Chapped lips, grey roots, and dull skin, oh my! Not exactly the stuff of your wildest beauty dreams. The quarantine has got many of us feeling less-than-glamorous, but hark! Help is in our midst. Some of Coronado’s top beauty and wellness pros have got some at-home hacks to help us stay lovely, lean and luminous. Read on for tips on how to look well and be well in lockdown.
Pucker Up with an At-Home Lip Treatment
Do you kiss your mother with those lips? Certainly not, especially if they are dry and chapped. Liz Bruhin from Lizzy B’s Skin and Lash recommends a home lip scrub to get your lips in cushiony, kissable shape.
“This Do-it-Yourself lip scrub is easy to make and really works,” says Liz. “The best part? It’s made from ingredients you probably have laying around the house.”
You’ll need sugar, coconut oil, and honey. Mix in equal parts, stir and scrub!
“It can even be used for hands and feet,” says Liz. “Just use the scrub, then put lotion on your hands and feet and put them into socks.”
If you don’t have coconut oil, try Vaseline.
“This is also good for the face, but be sure to use regular white sugar because the crystals are finer and won’t scratch the skin,” says Liz. “Never salt…it dehydrates the skin. If you’d like to save the unused portion, just put it in a screw top glass or a plastic jar and stick in a cool, dry place.”
Get Luscious Locks with a Hair Masque
“Crazy times doesn’t have to mean crazy hair,” says Alexis Reitmeyer, Owner of Coronado Bliss Salon. “Use this extra time at home to restore your hair back to health! Here are some of my favorite go-tos.”
For an at-home “shine” treatment, Alexis recommends Aveda’s Color Conserve Strengthening Treatment.
“This treatment has sunflower and macadamia nut oils to deeply nourish and strengthen color-treated hair,” says Alexis. “This type of masque is perfect for in-between salon visits to keep your colored hair from fading.”
If your hair is feeling damaged from over-processing or environmental factors like the sun, Alexis recommends a deep conditioning treatment, like Aveda’s Damage Remedy Intensive Restructuring Treatment.
“It’s packed with quinoa protein which strengthens damaged hair with deep repair and leaves hair feeling healthy, smooth and strong,” says Alexis.
No matter what masque you’re using, Alexis recommends brushing it through your hair from scalp to ends and wrapping with a warm towel to help the product penetrate deeper into the hair.
And what to do about grey roots?
“If you are struggling to hide your grey roots, zig-zag parting is a great way to hide the greys,” says Alexis. “You can also find an eyeshadow close to your desired color and smudge it with a sponge onto your roots until well-blended. You can even use mascara.”
Check out this helpful video for more tips and tricks.
Coronado Bliss is also offering free local delivery for any products, email [email protected] to place orders!
Gulp Down the Goodness
If you’re not putting the right things in your body, it’s hard to get that pretty glow. Ladan Springer from Coronado Cleanse, our island’s own boutique cleansing spa, has some juicing tips to boost immunity and radiance during the quarantine.
“During this challenging time, it’s more important than ever to take care of ourselves,” says Ladan. “Building up and maintaining strong immunity is essential because we are especially vulnerable right now.”
Ladan says that the key to staying healthy during quarantine is to eat as clean as possible.
“I know this is a time when comfort food is most appealing, and that’s OK if you keep it at a minimum,” says Ladan. “You will find the healthier you eat, the better you will feel. Our immune system and mood boosting serotonin is located in the digestive tract. And that is everything right now.”
Ladan offers the following juice recipe, which includes immune boosting ingredients.
“Keep in mind, the juice is good for 72 hours so you can make it ahead, but you must drink it within three days to absorb the vitamins and enzymes at their peak. And it’s best to choose organic when possible.”
Ladan suggests washing your produce with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or grapefruit seed extract.
Quarantine Juice Recipe
1 head of celery
2 cucumbers
4 knobs of fresh turmeric
1 knob of ginger
2 lemons
1 bunch of cilantro
5 stalks of kale
(Add one green apple if you like your juice sweeter.)
“The trick to juicing is to rotate the celery with the softer greens while pushing them through one after the other,” says Ladan. “Another great hack—if you have a dehydrator—is to turn your juice pulp into raw crackers.”
Enjoy!
Find Your Inner Om with a Yoga Practice
It’s hard to look your best if you aren’t feeling great on the inside. Jenny Driessan, yoga and fitness instructor with Sharp Coronado Hospital, is offering free online classes to help you get your body and soul in sync.
“During these uncertain times, it is more important than ever to get your head on straight and your body in tip-top shape,” says Jenny. “Your moving meditation stretches and strengthens your body, clears your mind and gets the two to cooperate as one.”
A practicing yogi for ten years and an instructor for seven, Jenny has experienced many breakthroughs and epiphanies as a result of practice.
“Yoga means to yolk or unite,” says Jenny. “It’s a union of your mind, body and spirit. It does not always have to be on a mat. It could be a mindful walk in fresh air, or a 5-10 minute meditation.”
In addition, readers are invited to take one of many FREE yoga classes sponsored by Sharp.
“There is chair yoga, beginner yoga, restorative yoga and more,” says Jenny. “The quarantine will eventually end, but in the meantime, do what you need to, to come out fine on the other side. Move your body and clear your mind every day.”
See this LINK for the free online classes offered through Sharp: Sharp Fitness Schedule
Get Glowing with an At-Home Facial
The beauty experts agree. The quarantine is a great time to try an at-home facial treatment!
“Your face is the most naked area of your body,” says Natalie Falletta of Natalie Falletta Skincare. “It is constantly exposed to various conditions like sunlight, wind, and cold weather. Getting facials on a regular basis to ensure your circulation is always healthy.”
According to Natalie, facials enhance your blood flow and improve your circulation. Increased blood flow, in turn, boosts oxygen to your skin cells, plumping and providing them with essential nutrients.
“The best part about getting a facial is the immediate results,” says Natalie. “The appearance of your skin will improve and you will glow with confidence.”
While you can’t exactly run off for a facial and a spa day, you can certainly maintain best practices at home by giving yourself twice-monthly at-home facial. Natalie breaks down the routine.
Step 1: Exfoliate.
Natalie recommends the LCA fx160 Exfoliant Scrub by Priori.
“Let the product do the job,” she says. “Don’t use force with the exfoliator. Once applied, leave on the surface of the skin for a few minutes. Use delicate, light pressure to move the dead skin cells from the surface of the skin. Rinse well and remove with a face cloth, pat skin dry.”
Step #2: Peel.
Natalie recommends the LCA Smart Peel Pads by Priori.
“Make sure you wait two days after using the scrub,” says Natalie. “Use after cleansing, on dry skin. Gently wipe over the entire face, neck, etc. Do not apply over eyes or lips. Mild tingling may be experienced and is normal. Leave product on the skin and blot dry.”
Step #3: Perfect.
Use a serum. Give it 1-2 pumps then massage into your skin. Natalie recommends the DNA fx221 Recovery Serum by Priori. “This product is a go-to for all sorts of issues. Repairs and reverses DNA damage using all natural ingredients. Nourishes, moisturizes, illuminates. Reduces fine lines, and is packed full of antioxidants that help smooth pigment and boost collagen production.”
Step #4: Hydrate.
Apply a thin layer of a hydrating masque before you go to sleep. Natalie recommends the LCA fx61 Hydrofill Masque by Priori.
Some tips:
You can purchase all of these products (and more) directly through the Priori Skincare website https://prioriskincare.com and use the discount code NFS15 for 15% off your order.
As a general recommendation, do this process two times a month. Be sure you wait two days after the scrub (step 1) before completing the peel (step 2.) Perform this process at night, as it is best to avoid direct sunlight after using peel products.
Stay Prim and Polished with Home Nail Treatments
You can’t get out for a mani-pedi, but you can still take care of your nails while you’re at home.
Lynne Papaconstantinou, owner of BE Polished in Coronado, gives us the lowdown on an effective at-home manicure that will leave your hands and nails looking lovely and enlivened!
“First, clean your nails and make sure you dry them after washing,” says Lynne. “Make sure you moisturize your cuticles with some type of cuticle oil. Clean up any stray nail polish off the cuticle with a nail polish remover for a neater manicure. We use a woodstick to do this.”
Lynne says its best if you trim your nails in a straight line, then either square or round them off at the tips. File slowly and gently in one direction for best results. After filing, buff your nails for a smoother look.
Next, add a base coat.
“Base coats form a protective layer on your nail and prevent your nails from getting discolored and stained,” says Lynne.
After you polish with several layers of the color of your choice, use a top coat. Top coats help your nail color last longer and add a shine to your nails, as well as prevent them from chipping off easily, explains Lynne.
When it’s time for a change, be smart. “Use a polish remover to remove your polish,” says Lynne. “Never scrape! This will ruin your nails.”
To help out, BE Polished is offering a “Starter Kit” with a new file, buffer, woodstick and cuticle oil for $5.00. Just call 619-437-1440 to set up a time to pick up.
Balance Your Chakras with Guided Meditation
It’s a challenge to stay balanced and peaceful when the world is tumultuous and changed.
“We are living in times of uncertainty where we no longer live in the past and the future is unknown to us,” says Catalina, a local yogi and crystal healer, specializing in chakra balance. “The only thing we truly have is the present.”
Catalina says the mind is constantly in action, and with the lockdown in place, sometimes it’s even harder to stay calm.
“The mind was built for thinking and that’s what it does all day, talking us in every possible scenario we allow it to, sometimes making it scary and unpleasant,” says Catalina. “We can never make the mind stop, but we can teach it and train it to come into stillness where everything is perfect, just as it is.”
According to Catalina, meditation needs to be seen as a daily practice just as much as we brush our teeth, take a shower, and eat fruits and veggies every day.
“The more we practice meditation, the further we can go within connecting to that divine wisdom where all answers reside,” says Catalina.
During this time, she recommends practicing grounding meditations.
“That means you connect to the greatness of the earth and trust that you are provided for and taken care of,” says Catalina. “Also, heart meditations to release fears and doubt. I also suggest activating the immune system through guided meditation every day.”
Catalina is offering one on one online sessions on activating chakras.
“It takes about 20 minutes of your beautiful time where I guide you through a meditative state and balance your bodies,” says Catalina.
She also offers live yoga classes, core workouts, and sound healing meditations especially during the new moon and full moon phases.
“I’m a sucker for the moon and the stars,” says Catalina. “Other new workshops coming up through Zoom are on twin flames, connecting through your heart, healing relationships, balancing bodies, and more. I am offering it free of charge to make it available for everyone in times like these.”
You can follow Catalina on Facebook as Catalina de Leon, and on Instagram as CatLoves33, where all the lives happen. You can also visit her website.
Catalina suggests that in addition, anyone interested in meditation to follow Igor Galibov on YouTube on his channel Alignment of Light.
Thanks for reading, and stay beautiful everyone!
