We can all agree, 2020 has been a flaming dumpster fire of a year, yeah?
No matter your situation, pandemic life is varying degrees of rough for us all.
Really, it's the little things getting us through. Like lighting a comfy candle that smells like you could almost be on holiday somewhere warm (with cocktails). Or a swipe of lipstick making you feel less like a corpse on work video calls.
And cheese. And tea. So many cups of tea.
Speaking of a woman who enjoys a cuppa, Adore Beauty founder Kate Morris has been working from home for yonks. But like many Melbournians, lockdown is getting pretty old.
So, I was curious to ask her - what little beauty things are lifting her spirits and making her feel more human in isolation?
Here's what she said.
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I've been burning so many candles in lockdown, my partner has asked that I please don't buy any more.
Really, I'm liking candles that smell like being outside and not in my house. The Lumira Wilderness Candle - Mt Tomah smells woodsy, and the Sensori+ Air Detoxifying Aromatic Soy Candle Macedon Trail 3441 260g is lovely, too.
I also really like the Lola James Harper candles, all of the scents are nice and subtle. You can still smell them, but they won't give you a migraine.
The Aesop Geranium Leaf Rinse-Free Hand Wash 500mL is great - I've got a big pump because you need hand sanitiser by the door for when you come home, but most look kind of ugly. This one looks nice in the house and doesn't ruin your vibe.
How are my nails doing? They're shot. Usually, I have gel polish done because my nails are naturally thin and bendy, but with salons closed, I've been using the Essie Nail Polish Gel Treat Love & Color range. It strengthens the nails but also makes them look a bit less scruffy.
Like everyone else, I've been getting a little bit of maskne on my chin so I've been using the Sodashi Brightening Marine Mineral Mask when I need it.
I've been going through tubs of that mask for years. It smells like a day spa, which is really all we want right now.
Personally, I feel really crap if I don't 'get ready for work', even when working from home.
I'm all for chucking my hair in a ponytail and wearing trackies on the weekends, but on week days, I still do my hair and makeup like I would if I was going into the office. I don't feel right otherwise.
I'm also on a lot of work calls and I need to be the representative for Australia's top online beauty retailer. And you can't do that in a messy ponytail.
Makeup-wise, I always use the Ultra Violette Supreme Screen SPF 50+ Hydrating Facial Sunscreen as my last skincare step. Even if I'm inside all day, I still use it every day because, sun damage.
I have a bunch of foundations I use depending on what I need that day. If I know I've got calls and I want my base to look flawless all day, I'd use either MAKE UP FOR EVER Ultra HD Foundation or Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Foundation SPF15- if I only want a bit of evening out for my skin tone, MAKE UP FOR EVER Reboot Foundation or Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat All In One Glow Foundation would be my picks.
Cream blush is great for video calls, lately I've been using the MAKE UP FOR EVER Ultra HD Blush in either a pink or a bricky orange. The M.A.C Cosmetics Pro Longwear Paint Pot in the shade Groundwork is also brilliant as a quick, easy eye shadow you can whack on with fingers.
I have my eyebrows feather tattooed, but it needs to be redone and God knows when that will be, so the Benefit Gimme Brow + Fibre Gel does a great job of filling them in.
For lips, I have a stash of lip products at my desk that are basically all the same colour. I pull out whichever one I feel like at the time, but I'm really loving the Bobbi Brown Extra Lip Tint at the moment.
It's an expensive tinted lip balm and I'm angry at it... but I love it.
Ultra Violette Supreme Screen SPF 50+ Hydrating Facial Sunscreen
MAKE UP FOR EVER Ultra HD Blush
My hair is kind of my signature, which is funny because I used to get frizz-shamed by the house master in high school. Right now, I'm really digging the Aveda Sap Moss Weightless Hydration Shampoo 200ml and Aveda Sap Moss Weightless Hydration Conditioner 200ml - I wash my hair every four days, at night.
I use Olaplex No. 6 Bond Smoother as a treatment, but not too much because it's very heavy. Just a little bit through the ends is magic. Because my hair hasn't been coloured or cut in so long, it needs a bit more volume up the top than usual. Aveda Thickening Tonic sprayed in the roots works a treat.
Before bed, I dry my hair using the paddle brush attachment on the Dyson Airwrap to smooth out frizz (I don't use the curling attachments, I end up with massive hair).
I always do this at night so my hair is bone dry when I go to put waves in the next morning. If there's any dampness in my hair when I style it, the waves drop right out. And I need my waves to last for four days. Maybe five.
I add waves using a straightener (right now, I'm using the Dyson Corrale Nickel/Fuchsia ). evo icon welder heat protection mist works as a heat protectant, and it also sets the style.
Finally, I let all the waves set before brushing them out with my fingers and finishing with hair spray - R+Co Outer Space Flexible Hairspray is a good one.
Then, I actually have to go do some work. Is it 2021 yet?
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