In Quarantine: Beauty Hacks to Try

Luzon is now on extended enhanced community quarantine. The end of the quarantine period has once again been moved to May 15. The operations of non-essential establishments are still suspended. That includes spas and salons. Yes, we know these are luxuries and are secondary to our health. That said, we have a few awesome beauty hacks you can easily DIY to pamper yourself without leaving the house. There’s something for your skin, your hair, and even your hands and feet. We also made sure that the ingredients used can easily be found around the house or at the pharmacy or supermarket. Some of these work so well, you might even keep doing them after the ECQ.

Glowing Skin in Quarantine

Facials and acne treatments are just some of the things we’re not able to enjoy right now. It is for good reason — getting a facial means the therapist getting really close to your face. Clogged pores and breakouts are never fun though. Good thing there are these hacks you can do at home to keep your skin clear.

Unclog those Pores

It’s surprising how much dirt and impurities still make their way into our pores even if we stay at home. We still get whiteheads and blackheads. You can get away with not doing anything about it — until the roughness bothers you. You can’t go out for a facial, but you can make your own pore strip. Mix equal parts (a teaspoon is a lot) of unflavored gelatine and (liquid) milk. Warm it up in the microwave for a couple of seconds and stir. Repeat the last step until the mixture is well incorporated and let it cool. Apply to your clean nose (and other parts of your face, too) and let dry. Peel slowly upwards. Voila! Clean pores!

Spot Treat that Spot

Now is a stressful time and that stress can cause pimples to pop out. The simplest way to address breakouts is to leave it be and let it run its course. However, if you need to zap that zit real quick (hello Zoom/Skype video cons), we know a way. Crush one aspirin tablet finely. Gradually add a few drops of (clean) water and mix until it turns into a paste. Apply this mixture to your zit and leave overnight. The aspirin will keep inflammation down and speed up healing.

How About Your Hair?

Hair is something people tend to play around with when they have a lot of time on their hands. We’ve seen people trimming their own hair or giving each other haircuts all over social media. If you’re one of those brave souls, kudos to you!. If you mess up, it’ll grow back in time. If you’re not quite ready to go snip, we have some hair hacks you can try with very little risk.

Put a Sock In It

Or on it. A bun is a great hairstyle if your hair has any length at all. It can be casual and fun or clean and sleek. It also keeps your hair up and away from your face and neck so you don’t get too hot and sticky. It’s challenging to get a big, full bun if you have short or thin hair. That’s where bun forms (also known as a donut bun) help give the illusion of lots of hair and volume. If you don’t have a donut bun but would like to sport a big, full bun, don’t worry — all you need is a sock! Cut off the closed end of a (clean!) sock and roll it into a donut. Voila — donut bun. You may sew the ends to make it more secure or add another sock for more volume.

Vinegar. Yes

You’re not going to turn your hair into kinilaw. Apple Cider Vinegar is ideal, but regular old white will do too. Add a teaspoon or so of vinegar into your conditioner bottle and use it as usual. You can also add the same amount into a tabo of water and use this to rinse your hair before stepping out of the shower. Aside from making hair shiny, vinegar also helps keep frizziness at bay. Don’t worry about the smell, it fades once your hair is dry.

Tips and Toes

Mani-pedis common simple luxuries we can enjoy. Before this pandemic, many of us regularly go to the salon or nail spa to get our hands and feet buffed, massaged, and all that. Because these establishments are closed through the ECQ, we have to make do with what we can do at home. Here are a few ideas.

Soak ‘Em 

Foot soaks are nice and relaxing to your tired tootsies. You may be staying home all day, but that doesn’t mean your feet don’t bear the brunt of it all. You’ll see articles on the effects of soaking your feet in diluted mouthwash to soften calluses and dry skin. Cooling ingredients will soothe and relax aching muscles. There are disinfecting ingredients that fight bacteria and fungus to keep your feet from getting smelly. 

Nail It

A mani-pedi sounds superficial, but we understand it isn’t. After all, nails and cuticles are indicators of health too. Frequent handwashing and disinfecting keep your hands clean but dry. Keep dry nails and cracked cuticles at bay by rubbing a drop of oil into each nail and cuticle. It doesn’t have to be fancy, regular old sunflower or olive oil in the kitchen will do. Bonus: it gives your nails a beautiful shine too, no nail polish needed!

Home Spa Experience, Anyone?

Alright, let’s be real — it’s not a full spa experience and it’s never going to be. Part of the luxury and relaxation comes from having someone else pamper you. Since we’re being honest though, none of these DIY beauty hacks are hard to do and all of them work (albeit in different levels for everybody). We can’t wait to see you try these hacks out for yourself.