HOME improvement
Use your free time to master these salon techniques and you’ll look your best until they reopen, says Katie Wright
We are (all being well) on the home stretch, and before long, we’ll be back in our favourite salons enjoying uninterrupted me time as our hair, skin, brows, lashes, nails or all of the above are given the TLC they’re been craving for months.
In the meantime, it’s all about at-home pampering and, actually, lockdown is the perfect time to embrace your inner beautician and try your hand at the kind of treatments you’d usually leave to the professionals.
Chances are it’ll be cheaper than a salon appointment and, who knows? You might decide to stick with the at-home approach in future. Here are five DIY beauty treatments to try now.
1. eyelash serum even as a beauty editor I’ve always been sceptical about serums that promise to boost your eyelashes without the need for falsies or extensions, but that was until I tried the Sweed Lash Growth Serum. After two months of painting a thin strip of the serum at the root of my lashes I can’t believe how long they’ve grown.
“The serum focuses on boosting your own lashes with vitamins and hydration. It also extends the growth phase of each own lash, so they become longer and stronger,” explains Gabriella elio, founder of Sweed.
“For the first one to two months, you can use the serum every night. When you are satisfied with the result, and the length of your lashes, you can use it every other day instead, just to maintain the length.”
2. brow & lash tint
“If you don’t normally wear mascara or you’re sick of having to apply it every day for Zoom calls, try tinting your lashes, it’ll really help to define and frame your eyes,” says eylure make-up artist Sara Sordillo.
Similarly, a brow tint adds fullness and definition. For both, it’s important to do a patch test and wait 48 hours to check you haven’t had an adverse reaction.
For lash tinting, Sara says: “Apply Vaseline or petroleum jelly to the skin on the eyelid and under eye area, but don’t let it touch the eyelash hair. This will act as a barrier to stop the dye staining the skin.”
Make sure to thoroughly coat the lash hairs, she adds: “Brush the product under and on top of the lashes. If you wiggle your hand slightly when applying, you will get better coverage.
“Concentrate on making sure the very tip of your eyelashes are covered, as this is where they get very light, because of the sun, making the lashes appear shorter than they really are.”
3. Hair bonding treatment
A cut above regular hair masks – which merely smooth the cuticle of hair strands – bonding treatments work to repair the broken bonds within the hair, meaning healthier, less frizzy locks.
If your hair is looking frazzled, a weekly bonding treatment left on for 15 to 20 minutes can make a big difference.
4. retinol revitalisation
Have you heard about the powerful anti-ageing effects of retinol but you’re worried about the Vitamin A derivative irritating your skin?
“The key with introducing retinol to your routine is to go slow and steady,” says Daniel Isaacs, director of research at Medik8, who suggests starting with a strength of 0.1% or 0.3%, to avoid irritation or redness.
“We suggest using it a couple of nights a week to start with, gradually building up to nightly use, and ensure you use a minimum of SPF 30 during the day.”
5. Gel nails
Master your own gel manicure with an at-home UV lamp to cure your nail varnish and you could save a fortune at the salon.
A starter set is great if you want to try a few different colours and have all the accessories you need, or you can buy a lamp and gel polishes separately.