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Act of Love | How To Care For Your Skin During Lockdown
One way to act in love, is to use this period to slow down more, to take the time to look after ourselves and check in with others. Whether that be discovering a new morning routine; learning yoga, giving our jewellery some serious cleaning TLC (see our How-To here) or looking inwards and allowing ourselves a healthy dose of self-care. We asked our friend and expert, Rose from Gritty Pretty, how best to care for our skin during lockdown and beyond.
Gritty Pretty: Caring for your skin during lockdown
Written by Rose Garnett of Gritty Pretty.
I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that with change comes an innate craving for normalcy and regularity. As someone who thrives on routine, riding the wave of this global pandemic has been challenging. My coping mechanism? Focusing on my beauty routine. As typical as it may sound coming from a Beauty Assistant, skincare and self-care have and always will be a constant in many people’s lives. I was religious about my skincare routine before, I have been during and I will continue to be once this is all over. It’s my daily dose of normalcy.
With that in mind, this time spent at home is the perfect time to treat your skin well and get it into its best ever shape. My biggest tip? Aside from the occasional Zoom meeting, I have rarely been wearing makeup and have been letting my skin breathe. And it is certainly better for it. In terms of skincare, I have a few essentials that keep my skin healthy in isolation - here are my top five.
A Gentle Cleanser:
Something I will always do, no matter what, is wash my face at the end of the day. Makeup or no makeup, SPF or no SPF (although, the latter is a rarity), a cleanser will be the first thing on my face when my bed comes a-calling. My advice would be to look for something that is super gentle on the skin - to clean but not strip the skin of it’s natural oils. My favourites are the Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturising Cleanser and the Sodashi Clay Cleanser With Lime.
A Hydrating Mask:
Whether it’s a luxurious sheet mask, a tube of hydrating goodness or a pot of gold, a hydrating mask is a must-have in my isolation skincare edit. Particularly because I have more time to actually do it (I may or may not mask and email at the same time), I have really started to notice a brighter, more even complexion. My favourites include the Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask and the SK-II Facial Treatment Mask.
An Antioxidant Serum:
Great for brightening the skin at any time (but especially now!), an antioxidant serum will give you that highly sought-after glow. I always opt for a vitamin C serum for it’s brightening and skin-evening properties, but a vitamin B serum would also be lovely (this ingredient is great for balancing the skin and reducing redness). In isolation, I’ve been trying out the Elizabeth Arden Vitamin C Ceramide Capsules and have been loving so far.
A Moisturiser:
You’ve likely heard this before, but a really good moisturiser is the key to plump, hydrated and glowing skin. Especially as we come into the cooler months, a deeply-hydrating moisturiser will make sure your skin stays balanced and hydrated all winter long. I love the Sulwahsoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream and the cult-favourite Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentraté.
Some Inner Beauty Love:
All the changes happening right now can mean our hormones are a little out of whack. I know mine certainly are. So, taking something for my insides has helped me to feel calm and helped my skin stay healthy. I love The Beauty Chef Cleanse Inner Beauty Powder and take it religiously every morning to help support my gut and kickstart my digestion for the day. It’s beauty, from the inside out.
For more skincare and self isolation tips, head to Gritty Pretty.
Photography:
Chantell Bianchi for Gritty Pretty
Ana Suntay-Tañedo for Gritty Pretty
Eddie New for Gritty Pretty