It’s 3pm and I’m still in bed. Those who know me will understand this isn’t the most shocking statement– most of the time, it’s because I’ve stayed up until 5am the night before falling down the YouTube hole. But lately, it’s for a different reason.
These past few weeks of quarantining throughout a life-altering pandemic have completely changed the self-care routine I diligently put into place back at school. Self-tan every Sunday (click here to read about how to self-tan like a pro), a face mask every Wednesday, nails filled every 2 weeks, eyebrows tweezed once a week…you get the picture. Being home, inside, with no one to see can really affect the motivation we have to take care of ourselves (hence me staying in bed until 3pm). This lack of care can result in, or be a result of, feeling depressed and anxious. As someone who has struggled with mental health, I’ve learned to practice patience and understanding with myself during these uncertain times without compromising feeling the best I can possibly feel during a worldwide pandemic.
Here’s what I’ve been up to:
- Use this time to stop putting heat on your hair. I haven’t blow dried or straightened my hair in over a month and I feel a major difference. The frizz and flatness is worth the damage repair! Your hair will look so much healthier in the summer lighting, and it also takes a step out of your shower routine…amen.
- Stop wearing makeup. Give your skin a break. Focus on decongesting your skin right now. Try using a jade roller; it’s insanely beneficial for the blood flow and collagen production in the face. I’ve also stopped self tanning to really keep my skin as bare as possible. I miss the glow, but I’m trying to look at the big picture. With this said, I do my makeup once a week if I want to. For someone like me, doing my makeup feels like a form of therapy and I genuinely miss blending my shadows and baking my face. Maintaining some normalcy is important too!
- Listen to your body. Some people are using this time of isolation to rest and relax, while others are using this time to get in shape at home. BOTH ARE OKAY. This is a pandemic, not a productivity contest (hello, in bed until 3pm today). I try to do even just 30 minutes of exercise everyday because it definitely helps with my energy levels and endorphins, but I also let myself lounge. When it’s nice out, I sit outside. When it’s not, I sit on the couch. I go easy on myself.
- You’ve heard this before, but try something new. If there’s a time to pick up a new hobby, it’s now. Try a ‘paint by numbers’, do some yoga, cook a nice dinner for yourself (not just pasta or overcooked chicken breast), read a book…or, if you’re like me, find a 10 year old hula-hoop in your basement and try to master some hula tricks. Use this time to do something you otherwise wouldn’t. Keep yourself busy.
- Obviously, I can’t get my lashes or nails filled. To combat this, I’ve been using a DIY lash growth mixture and applying vitamin E oil on my cuticles every night before bed. If I can’t fake it, I might as well make it.
There are so many ways to take care of yourself during troubling, anxiety-ridden times. The bottom line: do what makes you feel your best. That’s going to be different for everyone. There’s no right or wrong right now– just remember that this won’t be forever and things will get easier. Soon enough, your self-care routine will go right back to normal!
Be kind to yourself. Do good for yourself.
By Cati Januzzi
Edited by Sam Lacey