Living in a lockdown can expose a lot – including your roots. So it’s no surprise that a month into the coronavirus pandemic, grooming gear is being snapped up with an urgency usually reserved for toilet paper and sanitizing wipes. According to Nielsen data, hair clipper sales have shot up 166 percent from this time last year while hair dye sales have increased 23 percent. With salons shuttered and Americans becoming do-it-yourself stylists faced with unkempt hair, chipped nails and scruffy stubble, here are a few tips to help you stay tidy while also avoiding jagged hairlines and accidental bald patches.
Cutting your hair
If you can, you should wait until salons open again for your next haircut while also keeping your hair healthy and moisturized with leave-in creams and conditioners. As well, such products as gel, wax and pomade will let you experiment with your style without resorting to shears. Likewise, if you feel your bangs are out of control, try a slicked-back ponytail or headband to wrangle them away from your face. But if you absolutely feel like you need a cut, keep it simple and clean, snipping at dry – not wet – hair without switching up your style (again, leave that to the professionals). If you’re tackling the back of your hair, seek out someone to help you.
Doing your nails
Try to make manicures a social activity in these self-isolating days. Invite the kids to participate. And if you have roommates, take turns doing each other’s nails. While there are manicure tool kits, all you really need are the essentials: a file, buffer and clippers. For a simple manicure, cut and file the nails into whatever shape you want, then buff the nail plate and wipe it with an acetone-based polish remover. A base coat will guard against chipping. If you want to remove Shellac or gel nails, there are plenty of online video tutorials to help guide you.
Coloring your hair
Because at-home and salon products are different, if you haven’t already been dyeing at home, you shouldn’t start now as it can wreak havoc on your appearance and your hair. So as you wait for your salon to re-open, take a few steps to maintain your hair: wash it less to keep the color from fading; use root touch-up products to conceal roots and vanishing colors; and for blondes and people with highlights, use purple shampoo to brighten your locks.
Caring for your skin
If you’re missing your regular facial and are looking to show your skin some love, but don’t have any face masks at home, you can make any number of your own alternatives, using such foods as bananas, cucumber, honey, milk, egg whites, squash and oatmeal.
Waxing
With salons closed, let it grow. That’s the advice from most experts, who suggest you don’t do anything more drastic than shaving at home while we’re all self-isolating. But if you’re a first-time self-waxer who is feeling particularly hirsute (and courageous), there are at-home solutions for you. The first, and most well-advised, are wax strips. For non-beginners, there are hot wax options, which are ready to go out of the microwave.
Growing a beard
So you’ve always wanted to grow a beard. Why not a pandemic beard? Being stuck at home is a perfect excuse to experiment. A few tips to unleash your inner lumberjack: let it grow for a month before you try to style it beyond snipping the edges; wash it at least twice daily while also using a beard oil to reduce the itchiness; and brush it in the direction you want it to grow.