We have basically spent a season indoors and though some cities and countries are opening slowly, some are still in lockdown. Regardless of your situation, corona has taken a toll on your skin, and not just the usual suspects. Here are my must haves for keeping your skin soft and supple.

THE HANDS HAVE IT

We are going to start here because I think this is EVERYONE’S problem. I mean, I washed my hands before this pandemic, but I have been EXTREMELY overwashing them because, Hello Paranoia. And not only is washing taking a toll on my hands, it is also exposing it to such chemicals that have become the norm of wiping things down and disinfecting any foreign object that comes into my home—yup, Clorox, Lysol, you name it. So how can you keep your hands from drying out and get them back to their former glory? Look no further, this is all you will need.

My go to for perfect hands is The Ordinary’s Peeling solution. This product is a godsend and am so glad my friend introduced me to it. I was on a Zoom with him one day and noticed how great his hands were looking and that was the end. If you are like me and feel like your hands have aged 10 years since this pandemic started make sure to stock up on this stuff today. Make sure to use a deep moisturizer like Ceravé after to lock in the moisture.

Pro-Tip: When I’m traveling, I leave the peeling solution at home and go with hand masks instead. My favorite is Aveeno’s Repairing CICA hand mask. It leaves my hand soft as silk after just one use.

GET THAT GLOW

Though I have been indoors mostly, I have noticed a lot of residue coming off on my cotton pads anytime I wash my face. I’m guessing it is from all that NYC air blowing in from my windows or the AC vents (which i don’t even want to think about). Regardless, I didn’t want my skin getting dull, so I did some beauty experimenting and came up with a new routine that works for me.

SCRUB (2x a week)

So, this is an oldie but a goodie. For this one, I went back to basics. I needed a scrub that would get rid of my dead skin cells and allow my skin to soak up the moisture. I also needed something that I knew wouldn’t make my skin breakout as my skin is extremely sensitive and I get an allergic reaction anytime I try a new product that may have some unfriendly ingredients. My choice for facial scrub is Saint Ives Apricot Facial Scrub—not only does it work, but it is a major steal! You can get a 4 pack on Amazon for under $20!

Pro-Tip: Make sure to use hot or warm water to open up your pores and get the maximum benefits. The scrub is also really great for your neck and décolleté area.

WASH (2x a day)

If this is not the first time reading my blog, you know I don’t wash my face in the traditional sense of washing. I use micellar water as I believe it is softer and less damaging to your skin, unless you can afford to wash your face with Fiji water everyday, think micellar water is the way to go. Highly recommend Bioderma Sensibio H20 Micellar Water—has been my go to for years and has not failed me yet.

Pro-Tip: Get the facial sheets too for when you travel, so you are saving luggage space and you don’t leak on your clothes!

TONE/REFRESH (2-3x a day)

This was part of my routine I gave up while living in France, but moving back here definitely need it again, especially in the summer with all the humidity. I was lucky enough to visit South Korea, the beauty capitol of the world and picked up Son & Park’s Beauty Water. The Beauty Water is not just a cleanser but also mildly exfoliates to help sweep away dead skin cells, and is also calming, which is great because my skin is so sensitive. This water also leaves my skin brighter and smoother with a touch of hydration because of all the great ingredients pumped into it. Oh, and bonus—It smells like a dream!

Pro-Tip: Some days I also use Goodal Green’s Vitamin C Toner pads (another SoKo find), when I feel my skin really needs a jolt and boost—I’m sure you’ve been there too! These ‘5-in-1’ toner pads will exfoliate, moisturize, brighten, tone, and clarify with one quick swipe! This was also another SoKo find, but luckily also available on Amazon.

MOISTURIZE (2X A DAY)

So, this part of my routine has not changed from my Parisian life days. I still use and swear by my daily duo: Iauluset hyaluronic acid and Embryolisse lait crème concentré. The HA plumps your skin and primes it to retain moisture (PS it is found in ALL luxury anti aging cremes) and the Embryolisse gives your skin the hydration and moisture it needs. To get the long version, check out my previous blog here.

So on some nights usually the night after I do the apricot scrub, I either do a placenta serum or a face mask in lieu of my normal moisturizing routine. My fave mask is the Mediheal Collagen Mask. This mask is awesome if you need an SOS refresh for a special event (hopefully in our near future) or a Zoom call where you are looking to impress. This mask is awesome if you need an SOS refresh for a special event (hopefully in our near future) or a Zoom call where you are looking to impress.

If putting snail excretions is not too much for you to stomach, my other go to is the Saem Snail Mask. Yes, I was grossed out too by the idea of putting snail juice on my face, but my only regret was not buying more of it while I was in Korea! This mask is a A-MAZING and really gets you glowing! Sadly, it is really hard to find in the US :(

Pro-tip: Chill the masks in the fridge for a nice cooling effect. Not only does it feel nice, it tightens up your pores!

SKIN SO SOFT

So even though the rest of your body may not be visible to the general public, it is still important to give it some TLC, because you know, I’m all about equal opportunity. Like your face and your hands, always start with a good exfoliator. My new discovery is Avon’s Himalayan Pink Salt Body Scrub. If I had to describe it, it is pure heaven in a bottle. I feel like I am transported to the white sands of Kauai every time I use it. This exfoliator primes my skin while I shower and smells like a dream, seriously.

My go to moisturizer after that is Nivea’s Essentially Enriched body lotion. I have been using this since I lived in France and continue to use it here. I have heard that the European formula is supposed to be thicker, but so far haven’t noticed a difference. I actually feel that my bottles last longer here. The best part? You don’t need to leave your house to get it, like every product on my list based on my new normal online shopping policy :)

Pro-Tip: Make sure to bring your body moisturizer when you travel. Water quality is not the same everywhere and can really take a toll on your skin. To save luggage space, I usually pre-ship stuff from Amazon to my vacation destination so everything is waiting for me.!

PROTECT

Whether the sun is hiding or out in full force ALWAYS make sure to wear sunscreen, NO EXCEPTIONS. I have learned this the hard way one summer last year when I was watching an epic match at Roland Garros with Roger Federer vs Stan Wawrinka. The day was forecasted for rain and overcast, but we had hours of sun. Needless to say, my skin, especially my face, was not happy with me. From that day onward I have upped my suncare game.

For face protection, I use Biore UV SPF 50. I love it because it is a super lightweight gel and feels like heaven when you put it on. Also love the high SPF to block most of the suns rays.

For the rest of my body, I love the Avène line. I have trouble finding it in the US, so am grateful I have a supply from France. It is the line that comes in orange bottles SPF 50 and above.

My favorite lip protectant is Bitchstix. They come in a multitude of flavors and are organic. I love that it is an spf 30 lip balm as spf 15 seems to be the trend in stores. Your lips really need protection so best to go with the higher spf especially as the summers are getting hotter, which means sun is definitely stronger!

And last but not least, treat your tresses well! Everyone makes fun of me because I always protect my scalp. Seriously people, why do you think your scalp would be immune to the negative affects of too much sun? I love Coola’s Organic Sunscreen Mist for scalp and hair. It isn’t heavy so doesn’t junk up your hair and actually also defrizzes—bonus! Love the scent and the fact that it is also water resistant. A girl couldn’t ask for more!

Pro-Tip: Anything higher than SPF 55 is just marketing, so don’t buy anything higher than that. Also, to protect your face more from super scorching days, wear a hat! I make sure to have tons in my arsenal for those days and they are also great fashion moments :)

Well, that’s it for now, lovelies. Tune in for my next blogs where I talk about more beauty hot topics like the newest beauty supplements I love and best ways to tame your tresses. Till next time, stay beautiful. xo

Beauty Survival Kit: The Corona Edition