A foreword from our founder:
2020 will definitely be one for the history books, with more than a third of the planet’s population in lockdown, our lives have turned into the weirdest episode of Black Mirror. Fast forward to well over 100 days and we are all in desperate need of a root touch up, mani and pedi appointment and so much more. With the worldwide pandemic and UK going in and out of lockdowns, it's normal that a few of us may still be feeling a little nervous or anxious about going into salons when they open. My lovely friend Argjela has always been one to create DIY beauty products at home and so I asked her to share some of her self-care tips with you all.
I’ve always been really big on self-care and absolutely love pampering myself. It’s a very rare sight for my friends to see me without lash extensions or acrylics. So you can only imagine how strange this lockdown has been for me with spas and salons closed. These treatments can sometimes be quite damaging so I’ve used this time to go back to the basics. I’ve been creative and found ways to recreate the salon experience at home using some natural remedies and store-bought products to create my very own DIY beauty products.
Castor oil
If there is one product that I swear by, it’s this! Castor oil promotes hair growth and is completely natural. I’ve been using it on my eyebrows, eyelashes and even using it as a hair mask to sleep in. My eyelashes were really short after taking my eyelash extensions out by myself (would not recommend!) and they grew back within the space of two weeks thanks to castor oil.
Eveline Nail Therapy
I’ve had acrylic extensions since I can remember - sometimes taking a break but not long enough to restore my natural nails fully. There are three different ones I’ve used: SOS (Brittle and Broken Nails), Diamond (Hardening Nail Conditioner) and their Argan Elixir to give my cuticles some love!
Avocado hair mask
You’ll need a ripe banana, half an avocado and lemon juice for this hair mask. Blend or mix the banana and avocado well - make sure it’s not lumpy or you’ll have a hard time washing it out! Next, squeeze in some fresh lemon juice until the mixture is smooth. Apply the mask to your hair in sections and leave it in for half an hour!
Face masks
My favourite face mask during this time has been the BeautyPro CBD oil infused sheet mask. It’s from their plant-based range so it’s vegan-friendly and is packed with some of my favourite ingredients, including lavender and rosehip! A lot of people that I’ve spoken to during this time felt like their skin was more irritated during lockdown than it would normally - potentially from stress or not wearing make up as much. This mask was really soothing and gave my skin that extra bit of TLC that it needed.
Share below some of your at-home beauty tips and if you recreate any of our Swim by Alba x Lockdown Beauty Tips don't forget to tag us!
Love, Argjela x
Deputy Editor for O GOCË
O-GOCË.com is an online and print magazine celebrating and documenting the work of Albanian female and non-binary creatives, whilst also encouraging conversations, collaborations and connections.