandCo, a series of Instagram TV instructional videos showing clients how to colour their hair at home, plus ponytail hacks, hair-masks advice and removing extensions.
These are themed to team up with newly created hair packs for sale online, branded as Lockdown Care Packages, to help people keep up with appearances, so to speak, at home.
“Our clients are so happy we have done it,” he told The New Daily.
“We have had so many requests on how to do a sleek at-home blow dry, how to cut your own fringe, things like that. We are adapting to what people are asking for now and also collaborating with other brands such as with GHD and Show Pony and offering giveaways too.”
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When it comes to at-home cuts, Edwards has just one word (especially for all those parents out there who may end up getting out the old bowl to give their kids new ‘do): trim.
“I wouldn’t advise someone to cut someone else’s hair at home unless you are OK with having a wonky haircut – it is quite a skill to get it straight,” he said.
“But if you are going to do it, just make it a trim, not a full haircut. You don’t want to chop an inch off your fringe and have a meltdown afterwards.”
Jaye’s hair care tips
- Learn a few tricks online
- Don’t do anything too radical – trims only (for yourself and others)
- Be prepared for wonky at-home cuts
- Trying to lighten your hair at home is a big no-no (grey roots and highlight touch-ups only)
- Experiment with different upstyles to be confident for video meetings and catch-ups with friends
Dazzle in isolation
Makeup artist and milliner Kerrie Stanley says that when it comes to makeup, the best advice is to just ‘do you’ – and not feel pressured to get spruced up for others.
“Treat the day like any other, however that looks for you, remember you are doing this for you, not anyone else,” she said.
“If you are a person who loves to wear a lot of makeup then because you’re clocking yourself in the mirror far more often in a day than you normally would, you may find yourself having negative self thoughts if your face is bare. Not ideal. Solution? Put your face on!
“Don’t wear makeup? Great! Whatever works for you.”
Stanley says it’s best to keep it simple for your next webcam meeting with your boss or online book club catch-up with your pals.
“Wear your current foundation, a little bit of powder on the T-zone (forehead, nose and chin), a pop of blush on the cheeks, mascara and a lip product of your choice,” she said.
“Fill those brows in with appropriate shadow or pencil if this is your thing and you’re done.”
Stanley highly recommends online tutorials as well, especially those by Australian makeup artist Rae Morris.
DIY makeup tips
- Don’t feel pressured to wear makeup, but if it makes you feel confident then go for it
- Simple foundation, powder, blush and lip colour can make all the difference
- Experiment and try new techniques (gold glitter eyeshadow FTW)
Love the skin you’re in
Increased stress, comfort eating (and drinking) and seasonal shifts are putting a lot of pressure on our skin. Stanley says skin care rituals can be as simple or complex as you like, but don’t neglect it.
“As we are heading into winter now it’s time to get and stay on top of your routine,” she advised.
“Daily cleansing, hydration and weekly exfoliation are key.”
Stanley recommends checking out a few skin specialists online, such as Tegan Mac, who has some great videos about how to manage ‘quarantine breakouts’ and the right products for your skin type.
Stanley also suggests booking an online consultation with a professional.
“I recently had a consult with Dr Michelle Squire from Qr8, and she changed my world,” she said.
“I always used ‘whatever’ and now I have a great routine not overloaded with expensive products and all available online.”
Skin care tips
- Cleanse and moisturise your face and body each day
- Remove any makeup each night – don’t wear your mascara to bed
- Follow online tutorials for fun
- Choose a skincare consultant who is not aligned with any brands
The post Groom with a view: Here’s how to sit pretty in COVID isolation appeared first on The New Daily.
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