BRIGHT SIDE
We’re looking for silver linings wherever we can right now: here’s how your face (and body and hair) can make the most of being confined to the house
LET YOUR SKIN BREATHE
For founder of Decree Skincare and dermatology expert Dr Anita Sturnham, these unique circumstances provide the perfect opportunity to bare all (complexion wise). ‘You’d be amazed at the benefits of cutting out pore-clogging make-up, particularly liquid foundations, primers and pressed powders,’ she says. ‘These act like cement, filling up your pores and creating the perfect environment for bacteria to overgrow. Make-up-free days combined with a rejuvenating skincare regimen could be the answer to achieving your best skin yet.’
dr anita sturnham’s top tips
‘Many of my patients are panicking that they won’t have a chance to come in for their skin treatments. I’m telling them to embrace this time. It’s the perfect opportunity to become your own skin expert.’
1. Have your favourite products in stock – ordering in an extra pot of your best-loved moisturiser can’t hurt.
2. Use one or two brands, max. Your skin will become unhappy if you bombard it with a multitude of products that weren’t designed to work together.
3. If you use an exfoliator each evening, swap it for a gentle, detoxifying cleanser. Your skin’s defence barriers want to be strong right now.
4. Make any treatment product (a mask or weekly exfoliator) a moment of self-care bliss. Dim the lights, light a candle and listen to some calming music.
the desk-side face mask
Keeping your skin bare throughout the day means it’s perfectly primed and ready for a midday mask. Just ask Elizabeth Arden’s training manager Anja Skytte-mosbaek. ‘It’s sadly not the done thing to wear a mask at the office, but being at home gives you the chance to feed and balance your skin as you work.’ Elizabeth Arden’s Superstart Probiotic Boost Skin Renewal Biocellulose Mask [1], £40, holds fast to skin, so there’s no need to lie down as you wear it. Its blend of probiotics and hyaluronic acid hydrate and calm your complexion. Bring on the glow.
REDISCOVER YOUR HAIR
Heat styling addict? We feel you. That wash-dry-style routine can become so ingrained it’s like muscle memory, but these at-home days present an opportunity to quit the habit and rediscover your natural texture. The less you depend on styling, the happier your hair will be. ‘Repeatedly using heated tools over 185°C is detrimental to hair’s condition,’ says renowned hair stylist Patrick Wilson, who works with the likes of Kaia Gerber, Kendall Jenner and Jodie Comer. ‘It will become dull and brittle in texture.’ So let’s embrace some good old-fashioned airdrying and stop those split ends in their tracks. Here, Patrick tells us how to best prep our hair for a heat-free dry.
fine hair: ‘You don’t want to overload hair with heavy serums, as this will weigh it down. Apply a thickening spray to roots and a little finishing cream to mid-lengths and ends.’ Try GHD Root Lift Spray [2], £14.50.
coarse hair: ‘Spritz in a leave-in conditioner and add a bit of oil to the mid-lengths and ends to keep it looking hydrated.’ Try Kérastase Elixir Ultime L’original Hair Oil, £43.
afro hair: ‘This involves cocktailing products. Layer a couple of curl activator creams into
hair and use an Afro comb to pick out the curl and enhance volume and texture. Use your fingers to manipulate the shape and shake out curls.’ Cantu Shea Butter for Natural Hair Moisturizing Curl Activator Cream, £7.99.
GO AU NATUREL
Natural and aluminium-free deodorants are a point of contention. We know that they are the best option for our skin and the planet, but there’s a two-week transition period, in which your body readjusts to the new formula, that many people are unwilling to contend with. To put it bluntly, you might smell a bit initially. By week three, however, your body adapts, odour-producing bacteria levels off, and voilà! You’ve found a new deodorant. A plus point to staying at home over the coming weeks is that you can more easily bear being a tad fragrant while you make the switch. Your shower’s now only a matter of steps away, after all. Try Malin+goetz Eucalyptus Deodorant [3], £19, or Mitchum Natural Power Eucalyptus Deodorant, £4.30.
TRY THE SKINCARE HARD-HITTERS
Whether you’ve shied away from opening that bottle of retinol you bought a month ago, or have swerved your new exfoliating serum for fear you’ll end up looking like post-peel Samantha in Sex And The City,
the next few weeks are the time to try.
retinols
Dr Anita Sturnham says now is the time to get stuck in. ‘If you are based at home, this is the perfect time to step up your skincare. There’s no need to be scared of retinols, but product choice is key. Train your eyes on the ingredients list and look for granactive retinoid or hydroxypinacolone retinoate – this newgen retinoid technology is a game-changer. Apply your serum at night-time only (retinols can break down in sunlight and therefore be rendered inactive), after your cleanser and before your moisturiser.’ Try The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% in Squalane [4], £11.95.
face peels
‘I recommend you use a clinical strength at-home facial product once a week,’ advises
Sturnham. ‘I favour fruit acids and fruit enzymes in a mask formulation, rather than using mechanical beads, grains or scrubs, which I find too abrasive.’
SEND YOUR NAILS TO REHAB
With your manicure appointments cancelled until further notice, there’s no better time to give your nails a breather from their gel armour. Embrace the bare look and nourish your nails back to beautiful with a few of our favourite restorative heroes.
the treatment polish
Nails Inc’s Back To Life Recovery Treatment + Base, £15, uses a five-oil blend to restore strength.
the growth booster Slick on Sally Hansen’s Nailgrowth Miracle [5], £9.95, to strengthen nails with a powerhouse formula of biotin, peptides and collagen.
the hand cream Massage Lanolips Coconutter Hand Cream Intense [6], £8.99, into nails and cuticles to increase blood flow and hydrate for healthier nails.
the conditioning colour For a pale pink shade of lacquer that nourishes nails, try Essie’s 3 Sheers To You TLC Care Nail Polish, £8.99.
the nail oil Keep cuticles soft and nails supple with OPI’S Pro Spa Nail and Cuticle Oil, £17.