While you’re at home observing safe social distancing, you’ve probably got a lot of time on your hands. Why not learn some tips and tricks for your future big day from some professionals?

Since you probably won’t have access to a makeup artist anytime soon, let some of Youtube’s best beauty guru’s guide you on how to perfect your bridal makeup. Whether you’ll be having your makeup done professionally or doing it yourself come wedding day, these videos are great for inspiration and advice.

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It’s a stressful time for the world right now. As the days progress, we become more and more uncertain of what’s happening. In times like these, it’s even more important to take care of yourself.

Having a pamper day may seem unimportant and unnecessary, but doing small things for yourself can help improve your mood and mindset. To relax and unwind, here’s how you can spoil yourself from the comfort of your own home.

Get rid of electronic distractions:

The constant ping of your cellphone will detract from your “treat yo’self” day, so best switch it off for now. By switching off your phone, you also allow your mind to switch off. The news can be quite heavy nowadays, and the constant barrage of bad news in particular can unknowingly add anxiety to your day. Give your mind a little holiday.

Make sure to let your people know that you’ll be switching your phone off for the day so that no one is worried about your lack of replies. If necessary, set up an ‘out of office’ automation so that your work contacts know you cannot be reached.

Set the scene:

Sometimes the right vibe is all you need. Before getting to the good stuff, the quickest way to brighten. mood is by cleaning the room you plan on relaxing in. The act of cleaning in itself relaxes some, but the key part of this is the result. With a clean, organised space, your mind will feel more at ease and less distracted.

Now that the chores are done, let’s have some fun! Throw on your favourite album or playlist, get into your comfiest sweats and maybe even light some candles.

A luxurious bubble bath:

Baths are truly magical. If you’re lucky enough to have a bath, make sure to dedicate an hour of your time to soak in it. Pour in some bubble bath or a bath bomb for extra luxury, and settle down with a good book or magazine. Throw in some rose petals for an extra special touch.

No bubble bath or bath bomb? Make your own! Mix a cup of liquid body wash, 1/4 cup pure vegetable glycerin, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and essential oils of your choice to get the bubbles going.

Homemade facemask:

If you were too distracted panic buying toilet paper to buy face masks, don’t worry. There are so many easy and natural masks you can quickly whip up at home.

Typical homemade face mask ingredients include greek yoghurt, banana, honey, olive oil and avocados as bases, which you probably already have at home anyway. Customise with other ingredients like coffee, cinnamon, pumpkin or aloe vera or sugar to create masks for whatever finish you desire.

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As a society, we’ve (thankfully) moved away from the skinny brow trend of the 90s and early 2000s. Today’s beauty icons are sporting a fuller, feathery brow that commands attention.

Just because you haven’t been blessed with naturally full brows, doesn’t mean you have to stay that way. Microblading has become a popular cosmetic procedure across the world, allowing people to have the brows of their dreams. This can be an amazing confidence boost for those with naturally light or sparse brows and those who lost their eyebrow hair from alopecia.

If you’re keen to ditch the eyebrow pencil, here’s what you need to know.

Pre-procedure:

Microblading is essentially a semi-permanent face tattoo. Tiny, fine-point needles creates hair-like strokes in you brow area, after which pigment is deposited into it.

The difference between microblading and eyebrow tattooing is that microblading needles do not penetrate deep layers of your skin, thus making them far less permanent.

Once meeting with your technician, you will discuss the type of brow you want. Full, feathery, straight, whatever shape and style you desire is possible. Your technician will draw the shape you want with an eyebrow pencil so that you can imagine how your brows will look when they’re done. Once you’re happy, your technician will consider your natural hair colour to determine the ink colour or colours.

The procedure:

The brow area is cleaned and numbed with a topical ointment. Using a handheld tool, your technician will begin creating superficial cuts along your brow. A pigment is then deposited into the cuts to stain the skin to appear hair-like. Once all the cuts are made, a final layer of pigment is applied for 5 minutes and then cleaned to reveal your new brows.

Pain levels vary based on the person, but most people say this procedure feels similar to the pain of eyebrow threading. It’s mainly the scratching noise that people have an issue with.

The procedure typically takes about 40 minutes to an hour from start to finish. Depending on your skin, aftercare and lifestyle, results can last from one to three years. However, you should get touch-ups every 12 months after your initial four week touch-up.

Post-procedure aftercare:

As your brows are like a tattoo, similar aftercare rules apply.

– Don’t get your brows wet for the first seven to 10 days. You need to keep the area as dry as possible. After this time, you may gently wash the area with antibacterial soap and water, and gently pat dry. Avoid any cleansers containing acids or exfoliants.

– Avoid exercise and swimming for a week

– Make sure to apply sunscreen daily to enhance your brows longevity, as well as avoid direct sunlight for a week.

– Don’t scratch! Your eyebrows will likely be itchy and flaky but it is important to let them heal.

– Don’t panic! Your brows can appear up to 40% darker in the first few days of the healing process. Be patient, within a week the ink will fade into a more natural shade.

– Clients are encouraged to schedule a follow-up appointment for 4-6 weeks time to any touch-ups that need to be made.

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They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, so why not give them some beautiful drapes? Eyelash extensions have been trending in the beauty world for years ever since they first came on the market. Eyelash extensions can give you a flirty, effortless look to your face and majorly cuts down on your prep time in the morning. If you’re considering adding some drama with these flirty fancies, make sure you know what you’re in for.

Eyelash extensions are semi-permanent false lashes glued on top of your own natural ones by a trained technician. Lashes can be made of mink, sable, faux mink, silk, cashmere or synthetic acrylic. The lashes are applied to individual hairs, making every set fully customisable depending on the clients requirements. A typical appointment takes between 1.5-3 hours to complete.

Extension styles are typically broken down into two main categories: classic and volume. Classic is when an individual false lash is applied to an individual natural lash, leaving the most realistic final look. Volume curls offer much more drama as 2-6 lashes bonded together are applied to an individual natural lash. You’ll also have to consider what type of curl you’d like your lashes to have. You can choose between a J curl, B curl, C curl or D curl. The curl you choose should mimic the curl of your natural lashes. Lashes vary in length from 8-14mm, and multiple lengths can be used per set.

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Eyelash extensions typically cost between R350 – R800 depending on the salon / technician you use. Refills are cheaper, typically coming in at R200-R450 per fill.

Eyelash extensions typically last 5-6 weeks, but you can get refills from as early as 2 weeks after your initial appointment to main fullness. As your own lashes naturally shed, your extensions with fall out along with them.

There are some that believe that lash extensions cause traction alopecia as the lashes can put weight on your own, but the chance is very slim. This would typically only happen after years of consistent lash extensions and bad aftercare.

Pre-appointment:

• Pre appointment, make sure to remove any makeup in your eye area.
• Ask your technician what ingredients are in the lash adhesive they will be using. Glues that contain formaldehyde will irritate your eye, so best steer clear of that! Instead, look out for ingredients like butyl cyanoacrylate and octyl cyanoacrylate, which are much more gentle on the eye.

Post appointment:

• Make sure to avoid getting water on your eyes for the first 12-24 hours after your appointment to allow the glue enough time to set.
• Use oil-free cleansers to clean your eye area.
• Gently brush your lashes with a spoolie brush twice daily
• Don’t apply mascara to your extensions

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