4 DIY beauty treatments NOT to try right now
Your pedicure may be hanging on for dear life, your roots are starting to grow in and your dip manicure is probably a hot mess. We are certainly navigating uncharted waters in our lives as a whole, and our professionally-performed personal-maintenance is obviously at a standstill. Sure, there are plenty of home-based hacks that will get us through this, but at some point, you may be desperate to take matters into your own hands. In most cases, it’s OK to experiment (and thank G-d for online retailers who are still helping us get the goods we need)—but there are a few DIY beauty projects you absolutely, positively should not do.
#1: Cut your hair
If you’ve been thinking about trying bangs and feel like there’s no time like the present, STEP AWAY FROM THE SCISSORS. The caveat: If you have long hair (meaning long enough that you can hold it in front of your face without contorting your arms or entire body) and want to give your ends a little trim, here’s a good YouTube tutorial.
#2: Highlight your hair
Just trust me on this one, no matter how bad the roots get. You’re never going to get that balayage or foil results you’re accustomed to at home, so just wear a headband or scarf until it’s safe to get back to the salon. (If you’re Zooming with co-workers and friends, they’ll totally understand.) There are so many fantastic products that conceal roots, such as Rita Hazan’s Root Concealer Touch Up Spray. The caveat: If you normally get a single-process color, you’re probably OK with an at-home color kit. But I suggest checking in with your colorist for recommendations, and he or she may be able to mix color for you that you can pick up. (My colorist is already doing this for her clients.)
#3: Get creative with your acid-based exfoliating products
This one is especially important if you have sensitive skin, because you can’t just pop over to the dermatologist’s office if something goes awry. If you think leaving a glycolic-acid mask on for longer than recommended will deliver the results of an office-based peel, you’re really just asking for trouble.
#4: Microneedling (for now)
Several well-regarded dermatologists are saying that we should lay off the at-home microneedling for the time being. This is basically because we’re in a really germy situation and you don’t want to create thousands of little injuries in your skin that could potentially grant any sort of virus or microbe access to your body. Another reason is that most of us don’t sterilize these tools properly before every use, and if your hands aren’t 1000% clean, you could contaminate it (along with everything else you touch).
With that, be sure to check back for lots of at-home beauty treatments you can do to feel and look better until the pandemic is behind us (or subscribe to the newsletter so all my tips automatically land in your inbox every Friday)!
Stay healthy (and stay home)!
