Wisdom worth repeating, from Natural Health magazine: ‘It’s time to connect to your bigger purpose and your true identity. A 2010 study published in Applied Psychology found that individuals who felt they had a sense of purpose lived longer than those who didn’t. If you want to be someone who values your health, that means moving more. If you’d like to be known for your kindness, then think how you can develop and practise altruistic behaviours.’
We thought Zoom calls would be ancient history now, but nooooo… But the best piece of advice we’ve learned is still to avoid any kind of shiny make-up, which is just accentuated by the screen. Think matte, think powdered T-zone – and forget mineral make-up and light-reflective concealers, which just bounce back the light and make you look sweaty.
Beauty wisdom from Cheryl Tweedy: ‘I read cosmetics labels. I take a long time over that, because the instructions are there for a reason and help you get the best out of whatever product you’re using. A lot of my friends just whack on whatever, without looking at it – but I don’t think that’s productive.’
Love this, from fashion designer and fragrance mogul Narciso Rodriguez: ‘Everybody has a ritual with their fragrance; some people throw it on their clothes and run out of the door, but for me it’s more elaborate. I like to spray the shower with eucalyptus oil. One shot wakes you up in the morning, while a shot of lavender in an evening shower is deeply relaxing.’
As we age, one of the reasons skin loses its plumpness is because some of the subcutaneous fat is lost, causing sagging. Add plenty of good fats into your diet to recoup that youthful glow: chop avocados into your salad, sprinkle seeds on top for skin-boosting goodness – and don’t see good fats as ‘the enemy’, ever.
Painting nails before bedtime will lead to dullness and smudges. If you must, apply only one coat of polish and wait at least 45 minutes before dozing off.
Smudged your mascara? Slightly ‘ewwww’, but your best bet is either a cotton bud dipped in foundation, which you can use to ‘roll’ away the specks – or wet the cotton bud with your tongue. It’s not as runny as water, so won’t take off foundation underneath and leave a mark.
Love this quote from Oscar-winning actor and L’Oréal ambassador Viola Davis. ‘My life is my beauty. My skin tone, my kinky, curly hair, my deep voice is my beauty. I just had to realise that I had it all along…’
Home waxing right now? Some waxes are pulled off with muslin strips, but if your kit contains large strips, cut them into Band Aid-sized piece, since it’s easier to wax one small area at a time. Test the temperature on the inside of your wrist, meanwhile; if the wax is too hot wait just a minute or so because if you wait too long, it will congeal.
Having trouble waking up in the mornings? So many of us are still afflicted by poor sleep that it’s a widespread issue. So: step out into the garden or sit by a window first thing, to help you overcome any early morning grogginess.
Suffering from dry, flaky lips? Us, too. Dampen lips when you’re having a bath or shower and gently buff away with a flannel. Pat dry immediately you’ve finished washing and slick on a rich balm immediately.
We love finding space for little ‘psychological lifts’ during each day. A splash of Cologne, a reapplication of blusher in the afternoon, a swipe of lipstick at the end of the working day. Fact: if you feel pretty, you look pretty.
This quiet time of year is a perfect moment to follow some advice from US make-up pr Glenn Marziali. 'Take a Sunday afternoon to find out what makes you feel pretty. Go through magazines, cut out pictures of eyes, lips, cheeks that look like yours – or shades of make-up that you love – and see what the make-up artist did to the models. Then try it on yourself.' (You could also use a Pinterest board for this, of course.)
Don’t play ‘join the dots’ with your foundation, applying a dot here and a dot there and then connecting them when you blend. Focus on applying to one area, and then move on – starting with the area where you feel you need the greatest coverage, and moving on to ‘less important’ zones. (We swear by Cailyn O! Wow Brush for streak-free application.)
Cooking, believe it or not, is a great time for handcare. When you’re making a salad or frying a dish, put a teeny slurp of the oil in the palm of your hands and massage into skin. (Be sure to avoid using knives before it’s sunk in, so your hands don’t slip.)
Keep a bottle of facial oil by your bed. While you’re reading or relaxing before nodding off, apply a few drops to your fingers and give yourself a facial massage – two minutes is great, five minutes is better. Your skin will appreciate the nourishment – and the ‘boost’ will be visible when you look in the mirror tomorrow morning…
As big fans of bathing, we love this from philosopher and ‘The School of Life’ founder Alain de Botton. ‘Baths are ideal places to think. Their ability to ease us towards productive ideas is probably greater than that of the places we formally assign to such work: the office, the library or the laboratory. The reason is that our bigger thoughts generally don’t come when commanded. They tend to emerge when we’re not quite looking. The warm water lulls the nervous habits of the mind. We’re off the hook. We’re perfectly free not to think at all and – by the perverse logic of the brain – this actually makes thinking easier.’
Vitamin C is a ‘buzz’ supplement right now – but did you know it’s essential for eyes? It helps keep them lubricated, via ‘the aqueous humour’ – the liquid that fills the outer part of the eye. If dietary intake of vitamin C is poor, the levels in the eye will reflect that.
If you notice your skin’s shiny soon after cleansing, or you have enlarged pores, blackheads (or your skin often breaks out), look for products featuring salicylic acid. It soaks up sebum. (Clays are also good for drawing out dirt and oil without dehydrating skin.)
Aim to shape your eyebrows every four weeks. ‘Don’t pluck in-between – you won’t achieve that clean, sharp finish,’ advises Vaishaly Patel.