At this point, I have been in quarantine for nearly two months, and my everyday routine has pretty much been flipped on its head. At school, I was getting exercise by walking upwards of two hours a day to get to and from class or work, and although sometimes arduous and tiring, the routine allowed me to spend some much-needed time in the sun. In addition to that, my diet and eating times were rather consistent there too.
Now, it seems like my concept of time is out the window, and my exercise has mostly been minimized to taking a walk around my block. Per my doctor’s recommendation, I started incorporating probiotics from yogurt into my diet as well. As someone who does not eat that much dairy to begin with, this new combination has created quite the fuss in my body, especially in my hair and skin.
Both my hair and skin have been more dry and less smooth, and my face has become pimple galore. It became clear that my normal beauty routine was not cutting it anymore, and I knew I needed to switch out some products to mediate the situation. Some of these new products absolutely blew me away, while others…did not. Here are six products I have tested during quarantine:
- Odele Leave-in Conditioner
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I first tried to tackle this dry hair problem by enlisting the Odele Leave-In Conditioner. The product is supposed to be for deep moisture, detangling and frizz, all of which I definitely need. It has no sulfates, formaldehyde, phthalates, parabens, dyes or synthetic fragrance. On top of that, Odele is cruelty-free and vegan, which is great because I try my very best to go for products like that.
Overall, I certainly liked it and thought it worked well. It unexpectedly defined and brought out my natural waves in a way that I have not even seen in my hair before. The biggest drawback was the smell. Do not get me wrong, it was not offensive by any means, but it is certainly not my favorite. Nonetheless, the smell will not keep me from using it, and this leave-in conditioner is welcome in my new routine!
- The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% & Zinc 1%
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I love The Ordinary for its simple and straightforward products and inexpensive price points. Their Niacinamide 10% & Zinc 1% has a high-strength vitamin and mineral blemish formula that is nice for tackling the appearance of my sudden acne. It also claims to minimize pores and regulate sebum, the substance that your skin makes to stay hydrated. Although I am a dry-skinned girl, I still always struggle with excess sebum on my chin, and I am so happy to report that this product works so well! I should mention, however, that upon application, it does burn for a couple minutes- but then it goes away. All in all, my pores seem to be smaller, and this product has made its way into my nightly beauty routine.
- Fourth Ray Beauty Mellow Milk
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Getting a new facial spray was of top priority for my new beauty routine because my favorite one was tragically discontinued. I was curious about ColourPop’s skincare sister brand, Fourth Ray Beauty for its lower prices, vegan and cruelty-free status and aesthetically-pleasing products. I got the Mellow Milk, a gorgeous-looking pink face mist that is said to calm skin down with softening and soothing ingredients such as white tea, marshmallow root and chamomile. Ironically, this did anything but that for my skin, and I was left with a rash. On top of that, the sprayer has a more aggressive, direct stream of product rather than a gentle mist. Albeit a cute product, that is unfortunately all it is for me, and it made my skin worse than it was to begin with. I had to keep up my hunt for a new facial spray!
- Fourth Ray Beauty Soak It Up Hydrating Mask
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Even though the Mellow Milk burned me (literally), I still wanted to give Fourth Ray Beauty’s Soak It Up Hydrating Mask a try. The star ingredients, hyaluronic acid, aloe, marine algae and vitamin E, seemed promising, especially because they are ones I look for, and I already know they mesh well with my skin. Each of them is meant to hydrate and nourish the skin, and that is exactly what this face mask did! I felt like it locked in moisture and made my face smoother. Success!
- Plant Apothecary RE: FRESH Organic Toning Face Mist
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This was round two for a new face mist, and I was really excited to buy the RE: FRESH Organic Toning Facial Mist from the eco-friendly, organic, cruelty-free and vegan brand, Plant Apothecary. In fact, I actually used this two years ago, but when I tried to repurchase it again, it was unavailable everywhere. I was thrilled to see it in stock recently, and I actually bought four of them. Even though I do not particularly like the smell, it works really well. The cucumber is calming on my skin, and the aloe vera is hydrating. Finding this product again was a quarantine dream come true!
- COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid
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I really wanted to get a chemical exfloliant to keep my skin fresh and regenerated, so I picked up the BHA Blackhead Power Liquid from COSRX. Its willow bark water is meant to help with clogged pores, and the betaine salicylate (BHA) is said to improve skin texture while removing impurities and cleaning pores. When I used it, I found that my acne really calmed down, and my pimples had significantly reduced in size. I had a lot of little bumps on my forehead, and the next morning they were practically gone! I have not seen a substantial improvement in my blackheads, but I still continue to use this about once a week.
Overall, most of these products were a delightful win, and they have been happily incorporated into my new and improved beauty routine. As the quarantine endures, I think it is particularly important for me to listen to my body and its needs. Actively adjusting and doing my best to take care of myself by switching up my beauty routine has not only been fun and great for my skin and hair, but it makes me feel healthier. I encourage everyone to monitor their bodies and to switch up or add to their beauty routines accordingly. Maybe you will find your new favorite product amongst this list!