Dedicating a post to my pandemic beauty routine is laughable. Most of the time, I’m still in my pajamas and haven’t stepped foot outside; “beauty” has not been a big priority. But truthfully, I do have somewhat of a routine, and it’s something I look forward to. It’s not as elaborate as it was pre-pandemic, and in many ways, that’s freeing. I didn’t need to get pedicures every month, nor did I need to get my hair colored every three months. I’m not judging anyone for what they like to do — this is what I’ve found makes me feel good with minimal effort.

Skincare

One of my most frequently asked questions on Instagram is about my skincare routine. Many women have read the post I wrote a few years ago about struggling with hormonal acne after coming off birth control. It was an extremely frustrating time. Eventually, I found a routine that helped. But when the pandemic hit, my skin freaked out all over again — nothing I tried worked. I felt despondent. I thought I was going to have to get medication to help. But thankfully, for the past three months, I’ve found relief! It’s not that I don’t ever get a breakout, but they are far less severe and much more infrequent.

I’ve made my skincare routine very simple. One of the issues I had in the past was trying way too many products at once. My skin was overwhelmed, and I couldn’t pinpoint what product it was that was causing breakouts. I’ve been doing trial-and-error tests with my skincare and makeup for the past year to see what I can tolerate. I’ve discovered that for me, less is more.

A.M.: 

I have combination to dry skin, which makes it tricky to know what skincare products I need. It changes often, but overall, I know that I need something that will fight oils and bacteria and something that will hydrate. I hardly do anything in the morning. Because I tend to wake up with dry skin, I don’t wash my face. If it feels like it needs a little something, I’ll use a small amount of Drunk Elephant Marula Oil for moisture. This is one of the only face oils I’ve tried that doesn’t make me break out. It’s not cheap, but it’s worth every penny to me.

P.M.: 

The evenings are when I will spend a little time on my skincare routine, but it’s still not long. I wash my face with a gentle cleanser; CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser is my favorite. Then I use Sunday Riley’s U.F.O. Ultra-Clarifying Acne Treatment Face Oil. This is the new product that is helping to curb my breakouts. It has 1.5% salicylic acid, which helps fight acne and blackheads. Usually, my sensitive skin can’t tolerate salicylic acid, but this is a gentle formula that doesn’t feel irritating. It’s a very oily product, but it’s still a bit drying. I usually layer Drunk Elephant Marula Oil over the top, which gives me a nice boost of moisture.

That’s it. I don’t use anything else. It’s the simplest skincare routine I’ve ever had, and my skin is thanking me for it.

Makeup

I’ve always enjoyed wearing makeup. Like many young girls, I have fond memories of watching my mom put on her makeup every day. She would let me help her apply her blush, and then I would haphazardly apply it all over my face — looking like a little, ripe strawberry.

For me, makeup is more a self-care practice than a way of looking good. With two kids at home with us all the time — my days are loud, busy and tiring. The small window of time I carve out to apply makeup feels like therapy. Makeup also helped me feel confident when I was struggling with acne. My routine isn’t exactly simple, but there are no tricks or trends. If pressed for time, I can apply it in five minutes.

Foundation: Clinique Even Better Foundation Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 15
Concealer: Make Up For Ever Full Cover Concealer
Bronzer: bareMinerals Endless Summer Bronzer
Highlighter: Saie Glowy Super Gel Lightweight Dewy Highlighter
Eyeshadow: RMS Beauty Eye Polish in Solar
Eyebrows: Glossier Boy Brow in Blond
Mascara: Pat McGrath Dark Star Volumizing Mascara
Lipstick: Glossier Generation G Sheer Lipstick in Crush + Glossier Lip Gloss in Clear

Hair

My hair is where I get really lazy. I don’t even have a routine — so this is not inspiring. I have naturally wavy hair, and a few years ago, I decided to stop heat-styling my hair and go natural. It’s incredible not having to blowdry, curl or straighten my hair. I do wash my hair more often than I’d like because my hair tends to get very greasy and matted. Right now, I’m using a very gentle, organic shampoo and conditioner by Pacifica Beauty. In the past, I used to avoid brushing my hair when I got out of the shower (Read: Taylor Sterling’s Quick & Easy Ways To Air-Dry Your Hair). But now I do brush my hair when I get out of the shower, but that’s it. I don’t use any products or touch my hair with any tools again for the rest of the day. I embrace my messy, unruly hair.

This pandemic has taught me a lot, and one of those things is that I know which beauty steps I can skip and which are here to stay.