Four beauty habits I still keep even though I’m just staying home
It goes without saying that 2020 was a challenging period of adjustment for everyone. For the first half of last year, I was so completely resigned to staying in that I pretty much dropped most of my beauty habits, save for my nightly skincare routine. But as the months went by, I slowly began to miss my old self-care rituals. These days I’ve started them back up even though I remain stuck indoors.
New acquisitions
It’s not as if I’m in need of any more beauty products at the moment. But treating myself to a new eyeshadow palette or a jar of eye cream still feels good all the same. Let’s chalk it up to the Lipstick Effect, because goodness knows splurging on big-ticket items is out of the question for the meantime.
New normal shopping habits aside, I think the biggest benefit of this practice was my renewed interest in makeup again. That first time I did a full face after sixmonths of nothing felt kind of surreal. I found myself shopping the stash with excitement, remembering the HG picks I loved wearing on my pre-pandemic outings. And when I began doing my makeup again on a weekly basis, I noticed how my mood improved. It has even inspired me to challenge myself to color combinations I used to shy away from. It was an “old normal” routine that brought a lot of comfort and familiarity during such uncertain times.
Nailing it
After the makeup came the manis. I started absently doing my nails while group video chatting with friends, and it kind of just stuck. It’s a cheap thrill that lasts longer than makeup, and I’ve only had to buy more cotton pads and nail polish remover to keep it going. As with the FOTDs, I enjoy exercising my creativity on a regular basis. And aside from rediscovering favorite nail polish brands, I’ve also ventured into nail wraps. The latter looks great for up to 2 weeks, so it feels like a worthwhile investment.
Fragrance Festival
I never used to wear fragrance unless I was going out. And even then, I reserved the more premium bottles for special occasions. Seeing as events and gatherings feel like a distant memory these days, I became more worried that my precious scents would just expire without me getting the chance to finish them.
In response, I decided to open a brand new bottle, Philosophy’s Living Grace, to commemorate the new practice. The Grace line brings back fond memories of when I was just on the cusp of seriously getting into beauty and writing, a wave of emotion akin to how Liz feels about Guerlain Shalimar. I spritz nightly before bed, and it has become a comforting cue to wind down. My next move will be to set out a couple of day fragrances, invigorating scents to lift the spirit and give me a little extra energy to do those household chores.
Keeping Covered
At the height of the lockdown, I became a full-fledged plantita, constantly checking on the state of the vegetables in my little garden box. All that tending during the daytime caused some sun damage on my skin. It was a not-so-gentle reminder to slather on some sunscreen. Admittedly, this is the habit I still have not mastered, but I’m trying to be more mindful.
Has your pre-pandemic beauty routine settled into the new normal?
