How to Be Your Own Beauty Guru

If there’s one thing we’re all sorely missing right now (besides, you know, normalcy), it’s our estheticians, hairstylists and nail technicians – the men and women we trust to give us confidence, make us feel unstoppable, and put a little extra pep in our step. At this point in the social distancing process our hair is looking drab, our brows are looking crazy, and our nails…well, let’s not go there. Since no one’s quite sure when life will return to normal (or what that will look like), it’s probably time to start revisiting, or teaching yourself a few beauty basics to tide us over until we can return to the skilled hands of our beloved beauty gurus.

Skin

Just because we can’t see our estheticians or get monthly facials, doesn’t mean our skin has to suffer. Let’s be real – nothing will actually beat a professional spa treatment, but there are ways to mimic one in the comfort of your own home. Here’s how:

1. Cleanse, then cleanse again – Start with an oil-based cleanser to thoroughly remove makeup, then follow up with a gentle cleanser to remove oil and debris from pores. You can go the extra mile and use a micellar water, like Micellar Water Lash Wash, to ensure skin is squeaky clean!

Tip: Do this in a steamy shower to open up pores and prep them for treatment.

2. Exfoliate – Use a physical exfoliator (scrubs with beads) or an exfoliating tool like a Clarisonic to remove dead skin cells. This will allow the products you use to absorb effortlessly and work more efficiently.
3. Tone – Use a toner to remove excess oil and to prep skin for a deeper treatment.

Tip: Avoid toners with alcohol – they can be drying.

4. Mask – At this point, it’s important to understand your skin type and what it needs. If your skin is dry, use a moisturizing mask. Breaking out? Try a clay mask. In need of a little extra glow? An exfoliating mask is the ticket. As with any product, make sure to read directions carefully before use.
5. Moisturize – Once your skin is cleansed, exfoliated, toned and treated, it’s time to lock in all that goodness with a moisturizer. And don’t forget the eye area – hydrating products like AquaBlur Hydrating Eye Gel & Primer are perfect for any skin type.

Tip: We recommend doing facials at night, but if you do it during the day, always follow with an SPF and a hat if you go outdoors. 

Brows

When it comes to brow grooming, the most important thing is keeping brows healthy and strong. We always recommend using a brow serum, like RevitaBrow® Advanced, to deliver essential nutrients like Biotin and Peptides directly to the brows. Once brows have a strong foundation, it’s time to shape and groom.

Knowing which hairs you should tweeze and which ones you should leave makes all the difference when it comes to the perfect brow shape. There are three main points you’ll need to identify before you begin – where your brow starts, the arch, and where it ends.

1. Determine the starting point - Use your brow pencil or finger to draw a straight line from crook of your nose up to the brow – the start of your brow should align with the dimple of your nose.
2. Find your arch - Angle your brow pencil from the side of the nose through the iris of your eye to your brow to find the midpoint, which should be your arch.
3. The end mark - Point your pencil from the bottom of your nose and align with the outer corner of your eye to find the ending point.

Remember – when in doubt, it’s better to do too little than too much. Also, we highly recommend you ditch your magnifying mirror. No one – we repeat, no one, will ever look at you that closely.

Hair

First things first – put down the box dye! We repeat, put down the box dye. A few grey hairs or roots are far better than years’ worth of damage.

Okay, now that that’s out of the way, lets talk about how you can extend your color and optimize your hair health from the comfort of your own bathroom. When it comes to your everyday products like shampoo and conditioner, it’s important to ensure they’re color-safe. RevitaLash Cosmetics Thickening Shampoo and Thickening Conditioner help to maintain the integrity of your hair color while conditioning, fortifying and adding fullness.

Tinted hair glosses are also a great option whether your hair is colored or not. Products like dpHUE’s Color Boosting Gloss and Kristen Ess’ In-Shower Gloss help to boost vibrancy, increase shine and add dimension to color-treated hair.  Not only are they a great alternative to box dye, but they’re something you can incorporate into your haircare routine post-quarantine.

Nails

There’s nothing like walking out of the nail salon with a fresh manicure, and we long for the days we can continue our dips, gels and acrylics. Luckily, at-home manicures are easily achievable with a little practice and patience. Here’s how to get a passable Insta-worthy mani,:

1. Clean nails with nail polish remover – Even if you don’t have polish on, using a nail polish remover will get rid of oil and dirt, giving you a clean canvas to start with.
2. Trim & file – Break out the clippers if necessary, or just file nails to the desired shape. Once you’re done, buff the tops and sides of your nails lightly with a nail buffer to create a smooth surface for nail polish.
3. Take care of your cuticles – Use a cuticle oil to soften the area and push back cuticles with a cuticle stick.

Tip: Don’t cut cuticles at home – they’re actually essential to your nail health. Only cut hangnails if needed – leave the rest to the pros.

4. Exfoliate & Moisturize – To recreate the spa-like experience, exfoliate and moisturize your hands. You can even give yourself a hand massage – and it won’t cost extra! When finished, swipe each nail with nail polish remover one more time to remove any oil residue.
5. Apply a base coat – Base coats might feel unnecessary, but they help hydrate nails and protect from chipping.
6. Choose your color – Starting at the cuticle, brush up towards the end of your nails. Make sure to remove any extra product on the brush and keep layers thin. Wait two minutes, then apply your second coat.
7. Top if off – Use a topcoat to protect your beautiful mani and add shine to your nails. This step is extra-important – topcoats greatly increase the lifespan of your manicure. In fact, you can add a new topcoat every two days for extra protection.

Tip: Use a quick-drying topcoat to avoid any mishaps

8. Clean up – Dip a cotton swab in the nail polish remover and clean up any mistakes. Then, chill out for 10 minutes to allow your nails to fully dry! Voila – a salon-inspired manicure without leaving your home.

If painting your nails isn’t your thing, there’s a ton of awesome brands that make press-on or stick-on nails, such as Static Nails or ManiMe. 

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