'Average Girl' Health & Beauty Maintenance: Lockdown Edition

Let me just start this blog post off by saying: I'm not letting anyone (apart from the government, obviously) tell me how to spend my time during lockdown, and you shouldn't either. Of course, I can't really get around not doing my uni work because I would quite like to graduate, but with that being said, in such an unprecedented time, nobody should be telling you what you should and shouldn't be doing when no-one really knows what's going on. However, I know that in this weird portion of history that we call 'lockdown,' what works for me is keeping to some kind of routine to keep me feeling like me. One part of that routine is watching a whole lot of Lucy Wood videos, and in this ode to her binge-worthy, boredom-curing content, I'm putting my own take on her 'Average Girl' series and sharing with you, dear readers, my very basic but very beneficial lockdown health and beauty maintenance regime - for those who, even in a pandemic, function best when sticking to some kind of schedule.

wake up & smell the sweat 

One thing I definitely haven't been doing is sticking to a wake-up time - or any kind of reasonable one, anyway. These days, morning seems to blend into afternoon rather quickly. But when I do eventually come to, and after watching a YouTube video or playing a round of Mario Kart Tour or seven, I do like to do a quick at-home workout before stumbling down the stairs. One that I've been loving is Chloe Ting's 10 Minute Standing Abs Workout - a fast, apartment-friendly circuit even I, a complete fitness wimp, can manage. If I'm feeling particularly determined, I'll also tackle Popsugar's 4 Minute Arm-Toning Workout, which is definitely not as easy as it sounds, and have also pushed myself to do Emi Wong's Standing Leg Workout, which may render my legs useless for the rest of the day, but is definitely worth it. Especially while at uni, I don't exercise as much as I should, and I've found even doing these short workouts in the morning help me feel like I've achieved something that day no matter how much uni work I end up completing. 

treat my hair to a full on feast 

After a sweaty workout, it's time to jump in the shower. One thing bringing me a lot of joy is the glorious scent of my never-before-tried Plum Rain shower gel from Lush - a Christmas pressie I had been yet to crack into until last week. The revitalising fruity fragrance is sure to bring you back to life after a workout of any intensity. However, bringing me even more joy is a hair treatment that has gracefully fallen from heaven and into my lap.  Raise your hand if your hair is driving you crazy *hand shoots up at lightning speed.* The temptation to chop it all off and don a wig until the end of lockdown is very real, but I'm actually hoping to go a little blonder as soon as I can, so my dry, out-of-control Hagrid head is going to have to stay. Although, maybe not - as the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor Deep Treatment is here to free my hair from all its Hagrid-y-ness. I really wanted to get my hair in better shape before getting it coloured, and this miracle-in-a-bottle might just be what does it. Even after one wash my hair was noticeably less frizzy, much more nourished and much more shiny. I smooth a generous amount over my hair before combing it through and leaving it to work its magic for three minutes before washing it out again. It's so weird how building this (ever so) slightly higher-maintenance step into my hair-washing and general health and beauty lockdown routine has not only made me feel so much happier about my hair and my overall appearance, but also just makes me feel ready for the day - if I can conquer the huge brown mass that is my hair, I can conquer anything. 

a sustainable razor to s(h)ave the day 

I'm not seeing anyone, I'm not going outside, and the line between clothes and pyjamas is thinning by the day - shaving is one of the last things on my mind. But in that three minutes while the hair treatment is doing it's thing, or while soaking in a lovely warm bath in the evening, my Friction Free Shaving Razor comes out to play. This is a fantastic option especially for now; as we don't know how long lockdown restrictions will continue, and we want to limit the amount of times we go out to the shops, subscription services like Friction Free Shaving have really come into their own. I've raved about this razor before in my 5 Little Sustainable Changes post, back when I had recently received my first delivery. Since then I've only come to appreciate the quality and convenience that this service offers more. It's a fantastic subscription box that's easily adaptable to your needs, and also still running it's brilliant service even during these strange times through contactless delivery. Freshly shaven legs topped off with a beautiful moisturiser is one of the best feelings in the world, and keeping on top of it with this excellent, sustainable razor has helped me feel fresh and clean, even  if I'm wearing the same sweatshirt I've been wearing for a week straight. 

going shopping in your makeup bag

Ok - I've done my workout, washed my hair and used my razor. Next up: makeup. Well, sometimes. Since leaving uni, putting on a full face of makeup has seemed pretty pointless, but on the days I have fancied a lick of mascara or a swipe of lipstick, I have actually really enjoyed it. It just generally makes me feel better. And while a common pass time of mine is scrolling through Feel Unique and Cult Beauty lusting over all the pretty products, I've found there's no better time than the present to rediscover the makeup I haven't used in a while. Although I definitely hadn't forgotten about any of these products, incorporating them into my beauty routine in new ways or just more frequently has made me more excited to smoosh them on my face. For instance, the B. Glowing Booster isn't always an integral part of my skincare regime, but I've really loved applying it recently for an instantly-healthier, dewy complexion. Also, whenever I reach for a bronzer, you can bet I'll be pulling out the e.l.f Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder in St Lucia - but more recently I've been using the blush a whole lot more. The almost sun-burnt-looking skin trend is blowing up the beauty community at the moment, and I'm totally on board, so building up the blush over the cheeks, nose, forehead - basically all over my face - has become a solid part of my makeup routine. And lastly, I rarely use lip liner apart from when I'm really going to town with my makeup, but recently I've been experimenting with the Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Hot Gossip, kindly gifted to me for Christmas. Not only is it a wonderful, silky formula, it's my ideal lip colour for days when I want something noticeable but natural too. Whilst I've absolutely loved rediscovering these products, whenever I choose to wear makeup, I do try and use at least one thing I haven't reached for in a long time; it helps me look forward to doing my makeup even when it feels silly to do it, and putting on a full face in general makes for a lovely full stop to this health and beauty maintenance routine. 

This is a basic routine, yes - but do we really need any more complexity in our lives these days? I'm just a humble student trying to find a good balance between work and downtime, and this small health and beauty maintenance regime has been so useful in helping me to keep some kind of structure to lockdown life. I don't know how long we'll be in this situation for, but I do know this: I have a whole lot of makeup to fall back in love with.