When I had my corporate job, I woke up early at 6:30 a.m. each day to have enough time to do my makeup and hair, get dressed in my fancy business attire and prepare my lunch. Since I’ve been working at home for the past nine years, I don’t have to get up so early. In fact I sleep in until 7:30 a.m. – what a luxury! I also don’t have to apply much if any makeup…I’m sure my skin is thanking me for that! For those of you who are new to working from home, I wanted to share my 10 minute beauty routine. I’ve added a few optional steps in case you are having a Zoom meeting.
Facial Dry Brush
I use Province Apothecary’s Daily Glow Facial Dry Brush to stimulate my lymphatic system. Use your dry brush before you cleanse your skin. Dry brushing reduces puffiness and dark circles, provides gentle exfoliation, detoxifies skin, and reduces the appearance of fine lines. The process takes only 2 minutes. It took me about a week or two to incorporate this new habit into my daily routine, but I now dry brush every morning. Watch this short video to find out how to use your facial brush:
Cleanser
After dry brushing, it’s time to cleanse. One of my favourite cleansers is Eve Lom Cleanser. It’s made from clove, eucalyptus and Egyptian chamomile oils and is extremely gentle on my skin. If you don’t want to shell out the $105 (100 ml) for the Eve Lom Cleanser, another one of my favourite cleansers is Korres Greek Yoghurt Foaming Cleanser, $30, available at Beauty Boutique at Shoppers Drug Mart.
Toner
After washing your face, apply toner. Don’t skip this step because your toner will remove excess dirt and rebalance the pH levels of your skin. Another product I love from Province Apothecary is their Invigorating & Balancing Toner. Rose Flower Water & Geranium give this toner an exhilarating floral scent. This is my favourite toner and costs only $42 for 120 ml; $18 for 30 ml. I see that I am out of this product. *Calling Province Apothecary!!
Moisturizer
Vegan, cruelty-free, clean beauty brand Teaology makes a great green tea-based moisturizer that provides your skin with a slew of antioxidants: Matcha Tea Ultra-Firming Face Cream, $69. And the best feature is: it smells of green tea! Apply this moisturizer after your toner and you are ready to start your day!
Make-up for Zoom Meetings
Personally, I wouldn’t bother using a foundation for Zoom meetings. You really don’t need much coverage since your skin will already look blurred.
Bold Lipstick
Forget the nudes and soft pinks! Wearing a bold lipstick during your next Zoom meeting will give the illusion of a fully made-up face. One of my favourite lipsticks is Lise Watier Rouge Intense Supreme, $28. I have this lipstick in Jasmine (a bright fuchsia) and Brooklyn (a deep burgundy). They are intensely pigmented with a gloss finish. Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick is another good option. And yes, it actually does stay on your lips all day.
Mascara
This is a personal decision. Some women don’t feel right not wearing a mascara, even on a Zoom call. Here are my two favourites: Stila Magnum XXX Mascara, $30 (available at Beauty Boutique by Shoppers Drug Mart). This mascara goes on thick and extends your lashes in one application. No applying two or three applications and still not getting the long, gorgeous lashes you desire. If you would like a more affordable option, Maybelline Volum’ Express The Colossal mascara, $9.49, also provides thick lashes with two applications.
You may be interested in reading, “How to Use Zoom: Etiquette, Tips and Best Practices“.
Thanks for the tips! Love the “make up for zoom meetings” part. So true!
Thank you! Cheers, Lori
Yes, there’s nothing bold lipstick and a little mascara can’t fix over the internet! I couldn’t work from home unfortunately, but I catch up with friends online, and with those two iconic make up items on my face, it’s pretty easy to hide any imperfections on my face as they drew any attention away from other areas 🙌
Haha, yes! It’s amazing how mascara and a bold lipstick can take the attention away from skin imperfections! Cheers, Lori
I love this kind of basic and quick beauty routines they are the easiest to do when running out for a meeting! Will test out your recommendations 🙂
Yes, a quick beauty routine is the best because who has time for a 20-30 minute daily routine? Cheers, Lori
I like that this beauty routine won’t take up so much of my time. Sometimes I just wash my face and that’s it. I will be taking your advice and re-vamp my beauty routine with your tips.
I used to just wash my face, but as I’m getting older, I find I need to cleanse and moisturize! Cheers, Lori
I totally agree with you about the luxury of better sleep when working from home! I also make my daily skincare routine a priority.
Yes, isn’t it great to get a bit more sleep when you work from home?! I agree…I have to make my skincare routine a priority, otherwise, I wouldn’t do it lol. Cheers, Lori
There are some really good ideas here for sure and I like how they will not take up too much time x
Yes, I have made my beauty routine short, otherwise, I won’t do it. Cheers, Lori
I really like this routine. super simple yet very cute and will bring you nice results
Yes, I agree…it is very simple; otherwise, I wouldn’t do it lol. Cheers, Lori
You seem to have quite a routine. I know some people who don’t and yet they look flawless. I guess they are quite fortunate.
Yes, those people are lucky! I have to look after my skin because it’s sensitive. Cheers, Lori
Wow that is an expensive routine! I would need a second job to be able to do that. I will stick to my $5 month routine.
Wow, please share your $5 routine with me…I’m curious! Cheers, Lori
This is helpful. Working at home may be convenient but it also has its downsides. Just like neglecting our beauty routine because “we’re just at home”
Anyway, thank you for sharing this. This quick and easy is just timely and practical.
Thanks! I agree that it’s tempting to skip the beauty routine because we are working from home. That’s why I have paired mine down to the essentials. Cheers, Lori
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