With nowhere to go and no one to see, beauty might be the last thing on our priority lists. And while it's great that out skin and hair get a bit of a break, it is still important to keep some grooming practices in mind. We spoke with Toronto-based aesthetician and hair and make-up artist Allana Davis who shared her tips on important at-home self care routines and which beauty products to stock up on.
What are some of beauty must-haves we should stock up on while we self-isolate at home?
I believe that while we self isolate and practice social distancing together, it’s imperative that we continue to take care of ourselves and dive into our beauty routines.
Believe it or not our hair often gets the least amount of love in our routines. Rushed morning showers don’t leave tons of time for a luxurious hair treatment. I’m currently giving my hair all the love with 911 Quinoa Hair Mask By Biotop, a light weight mask that will give you moisture and shine with all the bounce.
For our skin, now is a great time to enjoy at-home facial treatments like our Rejuvenate Kit featuring iS Clinical's Warming Honey Cleanser, Tri-Active Exfoliating Mask, Hydra-Intensive Cooling Mask and Cleansing Complex. A well-rounded treatment like this will offer great cleansing, resurfacing, target skin concerns, and also nourish and hydrate. While in quarantine, many of our days are makeup optional so after your treatment, give your skin a rest for 24 hours to really soak in the ingredients.
What are some at-home self-care routines we should be keeping in mind?
With frequent hand washing many of my clients are suffering from dry, chapped hands that hurt! If you suffer from eczema or any other skin conditions on your hands, it’s a nightmare. Try applying a thick layer of coconut oil and cover them for an hour with gloves. The results are amazing.
If you really need some help, iS Clinical's Sheald Recovery Balm is a moisture-rich formula that dramatically replenishes hydration to dry, sensitive or compromised skin and is a must-have.
Thanks to video conferencing, we can still stay in touch with colleagues, clients, friends and family. What are some fun tips to look good for a Zoom meeting?
I look froward to my zoom check-ins with my clients for work and seeing family and friends for catch up. My go-to products to get video call ready are, Doo Over by Kevin Murphy for my hair flips, my Allana Davis Brow Gel and Pencil for life altering brows and I always need a lip pop - I’m currently addicted to Charlotte Tilbury's So Kate lipstick.
Eyebrows are one of the most high maintenance parts of our face. How can we keep them tamed at home?
I've loved receiving all of my bushy brow texts from clients waiting patently for their eyebrow threading appointment (laughs).
For at home, a tweezer can either be your best friend or worst enemy so here are five tips to groom your brows at home until your next appointment.
Brush your brows into shape before you begin. This way you know what you are working with and can plan your tweezing attack.
Only tweeze what you need. Do not try to shape your brows too much or get too close to the edges. This is where those tiny hairs that may seem out of place to you live. Those tiny hairs however are strategically left there by your artist to help conceal those pesky brow holes we hate.
Brow razors are great! I prefer my clients use a brow razor rather then pulling from the root that often thins the hair follicle.
Do not try threading your eyebrows at home because you watched a youtube tutorial. Period.
Do not use hair dye to dye your eyebrows. Eyebrow dye is often vegetable based and much gentler then regular hair dye. So avoid using hair dyes that can dry out your brows and often cause breakage.
Allana Davis is an accomplished aesthetician and creative makeup + hair artist with over 15 years of experience in television and print media. Her diverse background and experience make her a unique voice in the beauty industry. Follow her at @allanadavisstudio.