BEAUTY NEWS
Stuck at home with nothing but your phone and half your sanity? Use our guide to healthy habits and relaxing routines for a happier lockdown.
DO YOU HAVE TECH SKIN?
Are you spending a little extra screen time on your devices for those Zoom meetings, family video calls or bingeing on the latest IG Live content? We know the feeling. Sadly, as much as whiling away the time during lockdown this way is a plus, the effect it’s having on your skin is not.
The LED screens on our devices emit a high-energy visible light (HEV), or blue light, which not only disrupts your body’s ability to make the sleep-inducing hormone, melatonin, but also the skin’s ability to regenerate properly overnight. This leads to premature signs of ageing and sleep deprivation.
“As we are constantly exposed to light, all the frequencies of light have the potential to damage skin, so we have to protect daily,” says Dr Bradley Wagemaker, medical director at Lamelle Research Laboratories. That’s why it is important to religiously apply moisturisers with antioxidant, SPF formulas and light filters that will protect skin from blue light damage. Other practical things to enforce are reducing your screen time throughout the day and activating your night mode, which you can set the time period for, so that your phone screen light dims from a bright cool light to a warmer yellow light and reminds you to take a break or sleep.
5 GET FIT APPS & SITES
Gyms are closed and the beginnings of a summer body that you hoped would kick in are slowly fading. Don’t give up on your goals, stay active — even at home — with these fitness apps, Instagram accounts and websites to follow.
Yoga with Adrienne: Need to realign your energies and improve your muscle flexibility? Tune in to the YouTube account, Yoga with Adrienne, to warrior salute, downward dog and child’s pose your way to wellbeing.
Tone and Sculpt: Looking to chisel out strong, firm limbs, lose centimetres and gain some muscles? Then following the Tone and Sculpt Instagram account should be on your to-do list. Packed with at-home workouts for different fitness levels and equipment resources – whether you have a few dumbbells or just your body weight – hello bikini bod @toneandsculpt
Viva Gym: Missing your local gym? Why not follow them online? Follow this Instagram account for daily workouts or check out the curated Les Mills workouts YouTube playlist full of high-intensity interval and strength training to keep you going. @vivagymsa
Sudor: Eyeing the fitness levels of your favourite fitness influencer on social media? Well Sudor, a new IOS App, allows you to train with local and international trainers in a pinch. With the likes of local fitness expert Mapule Ndhlovu (@queenfitnass) go global with your at-home gym routine for just R150p/m with a free trial.
Mama Well UK: Expectant mamas, new mothers or now stay-at-home moms need not feel like getting a great workout is impossible. Follow @mamawelluk for quick, body weight gym sessions that are kind to your bump or busy schedule.
4 BEST MENTAL HEALTH APPS
Depression and anxiety are serious issues that are spiking, worldwide, at the moment. Keep a sane head on your shoulders with these mental health apps.
Smiling Mind – A free app that doesn’t have that annoying problem of in-app purchases. Smiling Mind offers meditation sessions for dealing with anxiety and getting a good night’s rest.
Calm – Keep calm and meditate with the Calm App that will help you practise mindfulness and stillness if your world is feeling a little shaky. Moodpath — Whether you are feeling newly overwhelmed or bridging the gap between therapy sessions, Moodpath helps you journal your emotions and gives helpful plans of action to implement in your life.
Colorfy: Indulge in some colour therapy with this app that allows you to create colour-by-numbers imagery and help you decompress for a few minutes — or hours. Who says colouring in is just for children?