Lockdown beauty hacks you will continue to use

[GinGinHooray]

Lockdown life has cut us of from hairdressers and beauty salons and in some cases our favourite brands - what hacks have you discovered that you'll continue using after lockdown?

Stick on false nails! I had to soak off my gel nails pretty early on and have discovered stick on nails which look amazing and stay on for at least a week - 10 days! I'll never go back to expensive gel nails that grow out.

Gradual tan moisturising lotion has also been a revelation, that keeps your tan topped up. I'm not sure I'll ever get a salon spray tan again.

I'm wearing less makeup and my skin is glowing, I'll be trying to go foundation free when I get back to work.

Although my hair is shocking....and I'm in desperate need of a cut and colour!

Where did you get your false nails? There's such a bewildering choice I've no idea where to start.
I've been trying not to wash my hair everyday, it's a bit longer now which means I can tie it up. In the last week it's not a greasy as before which is good.

I have dyed my eyebrows and eyelashes and they look brilliant. I'll never get a salon tint again! So much cheaper and more convenient to do it yourself.

I'm going to carry on cutting my own hair. I've always done my own hair colour and brow tints, so no change there.

OP, how do you get your stick on nails to last so long?

Lash and brow tint and a lash lift. Good results and surprisingly easy!

@MrsJackRackham I heard that 'elegant touch' were the best nails (the ones with liquid glue not already glued) I found them in the supermarket. But boots, amazon and ASOS have more selection (I like the short square shape) boots own brand are also good.

I have also heard if you hang onto the quality glue from these you can use it with cheaper nails from Primark etc.

I'm definitely going to give eyelash and brow tinting a go!

I rake sweet almond oil through the ends of my bleach and perm damaged hair with my fingers 30 minutes before I wash it and its fantastic. Masks I do at home always make it feel more straw like (despite being expensive) so although I’ll return to having wellaplex treatments at the salon they only last 2 weeks. The oil makes it really soft again so I don’t look so much like a scarecrow!

I have found only washing once every three days really brings out my musky scent and reduces soap bills. Follow me on insta for more tips

Not wearing a bra! Have now invested in a few non-wired bralettes and won't be going back unless for special occasions.

Can those of you tinting your own eyelashes give me a recommendation please? I am getting really desperate!

@AliceLutherNeeMorgan I'm using Refectocil from Amazon. Just mix some of the dye with the developer sold separately and you are good to go. Vaseline around the edge of your eyebrows. Maybe watch a YouTube video too.

Sorry just read you wanted eyelash dye recommendations. I use blue/black Refectocil too. I put it on with a cotton bud, upper and lower lashes then lie on my bed for 15mins and warn DS not to come into the room. If you open your eyes it stings like buggery 😂
I don't use cotton wool pads

Ooh lash lift - what did you use?!

Interested in the stick on nails! Clueless though- do they come with glue? How do you remove them? Do they need soaking in something?

I’ve had a gel lamp for ages but I could never get my nails to look nice and last, then I ordered a hard gel and now they last weeks and look all smooth and perfect! Never paying to get my nails done again.

I bought a Hollywood Browzer and did my own dermaplaning. It's amazing! It costs £35 at the salon and the tool to
do it cost me £8 and will last for months.

I've also dyed my hair with a box dye and it looks exactly the same as when my hairdresser does it, but cost £50 less.

Once my chin hair got long enough to plait (almost) I dug out the Tweezy hair removal device that I'd previously given up on as too excruciating. Pushed through the pain barrier and now my chin is smooth and shiny. Weirdly addictive.

I’m using a thinning scissors to keep my fringe short, it’s going quite well and keeping it going will mean I can space out my hair appointments.

A box dye over my salon highlighted hair covers the grey but after a few washes the highlights return. I’ll use a box dye or two between salon visits to save money.

I’m plucking tinting my own brows. They’re thicker now that they’ve ever been and are looking really good.

Fake tan as mentioned above - yes.

So far so good

@277xo
Which hard gel do you use? Interested!!!!

@Sunshineonacloudyday20 I have two, the bluesky hard gel and the candy coat builder in a bottle. Both really good, the bluesky is much cheaper though and slightly thinner so a bit easier to work with, I think it’s about £7 from eBay. I won’t do my nails without it now!

Skinny Tan Coconut Water Mist - fell for the Facebook marketing, but got a 2 for 1 deal and a freebie daily top up moisturiser. I do not smell like digestives or crispy bacon crisps and there's no guide colour to stain clothes or bedding. Looks natural and even my errors in applying it weren't very noticeable.

@277xo what's hard gel?
I've been doing my own nails, which is soooo much cheaper than the salon, but they only really last a week!

@Bigsighall how do you tint and lift your lashes? What do you use?
I've been thinking about it but afraid of blinding myself 🙈

@bunhead34 I’m not sure how to best describe it, it’s essentially a harder gel that is more similar to acrylic but is still gel. It helps with growing nails longer, hardens nails and adheres better. I think you can do nail extensions with it, but I just use it for overlay on my natural nail. Both the ones I mentioned come in a bottle then you paint it on over primer and base coat and cure, then put your gel colour and top coat curing in between each. Soaks off as normal gel polish does. It’s very good!

I’ll definitely carry on doing my own nails with Bluesky and my LED lamp. Did my own roots using exactly what my hairdresser uses - cost me £20 instead of £80! I won’t pay for dermaplaning again - the tool literally cost £3 off Amazon. I’m using a mini epilator thing instead of threading. Don’t need to dye eyebrows or lashes as they are dark anyway.