Finding time to get to a salon can be half the reason many of us struggle to get a professional manicure, hair colour or facial. Here are some quick and simple secrets to doing the job at home.
Keep your skin in tip top condition this winter by exfoliating and using a mask.
Facial:
After your shower, exfoliate using a gentle scrub, such as SÁvar Refining Revitalising Facial Exfoliator $49 and wipe clean with a face cloth dipped in warm water
Massage on a mask and leave for 15 minutes before wiping off. Trilogy Mineral Radiance Mask $35.90 is ideal because it contains kaolin clay to draw out impurities, and a blend of botanicals, including rosehip oil and pohutukawa extract, to hydrate and smooth
Moisturise as normal.
Experiment with a new hair colour this winter.
Hair colour
Use an at-home colour kit if you want to go a couple of shades lighter or darker than your natural tone. Anything trickier than this needs salon expertise
Always do a skin allergy test. Just dab a little of the colour behind your ear and leave for 48 hours
Remove earrings and don’t use metal combs as they may react with the pigments in the dye
Cover the floor and your clothes with old towels and put a film of Vaseline around your hairline and on your ears to protect the skin
Have everything set up before you start mixing and applying colour
Start with the greyest area and only take the colour to the ends if they need it. A good trick is to comb through the colour from the roots five minutes before you rinse it out to avoid build-up on the ends
Foams tend to be the easiest option because they spread through hair well and don’t drip. Schwarzkopf Ultimate Colour $19.99 doesn’t require mixing and you can store any unused product until you need it again for a root touch-up.
Pamper yourself with an at-home manicure.
Manicure
Push back the cuticles gently and file nails to desired shape. Never file when you’ve just stepped out of the shower or been washing dishes as your nails will be soft and easily damaged. File in one direction only, going from each side towards the centre and then rounding out the point for an almond-shaped result that won’t be too prone to breakage.
For a smooth foundation, apply a ridge-filling base coat and allow it to dry for one minute
Put on two layers of colour, giving each a minute to dry
Apply a layer of top coat to finish.
Hot tip: The longest-lasting result I’ve had so far has been with Essie Ridge Filling Base Coat $24.99, No Chips Ahead Top Coat $24.99 and one of their range of colours. The new winter collection is out now, including Shearling Darling $22.99 and Warm & Toasty Turtleneck $22.99.
Take a look at 20 eye make-up products under $60 here.
