We Tried: Self Isolation Beauty Experiments

My skin has been looking, shall we say, a little lacklustre since lockdown began, so a thorough pamper was definitely needed to add some life back into my complexion. I started my ‘at home facial’ by cleansing with my trusty Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser. The formula is super gentle and has a lovely cooling effect which was great to prep the skin. I then boiled the kettle and filled my sink with the hot water and some sprigs of parsley which is great for the skin as it acts as a natural astringent to draw toxins and impurities out of pores. I let the steam do its thing for about 10 minutes and when you come to lift your head up you feel cleansed and pampered to the max- sauna style! Whilst my skin was damp and my pores open, I lightly exfoliated with the Origins GinZing Scrub Cleanser to combat dry patches and remove any dirt that has been drawn out and now sitting at a surface level of the skin. Finally, I spritzed my skin generously with the Mario Badescu Rosewater Facial Spritz (so refreshing!) and let my skin soak up its toning and balancing goodness. I feel like I’ve finally found an ‘at home’ routine that gives my skin a deep cleanse reminiscent of a spa-worthy facial!

My skin is either on its best behaviour like a sweet Royal tot or the devil child, there is no in-between right now. In a bid to keep it on my side during lockdown, I, like the rest of the nation, have turned into a serial face masker. I’ve never attempted to make a homemade formula before so I was intrigued to see if this was going to actually work or just cost me a small fortune in avos and honey. First thing’s first, it can get a little messy so slip into some PJs or clothes you don’t mind getting a bit mucky and wrap a towel around your hair. The good thing about this mask is that it’s made using all-natural ingredients straight from your kitchen, so it’s nice to know exactly what you’re putting on your skin. Avocados are packed with moisturising Vitamin E, healthy fats and antioxidants while the clarifying properties in honey and lemon work to brighten the skin. I made this mask in 5 minutes using a teaspoon of fresh lemon, 2 tablespoons of honey (I used the squeezy kind but I hear the raw stuff is better for your skin) and 1/2 a crushed avo. Mix it all together in a bowl and apply it with your fingers or if you want a spa-like experience, use a brush. Much zen! I left it on for 15 minutes and removed with warm water and a flannel. If you’re particularly prone to breakouts you can try adding a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar too, and if you fancy making an exfoliating mask, simply add some rolled oats. It’s a great natural mask that can be tailored for your needs and it definitely made my dull complexion brighter. Verdict: will be doing on a weekly basis.

I’ve actually hated my hair for possibly the last year. It’s the last thing I think about and I much prefer making an effort with my makeup and clothes and worrying about hair last. I think it’s because I had it cut short about a year ago and it just didn’t suit me as I wanted it to. However, it’s grown much longer and I finally decided to pop a new hair tool on my birthday wish list after seeing it go somewhat viral on Tik Tok classic me. Luckily my Amazon wish was fulfilled by my sister and I got to try out the Revlon one-step hair dryer and volumiser. The product is billed as a wet to dry tool that gives you an at-home blow-dry look quickly, basically all of the components to bring music to my lazy girl ears. I absolutely do not try and give myself the at-home blow-dry look myself, I don’t even own a barrel brush so I was worried I wouldn’t understand how to use it but that couldn’t have been further from the truth! It’s super easy to use and I can style my hair from soaking wet to sleek sassy and bouncy within about twenty minutes. I actually look forward to doing my hair now and LOVE the results, I even ended up getting on for my Mum because I’m such a believer. 10/10 would highly recommend!

I love experimenting with new skincare products and finding the best options for me, price-wise and effectiveness wise! About a month ago I bought some of the CeraVe products as I had seen a looooot about them online and every skincare guru I followed was talking about them. I decided to try out their foaming cleanser, moisturising lotion and eye repair cream. I’ve also always wanted to dabble in using a jade roller so purchased one from Revolution and thought I’d give that a go too. I introduced every product one by one, to reduce the risk of breaking out and then having no idea which product my skin didn’t like. After a month of using all the products (more around three weeks for the moisturiser and cleanser) I have really been enjoying them. The cleanser is great and foams which I really missed from my old cleanser, my skin has been way less oily too which is great! But one thing that really stands out is how much it has reduced the redness on my face, more than likely due to the niacinamide in it. I was already using some in my skincare but I think this extra push has really made a difference. The CeraVe moisturiser is lovely and really conditions the skin, I have only been using it in the evening but I wake up with a lovely glow. Now with the eye cream, I’m unsure how much it has helped with my dark circles. I’ve not been sleeping as great so it’s hard to tell if the product is working but my lack of sleep isn’t helping haha! But it definitely has helped my under eye feel more moisturised and soft. Lastly, but by no means least is the jade roller. This is by far my favourite product! I can spot from looking at my before and after picture that it has really helped de-puff my face. I have been using it morning and night religiously for a month and I’m super impressed with the results! It may only be small, but I can definitely notice somewhat of a difference.

Quick disclaimer, this is not a glamorous process and I am about to speak about my feet. You have been warned. This foot peeling product has been sitting in my cupboard collecting dust ever since my mum brought it back from her trip to Japan last year. I’d heard about them but it just made me feel a bit grossed out to tell you the truth and I was quite sceptical about the whole thing in general. It also requires a lot of time which isn’t something I had to spare in abundance…until now. Inside the pack were two little plastic slippers for want of a better reference. You peel them open, pop your freshly washed feet in and wait for at least 90minutes. Once I removed the socks I immediately washed my feet thoroughly as instructed and went about my day as normal not seeing any immediate effects whatsoever. I was convinced it wasn’t going to work until the next day after getting out of the shower I noticed my skin on my feet was starting to peel. The hardest thing was not being tempted to scrub my feet once I started to notice this, they specifically say you should wait for the skin to peel away naturally. It’s been a week now and I have to say I’m so impressed, my feet feel so smooth and soft with no hard skin left at all. I would definitely do it again and highly recommend it as a treatment to get your feet ready for sandal season.