Like you, all of us at Costhetics are grappling with the complex ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The past few weeks found us away from our normal research on the latest news, tips and information about cosmetic enhancement. Instead, again like you, we have been searching for facts about the virus and what it means to our lives in the short and long term.
One thing it means is an interruption in our beauty routines.
Did you look at that last statement and say, “Beauty doesn’t matter at a time like this”? It’s understandable if you do hold that perspective, but we beg to differ, and we’re not alone. In their story Look Your Best, Feel Your Best, The New York Times reports, “Beauty is not necessarily frivolous. It’s empowering and improves your state of mind. If you look at yourself and feel better, that’s power.”
COVID-19 has left many of us feeling powerless. That’s why Costhetics suggests you focus instead on the empowering benefits of self-pampering.
Give Yourself a Break from COVID-19 with Respite Beauty
In a 2019 article on “respite beauty,” online research firm Mintel looked into the cause of stress for individuals around the world. Surveys quickly showed a global need for stress-reduction:
- 80% of German consumers were worried about finances
- 78% of Spanish consumers were worried about interpersonal relationships
- 68% of Italian consumers were worried about work
Now COVID-19 has unleashed its wrath, it is fairly safe to say 100% of everyone, everywhere is worried about the virus and its effects. It’s like a dark cloud is hanging over us. No worries. We see a glimmer of sun peeking through.
Today’s Beauty Treatments Are Designed to Elevate Mood
Stress, whether over coronavirus or a forehead wrinkle that has suddenly appeared, isn’t good for anyone’s emotional well-being. Traditionally, and we’re talking caveman-tradition here, stress was the method our ancestors used to stay safe. Stress triggers adrenaline which, in turn, gives us a burst of energy in what is often called the flight-or-fight response.
That’s terrific when you’re fighting a woolly mammoth. In modern times, however, that adrenaline surge can lead to
- Skin dullness
- Acne
- Wrinkles
- Fine Lines
COVID-19 has many people producing stress hormones nearly around the clock. The resulting skin problems lead to more stress, which triggers more adrenaline production and more skin problems…and the cycle goes on and on. This explains, in part, why consumer research shows beauty marketing that targets an individual’s state of mind connects with people more effectively than marketing aimed solely at physical appearance. In other words, people are looking for emotional well-being when they select beauty products and treatments.
Make the Best of a Bad Situation: Beating COVID-19 Dryness
When you’ve had a row with the boss or a beau, the holidays have left you feeling down, or when the weather is DAF (Depressing As F…), treating yourself to a beauty treatment can put the sunny back in your rainy day. That became nearly impossible when Australia’s prime minster announced the closing of all personal service businesses.
“There is no way you can safely treat clients in person in today’s environment, especially with a large proportion of COVID-19 carriers being asymptomatic,” says the society of Associated Skin Care Professionals. With that in mind, Costhetics has these recommendations for turning involuntary social isolation in to voluntary skin-pampering you can do at home:
- Use moisturiser and cotton gloves to give your hands the TLC they deserve after a day of being hand-sanitised into dryness.
- Choose natural-based moisturisers rather than those made with alcohol to keep your complexion dewy.
- Forget about fragrance for a while as many fragrance products contain drying alcohol that can dull skin’s natural radiance.
- Use pump, rather than bar soap as the high pH of soap binders cause skin to dry and flake.
- Some like it hot, but avoid over-heated water when you shower, bathe, or wash your hands as it will pull the moisture from your skin, leaving you all wrinkly.
You’re Not a Doctor & You’re Not Alone
If COVID-19 had to happen, it couldn’t have happened at a better time in many ways. The Internet allows us to maintain social distancing, but still keep us in touch with one another. Many practitioners have created protocols that allow them to communicate with their patients at a safe distance. This is extremely important when it comes to your skin.
Skin cancer is an Australian blight. It requires just as much vigilance as COVID-19 if we want to wipe it out. If you’re concerned that a mark on your skin might be melanoma, please contact your skin doctor immediately. They should decide, not you, whether treatment is urgent.
COVID-19 Courtesy: You Do You & Let Others Do Them
Don’t look down on folks who are concerned about the effect COVID-19 lockdowns will have on their appearance. If you must look down on someone, set your sights on people who fail to heed safety directives that can help stop the spread of the virus. In the alternative, you can judge snake oil “virus-killing” products and the people who sell them.
We are living in a new normal, at least for a while. Everyone is scrambling to figure out how to cope mentally and physically. Remember, too, many people put in heaps of time and effort (not to mention cold, hard cash) to fulfil their desire to look and feel youthful. Some do it at the gym, others do it at a medical spa. What’s wrong with that?
Costhetics wants to remind you that judging other people’s decisions can give you wrinkles. Don’t worry. Be happy. That’s how you stay beautiful.