The other day, I straightened my hair and put on concealer for an event I was hosting through ZOOM, and honestly, I felt like a brand new bitch. My quarantine beauty routine isn’t so much a routine as it is a waking up, and trying to make it through the day. Most days, bathing is optional. While I usually don’t wear a whole lot of makeup normally, my appearance has taken a sharp turn into no man’s land. Things like date nights or being in public apparently forced me to keep up with my appearance. I used to shave my legs, not for me or for my husband, but for my acupuncturist, and without her…. I don’t even bother with my 7-step, nightly skin-care routine. But I haven’t given up entirely. Sometimes I’ll throw on my favorite pair of gold hoops and I swear it makes me feel beautiful, and maybe even a little more sane. I’m wondering when I’ll shift from not caring at all, to doing something drastic. Like, is anyone giving themselves a bikini wax? Doing their own nails? Has anyone cut BANGS? I asked our digital tent. Here are your answers. xo Alex 

KAYLA, hair dye

I bleached my entire head by myself on Monday night. I get highlights like two times a year but I really love being blonde. I’ve been out of work as a bartender since March 6th so I thought if I really fuck it up, at least I’ll be able to hide alone in my house. I used a boxed L’Oréal dye and watched a bunch of YouTube videos of hairdressers to find the best way to hopefully not fuck up. I have to do one more round of bleach to get rid of some orangeness near the top of my head but I’m so surprised it went as well as it did. I love it.

JENNA, brows

Do NOT laminate your own brows. For the love of God. After watching gals do it flawlessly on IG and YouTube, I bought the kit on Amazon and got to it. One of the most traumatic beauty experiences of my life. First, it turned them orange (maybe because I tint my brows?). Then a ton of hairs came out when I wiped off the solution. I couldn’t believe it. THEN I was stuck with bizarre eyebrows that were plastered to my skin, felt like straw, and had kinky waves. Fried. Would not recommend it.

DANIELA, bangs

I cut my own bangs the very first week of quarantine!!! It was super impulsive, and I’ve never had bangs before. I thought it was going to turn out so bad but it actually turned out quite nice! I am also going through a breakup (and honestly this is the worst time to go through a breakup), so breakup+quarantine = cut your own bangs. 😂

BRANDON, beard

I shaved my beard because I was curious and bored, and I wanted to get a rise out of my wife.  She was in bed, and again I was bored, and thought “Maybe I’ll just shave my beard.” I knew she wouldn’t be expecting it, since I’ve had a beard since we met, so getting a reaction out of her was worth it.

MONTSERRAT, nails

I usually do my own nails and dye my own hair (box dye), so not much has changed. For me, keeping up with my beauty routine gives me a sense of normalcy and self-love amidst the chaos. I have been painting my nails using colors that I usually wouldn’t usually go for in the office life; and still shaving my legs, even though I live alone. I am saving my lasy box dye to use when this is over, so I can have fresh nice hair to come out of quarantine—haha!

KATE, bikini wax

It had been well over a month since my last bikini wax. I always have wax strips on hand because I wax my legs. After I got out of the shower the other day I looked in the mirror and thought “fuck it,” let’s try this. It was surprisingly easy and didn’t hurt that much. I missed a few spots, but considering I didn’t have to make an appointment, didn’t have to spend $, and it took less than 10 minutes, I’ll absolutely do it again. I high-fived myself and texted my girlfriends right away: Day who-knows of quarantine and I just gave myself a bikini wax 😂

JILLIAN, no make-up

I haven’t worn make-up since quarantine. I haven’t felt a need to. Even though I’m on Zoom calls all day, I just feel like it is an unnecessary thing for me to add to my day. I like the simplicity of showering, washing my face with a really nice cleanser, and then putting on my overly priced face cream. It makes me happy and feels like all the armor I need to face the day. Not that I ever wore a lot of makeup to begin with, but it reminds me of being younger, with little worry in my life. It’s just one less thing I have to worry about. I’ve been thinking a lot about what my routine will look like when this is over, and while I know I’ll wear makeup to work and on the weekends when we have things to do, I just feel like it will look different. My routine and how I see my face with it on will be different.

AMY, haircut by husband

I’m the let the hair air-dry, buy body lotion from Trader Joes, and shave once a week kind of girl. My hair doesn’t have much of a life story either. It remained a virgin until 23, where I got a “wild streak” and decided to bleach it platinum blond. I recently had another wild streak moment, when I got a home-haircut from my 33-year-old husband. The process was a bit touch and go. I had optimism that everything would turn out fine, but I think anyone could imagine my anxiety over watching my partner cut 7 inches of my hair with a pair of red crafting scissors. Overall, I have zero regrets, and am currently sportin’ a chin-length bob. It feels fun and free, plus lower maintenance than what I had before. All in all, it was a bonding experience. And at this point I think we can all admit: Anything goes while in quarantine.