My WFH Beauty Routine

Like many a few months into 2020 my tried and true beauty routine vanished. I struggled to get ready to WFH. Most days I'd end up with a bare face, wearing jeans, and a Lakers sweatshirt. Sometime in November I started toying with the idea of actually getting ready to WFH in 2021. I wanted to start wearing my clothes again, and also regularly getting ready before I started my workday.

Did you know that there is evidence that professionals perform better on tasks while working when wearing clothes with “symbolic meaning?" If you feel inclined check out this study from the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology and read Dress Your Best Life: How to Use Fashion Psychology to Take Your Look -- and Your Life -- to the Next Level. Also, deciding to do a Project Pan this year was another great push to start wearing makeup again.

So starting January fourth I woke up 20 minutes earlier than normal. I got dressed and began doing my makeup and hair. I forgot how much I enjoyed the time and space that I created for myself with this ritual. While, my WFH beauty routine is pretty different from my normal beauty routine it's just enough that makes me feel put together and I wouldn't be frightened to turn my camera on in a meeting.

Skin:

I start off by washing my face with Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleanser, toning my skin with Pixi Beauty Hydrating Milky Tonic, and applying some vitamin C serum. I love Clinique Fresh Pressed™ Daily Booster with pure Vitamin C 10%.

Face:

I start my makeup routine with Clinique iD: Dramatically Different + Active Cartridge Concentrate for Fatigue which I use as a moisturizer and foundation.

My friend gave me this and I'll admit I was doubtful at first, but I've been enjoying it. It's basically a BB cream (marketed as a gel?) that first appears grey and then transforms to unify the look of your skin-tone. I have a Clinique ID cartridge for fatigue inserted which is supposed to energize and revive my face. This BB-gel gives me the tiniest bit of coverage I want while also moisturizing it. However, I need a little more coverage then this gel gives me so I add a bit of concealer. I've been using the Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer which is actually long gone, but I found it at Marshalls awhile ago and couldn't pass it up. Not sure why I initially bought this concealer as pre-pandemic I didn't wear much but hey now I use it on the reg. This BB cream with concealer lasts all day and looks natural. One thing about the BB-gel is that it seems to oxidize throughout the day. I notice I look tanner but it's not super noticeable.

Eyes:

Eyeshadow is one of great loves of my life. I tend to wear a super neutral eyeshadow on my WFH days. I have been using Beyond from the Urban Decay Aphrodisiac palette frequently (because Project Pan) but it's also just one of my all-time favorite eyeshadows on its own. I have such a thing for a good warm-toned, light brown matte eyeshadow. While this palette is not for sale anymore a similar shade to this eyeshadow is Buxom's eyeshadow single Invite Only or Sandalwood from Huda Beauty's Rose Gold Remastered.

What's a Chanel No. 1 beauty routine without eyeliner? I still apply a cat eye in the morning with an almost used up Urban Decay pen, and some Pixi Beauty eyeliner. Then, I apply Chanel mascara.

Contour/Highlight:

I've always loved contouring so I still contour my cheekbones and nose with my ABH contour kit in medium. Per Project Pan I've been wearing a lot of blush. I've enjoyed using NUDESTIX – Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencil in Kiss as a blush. It really adds a fun pop of color.

Lastly, highlighter is one of my all-time favorite makeup products so I finish off my routine with probably more highlighter than is actually needed for WFH but hey- it makes me feel good!

Here's my finished look! Usually it takes me around 20 minutes to get ready, but sometimes more depending on how I'm feeling.

If you're like me and a beauty enthusiast who can work from home and has lost their way due to bigger forces at hand I encourage you to try to find your way back. At the end of the day makeup is for you and such a fun form of expression. You'd be surprised how fun it feels to just put on makeup even if you're the only person really seeing it. 

I think my week can be described best by playing survivin' by Bastille on a loop. We have been experiencing rolling power outages this week in the midwest. Wherever you are I hope you have been staying warm, and able to find moments of light + comfort this week. 

Photos by my friend Mallory

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