'I'm a beauty editor. Here's exactly what my routine looks like in lockdown.'

July 25, 2021

Lockdown has changed A LOTTA things. Beauty routines included. Like, remember when we used to wake up and do a full face of makeup? Ha ha ha! What a time.

But seriously, I barely even touch my foundation these days (pfft... who's she?) and pretty much just groom my brows and chuck on a little highlighter if I absolutely HAVE to.

If you're anything like me (very cool and not at all scared of making appointments over the phone), skincare is your main priority at the moment.

You're back to the novelty of perfecting your skincare routine, browsing online for new products and just trying to give your face ALL the attention so it doesn't go ahead and pull some crazy s**t on you like last time. Because isolation skin issues suck.

Watch: Here are three easy steps to glowing skin. Post continues below.

Video via Mamamia.

You're using this time to focus on attending to your dark spots, uneven skin tone, blemishes and marks. Your more consistent with your products (cause WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO DO) and you're also giving your skin way more time to breathe.

So, I'm going to take you through what I've been doing. Here are the skincare, makeup and haircare products I've been using during lockdown.

July 25, 2021

We Just Found The Goldilocks Of All Hair Smoothing Products

You Beauty

My lockdown skincare routine.

Let's just give you a little rundown on what my skin is doing at the moment, shall we?

While I might have managed to escape 'maskne' (for now...) I am, however, excelling on the redness and irritation front. Like, EXCELLING. It's not a competition or anything, but if it was, I'd totally win.

Listen: A heart surgeon's tips for dealing with maskne. Post cotninues below.

My skin usually gets pretty dry and irritated during winter anyway, but team that with stress, less exercise (less exercise equals less blood flow to the skin, which equals inflammation 🙃) and a change in diet (read: eating a Wizz Fizz for lunch), let's just say it hasn't been looking its cute self.

And while I haven't dramatically changed my routine, what I have been doing is ramping things up on the hydration front (lots of hyaluronic acid products and lovely hydrating night masks) and reaching for ingredients that will help calm redness and inflammation, like vitamin B/niacinamide.

What I've not been doing is trying out new at-home skincare devices or peels - because right now it's all about a less is more approach. My skin, she's fragile. And now is not the time to try at-home skin needling, you know?

SO! The routine. For cleansing I've been using a lot of lovely milky formulas like Edible Beauty No. 1 Belle Frais Cleansing Milk, $59 - it's a beautiful creamy cleanser that's perfect for sensitive skin (me).

Image: Flora & Fauna

After cleansing I whack on SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic Serum, $228, before applying SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Gel, $100. While SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic Serum has been a staple in my routine for yonks (it makes my skin look bright, healthy and glowing) - the Phyto-Corrective Gel is a newbie.

It might look like Cottee's Green Cordial, but it's actually full of anti-inflammatory ingredients, making it great for sensitive, touchy lockdown skin (not great for drinking, though). It also contains hyaluronic acid, which is always a good time in my books.

Image: Adore Beauty

Image: Look Fantastic

When it comes to my day moisturiser, I kind of switch between a few different ones depending on how my skin is feeling.

One of my favourites right now is the CeraVe Moisturising Lotion, $15.99. It's lightweight, oil-free and packed with essential ceramides and hyaluronic acid.

Image: Chemist Warehouse

And OF COURSE I'm still wearing sunscreen every day - silly question. Everyone knows UVA rays can penetrate through glass... right guys?

I switch up between sunscreens on the regular, but right now I'm enjoying Naked Sundays SPF 50+ Collagen Glow Creme, $34.95, because it makes my skin look dewy and fresh and there's zero white cast.

Image: Naked Sundays

At night, I switch out SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic Serum and SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Gel for Bespoke Technology Luminosity and Revive and Refine Serum, $145. It contains bakuchiol, lactic acid and niacinamide and doesn't make my skin freak out. Win!

I also use La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Hyaluronic Acid Anti-Ageing Serum, $52.39 (cause girl needs EVERY drop of hydration she can get).

Image: Bespoke Technology

Image: Chemist Warehouse

As for my night moisturiser, I'll go for either a thicker, richer cream or a hydrating mask - like Sulwhasoo Overnight Vitalizing Face Mask, $77.

If my skin is extra red, flaky and b**chy, I'll slather on a layer of La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5, $12.59, and let my skin just slurrrrp it up overnight.

Image: Sephora

Image: Chemist Warehouse

My lockdown makeup routine.

I've not been doing a lot of this. Like, the bare minimum, really. I'm only really applying makeup if I have interviews or external meetings - and even then, it's not a lot.

I'm less about a full face right now, and more about just looking zingy enough for people to think I'm making an effort, you know?

For now, I'm neglecting all those delicious eyeshadows, bronzers and lipsticks and just really just going for a healthy, glowy, I-didn't-eat-cake-for-lunch, 'my skin but better' look.

I've been flirting with Fenty Beauty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint Foundation, $46, for a long time now - and honestly, the love story is still going.

It's been the perfect lightweight coverage for lockdown zoom antics, and it tackles redness and blemishes with ease. I've been mixing it with a couple of drops of face oil - because my face needs all the moisture it can get.

Image: Sephora

For a nice healthy glow, I'll blend a creamy blush into my cheeks (Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick, $73, is my favourite right now, but there are tonnes of great affordable options out there, like Trinny London Flush Blush, $36).

Image: Mecca

I'm also partial to a wee bit of highlighter action. I like the creamy formulas (Chanel Baume Essentiel Multi-Use Glow Stick, $71 or Ere Perez Vanilla Highlighter, $40) and I apply it on the high points of my face to make it look like I've actually been drinking water.

Image: Chanel

Image: Mecca

And the brows. the untamed brows. I'll brush 'em up with a spoolie, or add a bit of brow soap (either normal clear soap or Napoleon Perdis Fixated Brow Styling Soap, $32) to keep things looking neat.

Image: Adore Beauty

And that, friends, is as good as it gets on the makeup front right now.

My lockdown haircare routine.

I've been doing hair masks, you guys! I really have! And about bloody time, I'd say.

For someone that has hair that is as thick and coarse as an actual pineapple, you'd think I'd have been doing these more regularly. But, nah. I'm too lazy.

I always get into the shower and realise I should've put one on five minutes before, tell myself I'll do it next time, then... don't.

Now, however, I'm all about the hair mask. I figured I wouldn't be able to get a chop for a while, and as someone who is pretty freakin' prone to split ends, I decided to get on board (for REAL, this time) with hair masks.

I've been using the Moroccanoil Intense Hydrating Hair Mask, $55.95 and ELEVEN Australia Miracle Hair Mask, $27.95. Both are great for dry, thick, disobedient hair.

Image: ELEVEN

As someone who usually straightens their hair every day, I've also just... stopped doing that. Mainly because why would I bother, but also because I actually have some really cute curls that I never let be curly? Which is sad, really.

So, I'm doing something I've never done and I'm letting my curls out.

...And I kinda don't hate it?

I've been scrunching in Ouai Hair Curl Crème, $49, after getting out of the shower and I love the way it brings out my curls without being crunchy. It also helps tame the frizziness and gives my strands a great big drink of water.

Image: Sephora