South Charlotte, NC – As our stay at home time grows longer, so does our hair.  Bushy eyebrows may be in right now, but bushy isn’t the same as untamed.  And while many of us would be in pedicure chairs right now to get ready for flip flop season, now we are asking what we can do at home to be ready to leave our house looking fabulous once the restrictions are lifted.  Below is a list of ideas, tips, and products that may help you feel a little more normal.

One of the first things that you should do when you are getting ready to start your at home beauty care routine is to take a good look at what you already have at home.  First, spring clean your make up, nail care, and beauty products.  Using expired products could increase your chance of an adverse reaction or an infection.  On the back of every beauty product is a small picture of a bottle or jar with a number in it.  That number is a recommendation from the manufacturer on when to toss items after they have been opened.  A quick Pinterest search will give you a more detailed breakdown, but in general you should toss liquid face makeup after six months and powdered face make up after two years.  Mascara should go in the trash after three months (or after any sort of eye infection).  Liquid eyeliner will last about 3 months, cream eye shadow about 6 months while pencil eye liner and powered eye shadow can last about 2 years.  Lipstick and lip liners will usually last about 2 years.  Nail polish normally lasts about 2 years but can be sensitive to temperature and humidity, so the bathroom is not the best place to store them.

Now that your makeup and self-care items have been verified fresh and safe, its time to take stock in your kitchen.  Bananas, honey, avocados, tea bags, oatmeal, olive oil, and coconut oil are all popular items that you can use in a DIY mask.  Pinterest and YouTube recipes abound but always remember to never use an ingredient that you are allergic to and if you aren’t sure, do a test in a small area before exposing your whole face.  And don’t forget about DIY hair masks as well.  Cinnamon, eggs, lemons, and apple cider vinegar are all very popular items that you already have in your pantry that your hair will love.

But what if your bangs are falling in your eyes and you need to see your Zoom call mates? Luckily, YouTube can be your friend and give you a visual guide to how to do it yourself.  Hair stylists recommend using real hair shears.  Your kitchen scissors may be great for crafting but if the scissors you use aren’t sharp, your hair will move when you try to cut it and that will lead to more cuts and shorter and shorter bangs.  They also recommend not cutting straight across but snipping into the bangs to create a more natural look.  Also, its very important to go slowly and check yourself often.  While you can always take more off, you will have to wait for it to grow back if you make a mistake.  And if a mistake does happen, don’t worry about it since you are not alone in this!  Find a cute headband or use it as a conversation starter since every woman has a bad haircut story.

YouTube will also be a huge help in taming your brows.  You don’t need wax or strips (although they make the process much easier, they can also cause more problems) as long as you have a good mirror and a pair of tweezers.  Experts recommend drawing in your eyebrows to confirm the shape you want to have and then plucking whatever is outside of the lines.  And don’t feel like you have to do them all at once.  Take a break when your eyes water and come back to it in a few minutes.  After all, what else are you doing at home but taking time for yourself?  If you usually have your brows tinted, there are many kits that you can order to do it at home.  Make sure to follow manufacturer directions as they can vary from brand to brand.  You can also get an eyelash tint kit or lash perm kit if you are sick of putting on mascara before your Zoom calls.

Now back to those flip flops.  First, make sure you take off all of your previous nail polish.  Then soak your feet in a warm bath with Epsom Salt and a few drops of your favorite essential oil.  Break out your preferred foot file, pumice stone, or callous remover and get to work on those rough areas that your boots were hiding all winter.  Then trim your nails straight across to avoid ingrown nails and while experts recommend pushing your cuticles back, they don’t recommend trimming them as it’s an easy in for bacteria and fungus.  Finally, it’s time to paint using a good primer, fresh nail polish, and a good top coat with a toe separator (or rolled up facial tissue will work in a pinch).  If you paint outside the lines, don’t worry too much.  A cotton swab dipped in nail polish remover can take it off immediately or you can wait till its completely dry, then just peel it off with a fingernail.

Whether it’s a friends call where you all wear your homemade masks, making sure your bangs and eyebrows are on point for a work call, or smiling to yourself when you see your pretty feet, you can continue your beauty routine at home with a few simple steps.  Good Luck and Stay Home!

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