What To Do When You Can’t Get Your Regular In-Salon Beauty Treatments

Who says we can’t maintain a post-treatment glow in iso?

The unfolding Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation means that we are all dealing with a lot of uncertainty and change to our day-to-day routine. At Gritty Pretty, we want to help you navigate through this time. We’ll be sharing self care advice and tips on how to look after your body and mental health. If there are any topics you want Gritty Pretty to cover, please send us a DM on Instagram.

If the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted anything, it’s that we should never take our little rituals for granted. Said little rituals could include anything from going out to dinner with friends, laying on the beach with our significant other or, for the beauty obsessive, getting our regular in-salon treatments done. Not only is a visit to the salon good for our skin, but it is also a great way to unwind, pamper yourself and relax. In other words, it’s good for the soul. 

Not only are we missing this semi-regular ‘me time’, we’re also missing the actual results. Whether you’re a botox regular, midway through a pigmentation treatment program or just love a really deep clean, for many of us, our skin is now suffering from this shift in routine.

No need to fret. Here, we speak to Dr Michele Squire of Qr8 for her two cents on how to keep your skin in tip top condition when in-salon treatments are no longer an option.

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Stick To Your Routine

Now, more than ever, it’s important to take care of your skin and stick to your standard regime. 

Are you a salon regular? (For example: In the middle of a six week treatment for pigmentation or acne?) This is particularly prevalent for you. Stay on top of your preventative routine while at home – this includes ensuring you’re wearing sunscreen if you venture outside or if you sit next to a window.

Save Your $$$

We know – it’s more tempting than ever to enact a full-scale beauty overhaul and try every product you’ve ever wanted to try. Before you plug in those credit card details on your Adore Beauty order, hear us out. At this time of uncertainty, our stress levels are heightened (even if we don’t notice it) making our skin more sensitive than usual. So, just sticking to your routine is a great way to maintain your skin. (Read our explainer on how to treat stressed-out isolation skin here.)

“If you were having regular beauty treatments BC (Before Corona), your skincare professional has probably recommended a skincare routine to maintain and extend the results of your salon treatment,” says Squire. “The best thing you can do is keep up with your prescribed skincare routine.”

Missing Botox? There Is No Quick Fix

If you’re a Botox regular, not knowing when you can book in for a top up could be slightly unnerving. The best way to maintain the results is to focus on a cohesive and gentle anti-ageing skincare routine and avoid quick-fix products. 

“Don’t be tempted by any product that claims ‘botox-like’ results. This simply isn’t possible,” says Squire. 

A good way to manage the claims made by brands is to first understand how cosmetics are governed and classified in Australia. Products are either a ‘therapeutic good’ or a ‘cosmetic’ – there is no in between. If a product is a therapeutic good it will alter the body’s function. However, a cosmetic is used externally (or inside the mouth) to alter the skin’s odours or appearance and keep it in good condition. Cosmetics are assessed for safety and quality, but are not evaluated to determine if they actually work; don’t be sucked in if the product claims mind-blowing results. A good rule of thumb: if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

As Squire says, “It’s a case of consumer beware and seeking professional help to select the right products for you.”

If You Want To Step It Up A Notch…

At-home peels:

Squire also recommends consulting with your clinician about safe at-home chemical peels, which can be done safely with the right selection of peeling agents. “The failsafe answer is to investigate whether you are a candidate for prescription fading creams,” recommends Squire. “These are typically used in clinical practices to enhance and maintain the results of laser pigmentation treatment and have excellent evidence demonstrating their effectiveness.”

More hydration:

Not only are we now at home (with higher stress levels and less vitamin D exposure), we’re also in the midst of a seasonal change. Skin feeling a little dry? Add a natural oil or richer moisturiser to the mix. The key is to move slowly and allow your skin to adjust. 

Increase the strength of what you’re already using:

If you do want to try something new, Squire recommends adding one product at a time – or increasing the strength of something you’re already using. For example: If you use an exfoliating toner three times a week, try using it four times. Or, if you have a mask you whip out sporadically, increase your usage to weekly.

Plan Your Return

Now, for the good news – we will be able to return to our favourite skin clinics eventually. While this is exciting, it is important that you ease your skin into it, just as you have had to ease your skin out of it.

“My advice would be to ring the salon and speak to a therapist or doctor before booking your first appointment,” says Squire. “Be sure to brief them on your home skincare routine, any DIY treatments undertaken and especially if you started prescription skin creams since they last saw you.” This will allow your therapist to adjust the intensity or frequency of your treatments accordingly.

Have a top tip for maintaining your in-salon glow at home? Leave it in the comments below!

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