110 BEAUTY:

As we all emerged from lockdown, it was a seesaw between self-loathing and couldn’t care less when it came to beauty regimens. Brooke Le Poer Trench asks where we go from here. distinctly recall the moment

simplify your skincare and make-up

II discovered Zoom had a ‘touch up my appearance’ feature. I only hesitated for a second before turning it on. The reason: my self-loathing had spiked to the point where this functionality felt like Christmas, which only made me dislike myself more given the state of the world.

At a time when I was worrying about friends in London who had caught COVID-19 in the Marks & Spencer line, surely I should have been feeling gratitude for my good health, geographical location and family? Instead, when I wasn’t bickering with my hubby or snapping at the kids, I was staring back at a postage-size stamp of myself in meetings and family gatherings, pondering my jowls and the light-reflective quality of my skin.

According to CSIRO behavioural scientist Dr Emily Brindal, I’m not a monster (my words, not hers). “Due to social distancing and isolating, we’ve spent a lot more time in the company of our own thoughts and a lot less time being exposed to social environments,” she says, noting that this can exacerbate existing insecurities and social anxiety.

“Once people push through those initial feelings, they will start to build up their desensitisation again and things will fall back into place.”

Part of the problem, I realised, is that I’m only used to seeing myself twice a day (bathroom breaks not included). Pre-lockdown, I’d get ready in the morning and rarely give my appearance a second thought until evening. This is only possible because I rarely take selfies (I have short arms) or touch up my make-up. So being forced to confront myself on camera was turning me into a modern-day narcissist.

Fortunately, I’m not alone. As chatter started on social media about Zoom fatigue, I’ll admit my new-found passion for masking and retinol serums was as much driven by vanity as self-care. Oddly, none of this made me step up my grooming game on any level. On most days, I applied little to no make-up, gave up on bras (I’m an AA-cup, so this isn’t that brave) and favoured stretchy clothes. All of which made me like everyone else, at least according to beauty buying trends throughout the pandemic.

“We saw a decrease in make-up and an increase in skincare, particularly treatment categories like

masks and exfoliators,” says Adore Beauty founder Kate Morris. “We saw an uplift in pampering categories like candles and bath products, plus DIY substitutes for salon services such as hair dye and nail polish.”

As we face the new normal, what habits will we keep from ‘iso’? My usual make-up seems overdone. Victoria McEvoy, who founded fashion label Irving & Powell, agrees, admitting: “I’m embracing a far more natural look than before lockdown.”

Another fashion industry veteran I spoke to, who hasn’t missed her weekly manicure in almost 30 years, said she felt a little foolish upon leaving the salon recently. Gazing at her neat nails swiped in a signature pinkish-nude polish, she said, “They look a bit over the top, don’t you think?” They kind of did.

Historically, global economic downturn results in women turning to moodboosting luxuries such as a brightly coloured lipstick or winged liner. This is a phenomenon economists have observed since the 1930s Great Depression, but it seems that when you combine financial stress with a stay-at-home order, everything changes.

Perhaps because while a bold lip might give us the confidence to step out into the world, we’ve been given a rare chance to ditch the paint job in favour of, simply, what makes us feel good.

“Self-care became the priority when we were all at home,” says Kate. “People cared more about feeling good than

“We cared more about feeling good than looking good.”

looking good.” And it makes sense that we want to continue those at-home rituals, perhaps even in lieu of lash extensions and gel manicures. “I expect the increased skincare usage will stick, even if people go back to the hairdresser or salon,” says Kate.

Facialist Jocelyn Petroni had an influx of clients booking their go-to treatments as soon as the salon reopened, but admits that others enjoyed the virtual skin appointments and will continue with them.

There’s something to be said for taking care of business ourselves. Friends have said that as their weekly manicures and blow-dries vanished, they realised they quite liked sorting it out for a fraction of the price. “I invested in a hair mask and a great straightener, and I’m getting pretty good results myself,” one of my more high-maintenance friends admitted.

And buying trends reflect these newfound skills. “Women mastered the Dyson Airwrap and perfected their DIY manicure, with OPI products a favourite,” says

Rachel Duffy-Packer, general manager of beauty at David Jones. Which is not to say the salons will be empty now – just that we’re honing in on what we really want.

“Skincare devices such as Foreo UFO or Bear have seen significant sales in lockdown,” says Rachel, noting that at-home treatments will remain a costeffective, convenient option.

It seems the future of beauty is quality over quantity as we become a little more discerning and a lot more in control. AWW

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