Did you know that setting a beauty schedule can help with your overall mental wellbeing? Having schedules and routines are crucial to maintaining your sanity during normal weeks, let alone during quarantine. Maintaining a weekly beauty schedule can give you something to look forward to while keeping you anchored and, well, normal. Even after life goes back to the daily routine, it’s still important to stick with it. Your skin and hair will thank you.
Friendly reminder, you should still be doing your daily beauty basics, like cleansing, toning and moisturizing. These weekly beauty tasks will just be the cherry on top and help you look and feel your best.
If you need some guidance, read on for our easy weekly beauty schedule.
Monday
Exfoliate
Kick the week off by getting rid of all those dead skin cells from the week. Exfoliation is the key to happy and healthy skin because it helps all your other products and treatments absorb properly. If you’re hesitant to exfoliate because you have sensitive skin, I highly recommend using a gommage. It’s a French gel-based exfoliant that really gently sloughs off dead skin cells and lets you get the same benefits from exfoliating without actual scrubbing.
Tuesday
Purge Pores With a Clay Mask
The main benefits of a weekly clay mask is that it can detoxify the skin while reducing excess oil and getting rid of pore-clogging impurities. From pollution to dirt and grime, our skin comes in contact with quite a few nasty aggressors on a daily basis. Daily cleansing can help eliminate these skin invaders but clay masks—used at least once a week—can help ensure a clean canvas.
Wednesday
Hair Mask
If we’re using masks on our face, we also should be using them on our hair. Hair masks can help moisturize and nourish your hair. They’re especially beneficial for dry, damaged or frizzy hair. Some hair masks may even improve the health of your scalp and boost the strength of your hair. Unlike instant conditioners that only stay on your hair for a few minutes, weekly hair masks remain on your hair for at least 20 minutes in order to truly deliver visible results.
Thursday
Brows
On Thursday, tackle those brows. Pluck regrowth once a week (or more, if you grow hair quickly). Because tweezing and trimming can irritate the skin around your brows, it’s best to do this on a day when you aren’t using any intense exfoliants or peels. Start by washing your face with warm water so your skin is relaxed and hair follicles are easier to remove. After you’re done, cleanse and tone the area and apply moisturizer with a brush or cotton swab.
Wash Your Brushes
Speaking of brushes, it’s time for your weekly brush bath. You should be washing your makeup and skincare brushes once a week—minimum—to prevent product buildup. Because these brushes are used on your face, the cleaner they are, the better. Not washing your brushes weekly leads to bacteria buildup and breakouts, so making this a scheduled step in your beauty routine will only benefit you.
Friday
Wash Sheets + Pillowcases
Just like your brushes, you should be washing your sheets and pillowcases at least once a week. I know this is gross, but our hair holds more dirt and oil than most places on our body, and it comes in direct contact with our pillowcase. You should have at least three pillowcases in your weekly rotation so you can swap them out every two to three days. Once a week, throw them all in the wash with your sheets to get rid of any bacteria or invisible buildup. And make sure not to use any dryer sheets or fabric softeners (even the fragrance-free kind) since these can leave a residue on your pillowcases that cause breakouts.
Moisturizing Mask
Once a week, give your skin a really intense dose of hydration. This can be in the form of a mask treatment or an overnight facial. Either way, give your skin a big drink at the end of the week to help rejuvenate it and restore any moisture or elasticity that was lost.
Saturday
Nail Maintenance
Even if you don’t paint your nails, you should still spend 15 to 30 minutes a week on nail maintenance. Start by cleaning your nails to remove any oil or dirt underneath. Trim and file, even if you are growing them out. This helps avoid breakage and allows the whole nail to grow strongly. Finally, moisturize with a strengthening cuticle and nail oil. Then, if you’re feeling fancy, you can get to the creative part.
Sunday
Dry Brush
Dry brushing is one of the most overlooked bodycare routines. It exfoliates, increases circulation and overall leaves you feeling invigorated and energized. Just like the skin on your face, your entire body needs exfoliation once a week. Get rid of the dead skin cells, and start the week with softer, smoother skin.
Steam Bath
Now, it’s probably outside of most people’s budgets to invest in at at-home sauna. But you can create a steam bath using a few tricks for the same results.
- Drink plenty of water before and after.
- If possible, cool down your bathroom. Open a window or blow a fan in the room to bring the temperature down so more steam can be produced.
- Seal off entrances by placing a damp towel at the bottom of the door.
- Plug the drain and turn the hot water all the way up and give the room a few minutes to warm up.
- Using your sink, add cold water to a towel and use it on your forehead or back of your neck if you’re feeling overheated.
- Take a seat and close your eyes while you relax and enjoy the steam. Anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes is great!
Oil Up
It’s time to “marinate.” Your body has been exfoliated and steamed, now it’s time to moisturize. After you are done with your steam, apply body oils and moisturizers to different parts of your body in a “multi-masking” technique. Then, spread out a towel on the bed or floor to sit for about 10 minutes before you put on clothing or go about your day. This gives the oils time to soak in properly and do their work.
Enjoy your week of beauty!
