I don’t know about you, but since growing into adulthood it feels as if my self-care routine has slowly but surely been going down the drain.

Having a full time job, trying to stay social, studying and bettering skills, eating healthy, exercising…. all of these things are hard enough to fit into a day let alone a face mask and new nails.

But now the world has changed dramatically. Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the UK and the rest of the world we have been relagated to our homes, and many including myself have been furloughed.

So with all this spare time on my hands I began to devise a new routine of self care to give my skin and hair some much needed tlc and hopefully make my natural beauty shine through. And today I thought I would share with you what I’ve been doing!

Hair

As you can see, my hair is long, red, and curly. I’m not going to lie, I did cut my own hair on Day 12 of lockdown…

When it comes to my hair I always try to maintain the colour, shine, and thickness. I don’t visit the hairdressers, I cut my hair maybe once or twice a year at home, and I try my best to maintain a care routine. During lockdown I’ve been doing 2 main treatments on my hair:

• Cinnamon and Conditioner mask
• Hair oil treatment

The Cinnamon mask

I have red hair, and sadly sometimes the vibrancy of my hair can decrease and waver. This is why I like to use a mixture of cinnamon and hair conditioner once a week or so to brighten the natural red in my hair as well as provide deep conditioning. All you will need is:

3 tbsp cinnamon

3 tbsp hair conditioner

Mix and apply through the roots and ends, and leave for at least an hour. Wash as normal.

The Hair Oil

Hair oil is incredibly important for healthy locks and I use this or my own DIY Hair Oil. I will either apply one hour before washing my hair, or apply a small amount to the ends when my hair is towel damp. It gives the hair shine and also keeps it hydrated!

Skin

I naturally have very oily skin, and this means I have always been prone to blackheads and breakouts around my t-zone as well as my chin. My skin routine has been lacking for a long time, but now I have found a perfect routine that works wonders for me…

1. Cleanse
2. Exfoliate
3. Cleanse (after shower)
4. Tone
5. Blemish control
6. Moisturise

And as well as these steps, once a week I will also add in a face mask, which I apply 20 minutes before I go for a shower to reduce effort and mess.

Lips

My lips have always been a huge issue. In the winter my lips seem to be dry 24/7 and they crack and split constantly. During my time in the house I decided that I had had enough of worrying about my cracked lips and I invested in a few products to help keep them moist and happy.

For my lips I have:

Barry M Peppermint Lip Scrub

Barry M Coco Loco Lip Oil

Barry M That’s Swell Lip Plumper

I have been using the scrub twice a week in the shower, the lip oil after this, and once I do makeup I add the plumper.

Eyelashes

When I was around 14/15 I found a tip online that said if you place Vaseline on your lashes they will grow longer and thicker. I of course tried this at home, and I can tell you now it worked wonders.

However, as I’ve got older Vaseline isn’t something I have in the house any more and last week I started to use Argan oil instead. Once I’ve been for a shower and completed my face routine I simply rub some argan oil over my lashes and on the root of the lashes. It feels wonderful and I promise your lashes will thank you for it! If you don’t have argan oil in the house olive oil works too!

Nails

I have always done my own nails. I have very weak nails and they basically bend and split constantly when left to their own devices. During this quarantine I’ve been playing around with my nail routine a little bit more, using my favourite nailene stick on nails then painting on top. The ombré sunset look you see above uses Barry M polishes and i used a sponge to add layers of orange and red on top of a yellow painted nail. If you want a tutorial for this let me know!

I hope you are all safe and well and I also hope that my little quarantine self-care routine might inspire you a little this week! Remember it is important to pamper yourself once in a while!