It’s funny; since I am usually very busy and don’t have time to go to appointments I’ve been learning how to do spa services at home as much as possible. Now that I have all kinds of time due to the social distancing imposed by the outbreak of the Corona Virus, appointments are off-limits.
I thought I’d share all of my favorite YouTube beauty tutorials so we can all come out of this period of isolation looking fresh.
Diet and Exercise
We all know that even if you put lipstick on a gorilla, it’s still a gorilla. Staying healthy on the inside is what will ultimately make you beautiful on the outside. That is the fundamental, these tutorials are the superficial.
To help your diet, check out FitnessVT.com and get a customized plan for $17USD per month. I would choose the “Performance” goal; I feel there is not enough food in the “Weight Loss” goal. You’ll still lose weight and get healthier with the performance goal. I’ve paid hundreds of dollars for plans from nutritionists and I’ve found they’re no better than FitnessVT.
Also, now is the time to read the book Roar by Dr. Stacy Simms to learn how to plan your diet, supplementation and training around your unique female physiology. #wearenotsmallmen
To train at home, check out Andrew Read‘s programs. He has female-specific challenges to help you accomplish all of your fitness goals (as well as for men). Andrew is a jiu jitsu practitioner so he knows what we face in training and he offers personalized online feedback.
I’ve been a fan, and friend, of his since we both wrote for Breaking Muscle and he has offered me so much support during injury and helped me when I was learning to run with his book, Run Strong. I can’t recommend him highly enough. A truly competent and kind person. He really wants you to succeed.
Now, on to the Glow-up
What can we do at home to look fly? Smooth skin, maybe a nice fake tan, hair done, nails done, brows, makeup and outfits. Let’s get started.
Skin
My picks will be geared towards people who know how to handle mature skin. Ladies, sometimes we need professional help, sometimes we need someone who has figured it out and has proven it with results.
If you’re not old yet, you will be so get started on protecting your skin. It will definitely get worse.
I have acne and wrinkles and I’ve found what has worked to clear my skin is the Sunday Riley UFO Oil and Martian Mattifying Toner. The combination cleared up my skin in about four days and has kept it clear since, with nightly use. The toner is often sold out so recently I purchased two bottles on ebay out of desperation.
Dermaplaning
Removing the baby hair on your face will make your makeup and skin look much better. The Dr. Dray video is a long video but she is very informative and dispels common myths. You can also use the dermaplaner to shape around and between your eyebrows to make your brows look sharper and your eyeshadow look better.
Teeth Whitening
These days you can get generic teeth whitening strips for a reasonable price and they’re pretty straightforward. If you want to level up, I recommend the Smile Brilliant kit. They will make you custom upper and lower whitening trays, which I recommend you trim to keep the chemicals on your teeth, not your gums, and then you can just buy the whitening and desensitizing gels as needed. When I used the kit initially, the gels burned my gums because I hadn’t trimmed the trays and was trapping the gel on my gum line.
I asked my dentist about the safety of this kit and he said it was perfectly fine.
Fake Tan
Dress season is nearly upon us. I start doing a six minute tanning booth session every week starting in April because self tan is too tedious for me however I’ve been watching Lauren’s fake tan videos for years. She’s an expert.
Brows
I started doing my brows myself after having them done at the Brow Bar at Sephora. I watched what she did and then figured out how to do it myself at home. I mix the Refectocil brow tint with a few drops of peroxide, paint my brows, let it sit for 10-15 minutes and then wash off. It’s best to outline your brows with vaseline to make sure you don’t tint the surrounding skin. Tinting cuts down the amount of pencil and gel I have to use every morning, therefore creating a more natural brow.
Generally, brow tinting has to be done every four weeks. I also use the eyelash tint occasionally however I prefer mascara.
Natural, Fuller Lashes
The Lancome Cils Booster is amazing. I notice a big difference in thickness and length when I use it. Highly recommend. Also, after trying a number of eyelash curlers because my eyes are deepset, my favorite is the Shisheido curler.
Everyday Makeup Look
Hair
If you have a hard time with holding a curl, I’ve found that the Ouai Memory Mist works very well.
Mani Pedi
Fashion
But first, let’s look at shapewear.
Fashion is individual choice but these are my favorite YouTubers when I look for classic style tips.
Your playlist will likely be different than my playlist but wasn’t it fun to work on it together? I hope you all stay healthy and safe in these scary times. Soon we will be able to put it all behind us and get back to complaining about how hot it is outside.
xo
Sally
