April 10, 2020
The DIY manicure essentials, at-home beauty treatments to avoid, SkinMedica's new dynamic duo and headband ideas for concealing your roots.
The new Essie collection will make you want to do your nails
Once upon a time (like three weeks ago) many of us would kick off the weekend with a fresh manicure, and I was one of them. Although I’ve been doing my nails myself for the past few months to help them recuperate from one too many Nexgen manicures, I’ve stuck to this weekly ritual simply out of habit (and greatly improved my skills)—and there’s no reason you should give up on your nails for the foreseeable future.
And since we can all use something to get excited about, check out Essie’s new limited-edition Originals Remixed collection. Including six of our favorite iconic shades that have been given a fresh, new twist, odds are at least one will make its way into your regular manicure rotation while we’re at home and once we can get back to the salon.
The standouts include “Ballet Sneakers,” which gives the classic pale pink a matte finish…
“Wicked Fierce” delivers the deep, dark red we love with a fun chrome finish.
And if you’re new to the DIY manicure thing, here are a few essentials that make things a lot easier…
Olive & June’s Tool Box: With the Poppy handle that works on any polish top for extra stability, the Clean-Up Brush so you don’t have to stress about being so precise, the amazing Cuticle Serum, a two-sided file, buffer, nail clippers and nail polish remover, this set has you covered.
Blue Cross Cuticle Remover: So you don’t even have to trim your cuticles.
Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat: This will trigger fond memories of your manicurist—and don’t forget to reapply every few days since you’re likely doing more housework than usual.
Best of all, giving yourself a mani will keep you occupied for about a half-hour, and keep you from snacking until your nails are dry!
4 DIY beauty treatments NOT to try right now
Your pedicure may be hanging on for dear life, your roots are starting to grow in and your dip manicure is probably a hot mess. We are certainly navigating uncharted waters in our lives as a whole, and our professionally-performed personal-maintenance is obviously at a standstill. Sure, there are plenty of home-based hacks that will get us through this, but at some point, you may be desperate to take matters into your own hands. In most cases, it’s OK to experiment (and thank G-d for online retailers who are still helping us get the goods we need)—but there are a few DIY beauty projects you absolutely, positively should not do.
#1: Cut your hair
If you’ve been thinking about trying bangs and feel like there’s no time like the present, STEP AWAY FROM THE SCISSORS. The caveat: If you have long hair (meaning long enough that you can hold it in front of your face without contorting your arms or entire body) and want to give your ends a little trim, here’s a good YouTube tutorial.
#2: Highlight your hair
Just trust me on this one, no matter how bad the roots get. You’re never going to get that balayage or foil results you’re accustomed to at home, so just wear a headband or scarf until it’s safe to get back to the salon. (If you’re Zooming with co-workers and friends, they’ll totally understand.) There are so many fantastic products that conceal roots, such as Rita Hazan’s Root Concealer Touch Up Spray. The caveat: If you normally get a single-process color, you’re probably OK with an at-home color kit. But I suggest checking in with your colorist for recommendations, and he or she may be able to mix color for you that you can pick up. (My colorist is already doing this for her clients.)
#3: Get creative with your acid-based exfoliating products
This one is especially important if you have sensitive skin, because you can’t just pop over to the dermatologist’s office if something goes awry. If you think leaving a glycolic-acid mask on for longer than recommended will deliver the results of an office-based peel, you’re really just asking for trouble.
#4: Microneedling (for now)
Several well-regarded dermatologists are saying that we should lay off the at-home microneedling for the time being. This is basically because we’re in a really germy situation and you don’t want to create thousands of little injuries in your skin that could potentially grant any sort of virus or microbe access to your body. Another reason is that most of us don’t sterilize these tools properly before every use, and if your hands aren’t 1000% clean, you could contaminate it (along with everything else you touch).
With that, be sure to check back for lots of at-home beauty treatments you can do to feel and look better until the pandemic is behind us (or subscribe to the newsletter so all my tips automatically land in your inbox every Friday)!
Stay healthy (and stay home)!
Step up your skincare as you WFH
When I woke up this morning and realized it was April 1, the first thing that went through my head was, “Maybe this all an April Fool’s joke.” But, alas, it’s not. My son is currently in “school” on his laptop at the kitchen table—and this is what we’re looking at for the remainder of the year.
I’m obviously sitting in front of my computer as well, and this is where I’ve spent most of my time the past four weeks due to a major project (and obsessive news-watching). Let me preface today’s product spotlight by saying I am SO grateful to be working, because I know so many people aren’t, and I’m even more grateful because I’ve had several clients and new projects press pause temporarily until things get back to normal.
Whether you’re working from home or just binging on Netflix, a lot of scientific fingers are pointing at screen time as a potential source of skin damage because of high-energy visible (HEV) light. (I also wear blue-light glasses to minimize strain and possible long-term eye damage.) Even if you wear sunscreen daily, SPF doesn’t shield the skin from HEV light, but there are plenty of products out there that do—including SkinMedica’s LUMIVIVE system.
This powerful duo has your skin covered 24 hours a day thanks to a daytime formula that provides blue-light, pollution and overall environmental protection and a nighttime formula that boosts the skin’s natural repair process. Even more, these products are suitable for all skin types (especially those with visible signs of aging and discoloration) and can easily be added to any existing skincare regimen. (All you have to do is apply them in the morning and evening after cleansing.) When I use the morning one, I always leave the nighttime one next to my sink so I don’t forget to use it that evening!
Over the past few weeks I’ve noticed improvement in my melasma (for the record, I did another round of oral transexamic acid, too)—and although I’m not going anywhere for a while, I’m sticking with LUMIVIVE to keep my skin looking its best for all of the Zoom meetings that have started filling up my calendar (both for work and with friends).
Stay safe and healthy out there, and remember, stay-at-home measures are no excuse for neglecting your skin!
SkinMedica LUMIVIVE Day
EWG/Skin Deep® Score: 4 (via the “Build Your Own Report” tool)
SkinMedica LUMIVIVE Night
EWG/Skin Deep® Score: 4 (via the “Build Your Own Report” tool)
It's time to think about how you're going to cover your roots
I actually blew out my hair yesterday because it’s been a few weeks and I wanted to get an accurate state of affairs. The good news is, my color is still hanging in there—but I also like a rooty look. Although I haven’t gotten a haircut since the end of NOVEMBER, my hair is actually still in surprisingly good shape since I’ve been keeping heat-styling to a minimum and using hair masks more frequently. But although all is well on the hair front at the moment, hair growth can’t be stopped, and my roots are going to win eventually. That’s why my advice is to start stocking up on headbands and headscarves.
I’ve been wearing a stretchy headband pretty much every day simply because it keeps my air-dried hair off my face when I take my daily power walk (complete with five-pound wrist weights)—and I actually bought a new pack of five Scunci Effortless Beauty Everyday Fashion headbands when I mustered up the courage to make a Publix run this morning because all of my old ones have started pilling and/or gotten stained by makeup and tinted sunscreen. (Before you judge, it’s nearly impossible to place an Instacart or Amazon/Whole Foods order in this neck of the woods. I wore rubber gloves and had Clorox wipes in tow—all of which went in their own Ziploc bag for disposal before I got in my car—and I stripped down to my skivvies in the laundry room upon entering the house.) My point about these headbands is that they are wide enough to cover your roots for quite some time.
Always one to look on the bright side, these unfortunately and inconvenient circumstances are poised to put my vintage scarf collection to good use—and even if you don’t have a stash of your own, just a few can help get you to your next color appointment. Zara, H&M and virtually every other online retailer both “fast-fashion” and fancy have an endless array of options—and here are a few ways to wear them. And if you’re feeling really crazy, there’s never been a better time for a turban (one of my personal faves).
Sure, your family may make fun of you if they’re not accustomed to you rocking this sort of look (mine does and they have come to expect this sort of fashion antics from me), but why not have a little fun while we’re on lockdown?