If you haven’t noticed, everyone is coping with social distancing in different ways. For some people, it feels best to get up, get dressed, and get ready for the day like they normally would, complete with a full face of makeup and a stylish outfit. For others, it feels good to stay in comfy clothes, throw hair up in a bun, and add in a little extra skincare and self-care as needed.
Whether you’re tackling to-do lists like a champ or just focusing on getting through the day, there are some changes you should probably make to your beauty routine now that you’re spending more time inside.
Skincare
You would think that staying out of the sun and going makeup-free would do wonders for your skin—but that's not always the case. This is a stressful time for everyone, and it turns out that with more worry comes skincare woes like breakouts, dryness, irritation, and overall skin dullness. Below, here's everything you need to keep your face glowy and clear while combatting extra stress.
Drink more water.
Your skin, body, and energy levels all depend on what’s going on inside your body. Especially while spending time at home, you might not be hydrating as much as you do regularly—who could resist the temptation of home-brewed coffee instead of water? However, it’s so important to establish and maintain healthy habits during this time. Make sure you’re drinking enough water, and your skin will definitely thank you for it.
Adjust your routine to account for stress.
Prior to everything happening with the pandemic, my skin was really healthy and clear. Now, I’m struggling with more breakouts than I’ve had in a year. Why? Stress is the cause, since my diet hasn’t changed and I’m wearing way less makeup. To account for extra stress, you need to adjust your routine too, ideally by using gentler formulas and sticking with a regular pattern of products. This is not the time to throw random ingredients and goop on your face, as that will only strain your skin issues more.
Add facial mists.
I asked my younger sister what her top stress-reducing skincare tips are, and she swears by facial mists. They feel amazing spritzed onto your skin, and they also have soothing benefits. Her recommendations include anything by Mario Badescu (she has three on our bathroom counter). You can also use any facial mist with rose in it, as rose helps calm redness, sensitivity, dryness and irritation. It’s a perfect addition to your stress-fighting skincare routine.
Use face masks at least once a week.
When I do a face mask, I feel so much better about life. Plus with all this extra time inside, there's no better moment to lounge around on the couch in masks all day. Masks feel like true self-care to me, and more importantly, they deliver powerful benefits to skin. An affordable option I'm obsessed with is the Bliss Mint Chip Mania Cooling + Soothing mask. This mask has aloe vera and shea butter “chocolate chips” that melt into your skin and leave it smooth, soft, and nourished.
Use an eye cream to fight bags and dark circles.
Eye creams can help correct darkness, fine lines, and puffiness around the eyes. In this time, make sure to choose a gentle eye cream formula that prioritizes nourishment. My favorite, the Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado, is a little expensive, but it lasts forever and is well worth the money. I’ve been using this for years, and it’s a product I just can’t find a good dupe for. I gently tap the cream under my eyes (I carry it up around my eyebrows, too), and it feels like a burst of hydration. This step rounds out a really important part of any inside-all-day skincare routine.
Related: Your Guide to Fighting Social Distancing Blues (& All the Resources to Stay Entertained)
Hair & makeup
Now that your skin is taken care of, let’s chat about other changes you should make to your beauty routine now that you’re spending more time inside.
Wash your hair less.
Since you’re not out exposing your hair to outside pollutants like you normally would on campus, you can wash your hair less frequently. This will help prevent unnecessarily stripping your hair of healthy oils. Also, when you’re at home, you can heat style less and apply fewer finishing products—which means overall there should be less build-up to wash out. As a bonus self-care moment, use a hair mask when you do wash your hair (and check out the best hair mask I’ve tried).
Switch foundation for tinted moisturizer.
If you still want to do your makeup to feel put together, go for it! However, now is a great time to opt for lightweight and breathable formulas instead. An easy switch that lets your skin relax is using tinted moisturizer instead of a full-coverage foundation. You’ll give your skin the extra care and moisture it needs, while getting a little bit of coverage and color too.
Opt to simplify your makeup routine.
You can do your makeup without having to do your whole routine. Consider simplifying down to just tinted moisturizer, mascara, and a lip balm—or whatever few essential products you feel best wearing. Lightening your makeup lets your skin rest, which will help combat stress-related breakouts and issues.
A few simple switches can help save your skin from the tension we’re all going through right now. Taking back a little control feels good. Skincare and self-care are more important than ever, so be mindful of what your skin and body needs.
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