As many of us are adjusting to this stay-at-home lifestyle, there are a few tips and tricks to think about and maybe you can come up with your own ideas and it will lead to a light bulb moment in your life.
Yes, as the nation is opening up their stores and businesses again, we are still encouraged to stay home if the trip is not necessary and when we go out to cover up looking much like a ghost at Halloween to protect ourselves from viruses.
Here are a few tips based on things I have discovered since being home and contemplating where my next soiree will take place and should we wear masks and gloves or just a whole bed sheet over our bodies.
You may notice that sizes of liquid or cream products are getting smaller while prices stay the same or are a bit higher. Be mindful that you can buy the smaller sizes and simply conserve and not use as much of the product and, yes, add water to make it last. I personally go by price and add water to the product to stretch its life and I don't have to worry about making space to store dozens of the same household product.
For your household and bath products, you may like a certain name brand but see that a generic brand is a larger size and cheaper. In most cases, that cheaper brand is watered down. The solution? Buy what you like and prefer, however, once you use about a quarter of the liquid or cream product, even for shampoo, fill it with water yourself. It still works just fine and it will last a lot longer than normal especially when you notice the stores are raising their prices and providing either the same size or a smaller size of the same product.
Now, you can't do the watering down bit for your expensive beauty creams. I get it. But you can use a bit less or skip a day or two in your beauty regimen. If it's a product you cannot do without, then dump the stuff you rarely use or just like the packaging or the scent but it really doesn't do anything in particular to boost your appearance. You can dump those products for now unless you have the dough to splurge, then go for it. But, the point is, to stock up on your essentials only, those must-haves in your beauty cabinet. For me, I can't do without my Natura Bisse products, they are essentials in my life. What about you? Make a list of your essentials. If you can afford it, then buy a box full of the product and store it on a shelf in your closet or pantry. Then, if any future governmental lockdowns occur, you're covered.
Your makeup? Yeah, that's a bit more difficult since you have to use what works and you cannot make it stretch by adding water. It will ruin the product. Now is the time to make that list again and see what your essentials are in that beauty bag. Yes, cost is a factor, but you have to think about availability if the stores have a shortage and are slow in restocking the shelves.
Even when you order online, it make take longer for your essentials to arrive. So again, take stock, what do you need to survive? Me? Yeah, I need my Clinique foundation plus specialty products like Kett cosmetics. Again, go online and buy a box of the stuff you wear all the time. Store it in your closet and you're done. Your eye makeup should be the same; stock up on essentials. On my days at home I am pared down to a bare face. If I am only going to the grocery store and have to wear a scarf in case I need to cover my nose and mouth, I have a minimal makeup look. Otherwise, I like the full face makeup for shopping or making an appearance at the office or on a Zoom meeting camera - yeah, full face makeup is essential.
Okay, let's talk about that Zoom video conferencing app. Most offices now require a weekly Zoom meeting or whichever video conferencing application they are using, even with remote learning. There are YouTube videos telling you how to have your computer camera at about eye level and not too far above your head. If you place the camera too high, your roots will show as well as what is on your lap, whether it's the cat or your lower half exposed to prying eyes. Plus, you do not want to be straining your neck trying to look above you at the camera. You really want to try for about eye level and tipping your chin downward a bit.
Always have a place ready to go for video conferencing whether in business or in your personal life. Sit as close to a wall as possible, your back to the wall, so if you get up and run around, the camera will not have that wide angle and see everything. Only the wall will show. It's fine if you want to back up your chair against a bookshelf to display your Oscar and Tony awards, but again, be mindful of what is on camera and that most sessions are automatically recorded. Even if they are not, any member of that video conference can do a screenshot and your image can be saved and downloaded onto anyone's hard drive.
Wear your regular makeup and foundation, but adjust your foundation color. If you have light skin, go a bit darker than you normally wear because the camera will pick up on light. If you have darker skin, choose a foundation a bit lighter than you would normally wear. Wear your normal eye makeup and blush, but maybe tone down on the lipstick. You don't want it smearing or appearing on your teeth as you talk away during a video conference call.
Place lamps, depending on brightness you may need a few lamps, directly behind your computer screen, where the light emits from behind the screen. You want the light source directly on your face, from the front only. Close all windows and shades to control the light source. If you only want to use natural light, that's fine, but be sure you are facing the window, do not have the window behind you.
Adjust the camera and video settings on your computer and choose the ones most flattering to you. Test your camera and lighting before you go live to see if everything looks okay. Do not feel self-conscious. Just be yourself and smile. Most people will not have these important tips I am providing here to you right now and will look bad on camera. But for those who read this blog? You'll be fine. Don't be embarrassed, drop that, just have fun with it.
I hope these tips have helped and remember that we are all going through the same difficulties and have had to adjust and we will continue to evolve and make this life better for everyone.
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