Shake up your at-home routine
We’ve all been stuck at home for the past five months, and it looks like that’s going to continue, so if you’ve ever wanted to shake up your beauty routine, now is the perfect time to experiment. But whether it’s dying your hair an edgy color, switching to a natural deodorant, or trying to perk up your skin with a moisturizer that contains retinol, there can be an adjustment period.
“Quarantine might be the perfect time to test out a natural deodorant,” said Chicago dermatologist Dr. Jordan Carqueville. “Natural deodorants don’t contain aluminum-based compounds, which are the active ingredients in an antiperspirant deodorant. This means more sweating, so a trial period would be ideal.”
“Retinol and retinoids are used in anti-aging skin care because they increase turnover of the skin cells and stimulate collagen production,” Carqueville said. But there’s one catch when beginning a retinoid: Firsttime users most likely will experience dryness, redness or irritation of the skin, and it can take a few weeks for your skin to adjust.
Here are five ways to shake up your routine while you’re stuck at home.
Switch to a natural deodorant
Most conventional antiperspirant deodorants from the drugstore are chock-full of aluminum compounds and parabens to prevent you from sweating. Stay fresh without the chemicals by swapping in a
natural deodorant. This all sounds great, but if you are switching from a conventional antiperspirant to a natural deodorant, it will take time for your body to release the aluminum and adjust to something more natural. Carqueville recommends moisturizing Native Deodorant, which allows consumers to mix and match different classic and seasonal scents so you can find one that’s right for you.
De-stress with a meditation app
We’re all about self-care Sundays, but what about self-care every day? Before the pandemic, you might’ve been too busy to give a meditation app a try, but now that you’re not sleeping as well as you should be, it might be time to give it a try. With all the prolonged uncertainty of the novel coronavirus, taking a few minutes a day to quiet your mind and breathe might be the escape you need without leaving the house. Headspace is extremely user friendly and perfect for first-time meditators. The app is full of different exercises for any time of the day. It’s no wonder it has rave reviews. Calm is another popular app used to help
you manage stress and sleep better.
Get a ‘menicure’
With celebrities such as Harry Styles and A$AP
Rocky all over this trend, Esquire magazine dubbed 2020 the year of the menicure. Thu Nguyen of Posh Polish Nail Salon in Andersonville says they’ve seen an increase in male clients recently, and that most of the men that come in for manicures or pedicures go for darker colors. Essie has a cool, quick-dry line with dude-friendly shades such as dusty olive green, smoky blue, and black — plus impatient guys don’t have to wait too long for their nails to dry.
Rejuvenate with a retinoid
Ever heard of retinol? Retinoids are the topical creams derived from vitamin A that are favored by celebrities to get perfectly smooth, glowing skin. They can also help target various skin problems such as dark spots, wrinkles and acne, but be aware that there can be an adjustment period for first-time users.
Transform your look with a radical hair color
Have you always wanted to try pink or aqua hair but fear the reaction that you might get? Now that you are staying home, give it a go with semi-permanent hair color.
The good news is that if the color doesn’t suit you, it will eventually rinse out. If you’ve got lightened locks, give Manic Panic’s vegan formula a try to achieve that Instagram-worthy pastel looks.
For darker hair try Overtone, there’s no lightening required, and it conditions at the same time.