Let’s say you’ve already de-cluttered your vanity—or you don’t need to right now—you can still organize it! If your hair ties are mixed in with your makeup brushes and your magnifying mirror is sitting on top of all of it, it’s time to readjust. Take this time to figure out an organizational system that works for you and keep it tidy with repurposed kitchen containers or organizational caddies that fit your specific space or products—did you know they make containers designated for organizing lipsticks? Yep, it’s true.

Try self-tanning

You’re likely not having many face-to-face interactions these days and for those that happen over a video chat, your virtual appearance does not need to be top-notch. But if you’re someone who feels their best with the glow of a tan, don’t let the current news cycle discourage you from it. Or if you’re someone who wants to finally try self-tanning but you’ve always been afraid of it, now is the time to experiment.

For a popular-but-affordable pick, go with the Jergens Natural Glow  which reviewers say gives you a natural-looking, bronzed tan without making you look orange or streaky. The mousse dries within a minute and you don’t have to wash it off—just wear it until it gradually fades.

Give yourself a manicure or pedicure

You don’t have to be a professional nail technician to groom your fingers and toes—just some basic tools that you may already have at home, like a nail file and clippers. To keep it simple, clip the tips of your nails and file down any sharp edges to avoid snags in your clothes or scratches on your skin. Then, if you have one, paint a clear coat on your nails to make them look shiny and healthy. Repeat this process on your toes.

If you want to try your hand at a spa-like nail treatment, place your fingertips in a warm bowl of water to soften the skin, then clean up your cuticles using a cuticle pusher. From there, trim your tips with a clipper, shape the edges with a file, and buff out the tops of the nails with a nail buffer or an old, worn-down file that’s not too rough. Once you’ve completed these steps, wash your hands and proceed with a clear coat or a colorful polish that flashes your work. For your feet, you can do the same process but use a foot spa—or, in a pinch, a bucket filled with warm water—to prep your feet.

Upgrade your pedicure with a foot peel

While you’re pampering your feet, you might as well stick ‘em in a “foot peel.” Don’t worry—it sounds scarier than it is. The popular Baby Foot Exfoliation Foot Peel claims to “rebirth” your feet using fruit acids that remove dead, callused, and cracked skin through exfoliation. Leave the booties on for 60 minutes and your feet will slowly peel over the next week or two—although, this may work better for some than others. You may want to avoid this treatment in the warmer months (who wants to see their feet peeling out of their sandal?) but it’s perfect right now, when you’re shuffling around the house

If you’re tired of the usual manicure every single time, try the newest trend in gel nails: Mirror chrome nails!

Mirror Chrome Gel Nails 101

Gel nails are the obvious choice when getting a manicure these days because they last 3 weeks without chipping. Chrome nails, also known as mirror nails or glass nails, are a step up from gel!

Chrome nails may cost a bit more than what you usually pay at the nail salon, but they’re definitely worth it. And they’ll be great for parties to compliment your outfit and your makeup!

Prefer to DIY your nails? Check out this easy tutorial to get gorgeous-looking mirror chrome gel nails at home.

Things You’ll Need to Have Mirror Chrome Gel Nails

• Black Gel Polish
• Gel Top Coat
• Chrome Powder
• Eyeshadow Applicator
• UV lamp

Mirror Chrome Gel Nails Instructions

Step 1: Black Base Polish

Prepare your nails like what you would usually do with gel nails. To create the full effect of the mirror nails:

• Apply a double coat of black gel polish
• Cure the gel for about 10-20 seconds under UV light to dry it instantly

Once this is done, apply a clear gel top coat and cure under the UV light once again. Now your nails are ready for the loose chrome powder!

Step 2: Buff on the Chrome Powder on Your Gel Nails

Use an eyeshadow brush to pick up an ample amount of chrome powder.

Dab on the powder to your UV-dried nails and start buffing. Make sure to put just enough pressure to create friction on your gel nails.

It might not come out right away but after a few rubs, the silver chrome effect will come out. It should look similar to foil.

Step 3: Clean Up

When you’ve applied the loose chrome powder on all your nails, brush away the remaining powder around the nails. These little buggers might be a bit harder to brush off compared to glitter.

Tip: If the cleaning part isn’t your style, you can apply liquid latex around your fingernails. The excess powder will stick to it instead of your skin.

Step 4: Apply Top Coat

Satisfied with your mirror chrome gel nails? Don’t forget to apply another layer of the clear top coat. This will help lock in the powder and retain the mirror-like effect.

Step 5: Cure Again

After everything, cure your new gorgeous nails for 60 seconds. Using alcohol, clean up any excess chrome powder around your chrome gel nails and then start enjoying people’s attentions!

Deep condition your hair

Many people have (unofficially) reported to me that their hair is feeling dry and snarly from throwing it up in buns everyday in lieu of their usual styling routines. In some cases, it’s also a matter of unfortunate timing with now having to postpone a long-needed haircut. A hair mask can’t repair your dead ends, but it can give your hair a needed boost of hydration. If you’re looking to invest in one, try the fan-favorite Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask, which claims to replenish moisture and protect against future damage. If you want to save some cash, you can make your own using ingredient combinations like eggs and mayonnaise, banana and avocado, or yogurt and honey, according to blog recipes.

Declutter your makeup collection

Now that you’re spending more time at home, you may be taking inventory of any non-necessities cluttering up your space. Unlike clothes, books, or other home purging projects you may consider tackling, makeup doesn’t take up too much space, so it may not be top of mind when you’re sifting through belongings. If you sit down at your vanity, though, you’ll likely find at least one product you haven’t touched in awhile, or ones that are expired.

Most cosmetics have a small graphic depicting an open jar on the packaging with a number inside that indicates its shelf life in months. Go through your collection and toss anything that sits unused or you’re certain you bought longer ago than this suggested expiration. If you have unopened products that you don’t see yourself using, consider donating them to an organization like Project Beauty Share, which gives products to non-profit organizations “serving women and families overcoming abuse, addiction, homelessness and poverty to help restore hope and dignity in their lives.”

Re-organize your vanity

Let’s say you’ve already de-cluttered your vanity—or you don’t need to right now—you can still organize it! If your hair ties are mixed in with your makeup brushes and your magnifying mirror is sitting on top of all of it, it’s time to readjust. Take this time to figure out an organizational system that works for you and keep it tidy with repurposed kitchen containers or organizational caddies that fit your specific space or products—did you know they make containers designated for organizing lipsticks? Yep, it’s true.

Try self-tanning

You’re likely not having many face-to-face interactions these days and for those that happen over a video chat, your virtual appearance does not need to be top-notch. But if you’re someone who feels their best with the glow of a tan, don’t let the current news cycle discourage you from it. Or if you’re someone who wants to finally try self-tanning but you’ve always been afraid of it, now is the time to experiment.

For a popular-but-affordable pick, go with the Jergens Natural Glow Instant Sun Sunless Tanning Mousse, which reviewers say gives you a natural-looking, bronzed tan without making you look orange or streaky. The mousse dries within a minute and you don’t have to wash it off—just wear it until it gradually fades.

If you are looking for a bright side to the new normal, this might be it: Being forced out of your usual beauty routine gives you the opportunity to change it up for the better. Now is the best time to experiment with different beauty techniques—like a scalp detox or intricate nail art—while you’re staying safe at home. You never know, maybe you’ll pick up a habit you’ll love even after quarantine ends. Ahead, 15 essential beauty skills to learn right now from celebrity makeup artists, hairstylists, and manicurists.

Perfect a Zoom-Ready Updo

“If you spend an extra five minutes on your ponytail you can make it more special than a gym hairstyle. I sent Dakota Johnson to the Oscars in this ponytail, and to this day I still get questions about it. It’s a ponytail–but it’s all about the details. You need to use at least two elastics. By the time you’ve wrapped the elastic around a ponytail two or three times you’ve already stretched it out and it will slide. The first elastic is used to create the ponytail and the second elastic is to hold it in place. After that it’s all about the hair in front of the ears and at the nape of the neck. If you have a ton of flyaways there it’s not ‘romantic, ‘it’s messy. You can use a little spoolie brush coated in hairspray to sweep all of those little hairs into the ponytail.” –Mark Townsend, hair stylist.

Try a Pre-Shampoo Hair Treatment

“This is a really good time to try pre-shampoo treatments. My clients usually tell me they never have time for it. But if you’ve ever colored your hair before you have some damage. So slap conditioner in your hair and put a shower cap on. No one’s seeing you! You can do a treatment on damp hair or dry hair. Try any type of heavy coconut oil conditioner on the mid-length to ends. If you’re not going to be able to get a professional haircut in a while, you’ll need to take great care of your ends. Look for natural nut oils— almond, coconut, macadamia—because they’re full of fatty acids that actually make up the hair, and they have a smaller molecule so they can get into the hair instead of sitting on top.”

Indulge in High-Tech Skincare Tools

“I’m a big advocate of at-home tools. I love love LED lights. I have every LED light under the sun. I have Celluma, Dr. Dennis Gross, The MMSphere by Dr. Marmur. They are not only relaxing and regenerating to the skin, it’s very healing and has so many beneficial properties. I also have at-home microcurrents like the NuFace and the pure lift from FaceGym, which I love. The thing you have to keep in mind is that you’re not going to use LED lights or microcurrents for a week and look like you’re 15 again. These are things you have to do with consistency and it takes time to notice a difference. It’s a hard space to navigate and there are a lot of gimmicky tools and it is also an investment because these tools are not cheap. But those are two treatment that I use that make a difference in my skin. So now that we have plenty of time and we’re wearing less makeup, it’s the perfect time. Put aside ten minutes (I’m a little bit extra, so I would do 30 minutes) and once you see improvement and how good it feels to take care of your skin you can go from there.

It would be much cooler of me to pretend that I was pretty blasé about my wedding, but I must confess I’ve been day-dreaming about it since I was a little girl (with the nearly decade’s old Pinterest boards as additional evidence to this fact). And as someone who writes about beauty for a living, my pre-wedding beauty routine came front of mind almost immediately after getting engaged. So I thought I’d document a little of said routine for other like-minded, beauty obsessed brides.  If I were to cover every aspect of my wedding plans it would rival a university thesis in length and arguably depth, so I’m restricting myself to three specific but highly important aspects of my wedding prep: skin, supplements, body, nails, and teeth.

Our wedding was actually in early February 2020, but I’ve held off chatting about my pre-nuptial beauty preparation until now because it didn’t feel right. We were so, so unbelievably lucky with our timing that I feel guilty thinking about it – had our wedding been even a couple of weeks later, we’d probably have had to reschedule like so many couples have had to, or if not, at least significantly alter our plans. We got married in my hometown of Perth, and my husband is French and many of our family and friends live interstate and overseas, so it was a true joy to be able to celebrate with all our loved ones who came from afar, and whom we probably won’t be able to see again for the foreseeable future.

SKIN

I’m pretty diligent with my skincare routine, but I complemented my at-home regime with a couple of skin-boosting treatments in preparation for the wedding. A few months out I tried the Hydrafacial at in West Perth, which involves a thorough exfoliation followed by infusing the skin with seriously hydrating peptides and hyaluronic acid. My skin is quite sensitive, but it immediately looked glowing and plumped, so I was hooked. I rebooked for a week before the wedding itself because I was comfortable that it truly had zero downtime, but I could have probably afforded to schedule it even closer to the day for maximum luminosity.

NAILS

I had a very specific idea in mind when it came to how I wanted my nails on my wedding: very lowkey, very subtle, ‘no-nail-polish nail polish’, if you will. I’d always loved the timelessness of the Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding manicure (which was supposedly a combo of Bourjois’s Rose Lounge and Essie’s Allure shades) and asked the salon to aim for the closest they could get to that look, but in gels. Had I gotten married in Sydney, I would have opted for  where the clever therapists mix together a bespoke combination of polishes to craft the most natural and flattering nude shade for your skin tone. I treated myself to one before my engagement party and adored it – my custom combo, by the way, was a blend of

TEETH

Getting my teeth whitened was a must-do for me, and I opted for  as  and had loved the results. A small word of warning: if you weren’t aware, you need to steer clear of all foods and drinks that aren’t clear for 48 hours, so make sure you factor this into your social calendar: I’d suggest having the treatment no more than a week before the big day, and those pre-wedding days tend to be filled with celebratory meals with family and friends, so I suggest you keep this in mind. But you’ll be happy to know that champagne is on the ‘okay to consume’ list, thank goodness.