The great make-up debate: are you wearing it at home during lockdown?

The great make-up debate: are you wearing it at home during lockdown?

04/09/2020

Can you be bothered to apply make-up during lockdown? Here, the Stylist editorial team shares how they’re approaching their make-up routines while staying at home.

Last weekend, my diary was pretty full. No, seriously. Between Houseparty calls with friends, movie days via FaceTime with my partner and family Zoom quizzes; I was busier than I was pre-lockdown. So, to fully embrace this new form of social gatherings, I put on some make-up. 

I hadn’t put on a full face of make-up for three weeks but once I dusted off my make-up bag and started filling in my eyebrows, it felt quite… nice. Going through the motions of my old beauty routine was slightly therapeutic and when I took a look in the mirror, it made me feel good. So, the next day (a Sunday), I put on make-up again. I’ll most likely do it again this weekend, too.

But when it comes to applying make-up while sitting at home, the topic can be quite divisive. As proven when I floated the question to members of the Stylist editorial team. The answers came through thick and fast, ranging from “100% no make-up ever” to I’m wearing make-up – I’ve completely got back into it all”. No two answers were the same. But which camp do you fall into?…

Felicity Thistlethwaite, executive editor digital: “I was 100% no make-up ever but wore as much as I wanted on my birthday”

“I don’t wear a lot of make-up usually but I would normally try to even out my complexion with foundation and concealer. That’s the kind way of saying, I colour in the rough bits of my face and make it look less…tired. I usually have my eyebrows tinted – that’s gone down the drain. And I sometimes treat myself to a lash tint and lift LVL – also down the same drain.

“I was 100% no make-up ever but it was my birthday last week and I treated myself to a) blow-dried and straightened hair b) as much make-up as I wanted and c) a trip to M&S food for a profiterole stack (essential food shopping). I absolutely revelled in my complexion looking so even and wonderful, my eyebrows were back and life was GOOD again. I didn’t go as far as false eyelashes – or even mascara – but the foundation was enough to have me taking selfies left, right and centre.

“When it came to taking it off, though, I was shocked at how long it took for everything to scrape off. I’ve not put it on again, and I probably won’t for a while.”

Alyss Bowen, social media editor: “Applying a tiny bit of make-up makes me feel like I’m going about my day as normal”

“As someone who struggles with hormonal acne but also struggles with feeling like I have to cover it up when out and about, being inside all day, every day has actually been the perfect opportunity to just let my skin breathe—so mostly I’ve been doing this. But there have been a few occasions when I’ve wanted to put it on. One was when my boyfriend and I decided to cook up a feast and pretend we were out for dinner, and another was last weekend when I went for a big walk in the sun, just ‘cause.

“In these cases, I’ve just been putting a tiny bit of concealer under my eyes to help cover my currently larger-than-life eye bags from lack of sleep (anyone else struggling with this right now?) and then mascara just to perk me up a little.

“It makes me feel more ‘put together,’ not because wearing makeup = togetherness but it just makes me feel like I’m going about my day as normal. I guess it’s the same as getting dressed rather than staying in comfy clothes to work, I feel more ‘me’ and that in turn makes me feel so much nicer.”

Lauren Gaell, junior digital writer: “I’ve been investing a lot more time in my skincare”

“I’ve been skipping make-up since I’ve been working from home because I’ve been investing a lot more of my time on skincare. Instead of rushing through a make-up routine in the morning before our editorial video meetings, I take the time to properly cleanse my face and then pop on some vitamin C serum followed by moisturiser and SPF. Skipping make-up also means those products have time to properly sink into my skin – it’s a win-win situation!”

Megan Murray, digital writer: “I can’t see me stopping applying make-up at home”

“For the first two weeks of quarantine I mainly stayed bare-faced. Maybe if my boyfriend and I decided to make a nice dinner one night I might treat myself to some mascara, but that would be the extent of my beauty application. But this week (my third in lockdown), something hit me.

“I was struggling to get focused in the mornings, my day lacked structure, I had been using my lunch hour to shower and get dressed into slightly different comfy clothes than the ones I had woken up in, meaning I got no actual down time in my day. I just thought ‘this has got to stop, I don’t feel like me and I certainly don’t feel like the fabulous, kick-ass, career woman I want to be’. So on Monday I set my alarm a little earlier and did my normal make-up routine, paired with one of my favourite, most colourful outfits and even a pair of new heels.

“Now that I’ve started, I can’t see me stopping applying make-up at home. I feel more in control and more creative, I like looking in the mirror and seeing someone who looks ready for the day.”

Main image: Getty

Source: Read Full Article