Video call chic: Top tips to help you look your best whilst working from home
With most of us working from home at the moment, we’re almost certain that you, like most of us, aren’t exactly placing importance on your regular getting-ready routine. Even if you’d normally head into the office with a bouncy blow-dry and a full face of makeup, the current circumstances mean you’re probably more likely to be considering it a win if you remembered to put moisturiser on this morning. We feel you.
But as our ways of working have changed, you’re more than likely filling your diary with video calls, meetings and group chats at the moment, so it’s important to strike the balance between looking groomed and ready to work, and feeling comfortable whilst you’re at home.
If you’re not sure how to balance being ready for a client Skype meeting at a moment’s notice, with the urge to rock a topknot and no makeup, don’t stress - we’ve spoken to some of Scotland’s best experts in skincare, haircare and makeup, to help you maintain a simple but effective beauty routine that means you’ll be ready for as many video calls as the working day can throw at you.
Skincare
Taking care of your skin should be a basic element of your daily routine, so try not to let it slide off the radar, just because you’re staying indoors. When this is all over, you’ll thank yourself for remembering to maintain your complexion!
We spoke to Helen Cowan, Lead Skin Therapist and Aesthetician at the award-winning Dr Nestor’s Medical & Cosmetic Centre in Edinburgh, about how to keep your skin looking so great that you can even go makeup-free for your video meetings.
keep it clean
“Even if you’re not wearing much (or any) makeup whilst you’re staying indoors, cleansing daily is still very important,” says Helen. “Don’t be fooled into thinking that there’s no need to cleanse at night if you’ve not worn makeup during the day; we still need to get rid of any buildup of dead skin cells, grime and oils that might have gathered throughout the day.”
A quick cleanse is a great way to keep skin fresh and clean; Team Hood love the Bioderma Sensiobio H20 Micellar Water for extra-gentle, super-fast cleansing that’s ideal for those days when you haven’t been wearing heavy makeup. Squirt onto cotton pads and sweep over the skin first and last thing, to keep skin refreshed and clean.
protect yourself
“SPF is a must - even when we’re all staying inside!”, says Helen. “It’s so important that we protect our skin from the sun’s damaging rays, which can affect us even through windows, and apply a high-factor SPF daily after moisturising, to keep the skin protected throughout the day.”
But it’s not just sunlight we need to be wary of, according to Helen: “A lot of people don’t know about HEV light rays - the light from our computer screens or smartphones, which we’re all spending a lot of time in front of at the moment. These rays are harmful to the skin too, so it’s important to use a broad-spectrum SPF product that protects the skin against UVA, UVB and HEV rays. I always recommend ZO Skin Health Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 50 to my clients.”
Haircare
Most of us enjoy a trip to the salon as a regular treat, but if you were due an appointment in the coming weeks, and your hair isn’t looking as fresh as you’d like, there’s no need to resort to an at-home trim. There are easy ways to ensure that your hair looks great when you need it to, without having to take drastic measures you might regret.
Natalie Cole and Tammy Neillings are both Salon Managers for leading Edinburgh salon group, Charlie Miller, and they’ve given us their professional advice on maintaining sleek, healthy hair when you can’t get to the salon.
ready in a flash
If you know your schedule is packed with video meetings, but you don’t have time to spend on an elaborate blow-dry, there are plenty of ways to achieve a professional, stylish look quickly and easily. The main thing is to make sure that you’re still regularly washing and blow-drying your hair, using a deep conditioner when you can, to maintain the condition of your hair and make any additional styling a breeze.
“Some of our favourite simple styles take just seconds to create,” says Natalie. “They’re so easy to achieve and it means you can get ready for a call in an instant whilst still being comfortable. Try creating a deep side parting, and tie your hair into a low ponytail, pulling the hair over one shoulder for a chic look. Or tie your hair into a high ponytail and plait it, before wrapping around the base of the ponytail and pinning into place as a sleek bun. Even centre-parting your hair and tucking the length behind the ears looks glossy and chic.”
And what about getting a notification for a call with only minutes to spare?
“Have a hairbrush handy!” advises Tammy. “The Arconic hairbrush is ideal for smoothing out length and ends quickly, and you can use hairspray to smooth down flyaway hairs. Or, a sleek, pulled-back ponytail hides a multitude of sins, looks smart and is a great style if your hair isn’t freshly washed.”
master of disguise
If you’re struggling with grown-out roots or a brassy tone developing, the Charlie Miller team have some sage words of professional advice.
“We completely understand the temptation for a quick fix, but please consider the lasting effects that using a box dye can have on your hair,” explains Natalie. “One application of box dye can undo all of your stylist’s hard work to get you to your desired colour, plus it can compromise the condition of your hair. Undoing the effects of a box dye is a lengthy and pricey process in the long run! If you are concerned about roots, try a temporary root spray to disguise them - our stylists recommend Color Wow Root Cover Up or ProL'Oreal Professionnel Hair Touch Up. If you don’t have a root spray, lighter colours can try talc or dry shampoo as an alternative, and darker colours could experiment with mascara or eyeshadow.”
For brassy tones developing in blonde hair, Tammy has a great quick fix to tide you over until you can get back to your colourist: “A good silver shampoo can keep the brassiness at bay. The purple-toned pigment in our Charlie Miller Silver Shampoo will neutralise and remove yellow tones in highlighted, bleached or grey hair to keep it looking fresh.”
Gosia Majewska modelling her five-minute makeup tips
Makeup
Even if you usually wouldn’t be seen in public without a full face of makeup, the likelihood is that, at the moment, you’re probably skipping this particular step - at least for the most part. Some of us find that applying our makeup as we usually would helps to create a sense of normality, even for just sitting in our sweatpants, but it’s all about whatever makes you feel good. Contour just isn’t a requirement during lockdown, thankfully.
If you’ve got a video conference in the diary but aren’t sure how to quickly prepare a beauty look that’s low-key but still radiates health and looks put-together, we’ve gotten some quick tips and helpful advice from Glasgow-based makeup artist, Gosia Majewska, to help you look and feel your best whilst working from home.
stick to the basics
“You don’t have to go all-out with makeup to look fresh and glowing on a video call” says Gosia. “Generally, applying moisturiser, a CC cream or a tinted moisturiser, a tiny bit of bronzer or blush, and a sweep of brow gel and mascara will make you look good to go! Just remember that skincare is always the most important step, and even if you aren’t wearing makeup, you should continue with a good skincare routine. After cleansing, always use a hydrating moisturiser as it will add a glow to your skin - I love Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream or Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream.”
tHE PRO TIPS
“When doing makeup to appear on camera, I will always use the camera as a mirror,” Gosia tells us. “The camera tends to pick up red and pink tones in your skin and exaggerate them, so concentrate on balancing any red areas - use brightening eye drops if your eyes look red and tired, or concealer for any redness on your face, such as around your nose and cheeks.”
fIVE MINUTE MAKEUP
To get ready for a video call with minimal time to spare, Gosia recommends the following routine to help you look groomed and glossy in just five minutes:
Remove any redness as outlined above, and then even out your complexion with a CC cream or a tinted moisturiser - the IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream is a makeup artists’ favourite for light, natural makeup.
Use a large, fluffy brush to sweep a cool-toned bronzer under the cheekbones - it quickly warms up and sculpts the face, without any need for blending. Gosia recommends Benefit’s Hoola Caramel Bronzer as the ideal suits-all shade, and says you can use the same shade on your eyelids as a quick eyeshadow alternative too.
The close-up nature of a video call means it’s worth emphasising the eyes. “To make it quick and easy, use a brown eyeshadow like MAC Espresso, sweeping over the lid and then using it on the lower lash line to define,” says Gosia. “Always use a black mascara to make your eyes look brighter and more awake - I love Hourglass Caution Extreme Lash mascara, which looks natural and fluttery, but makes an impact.”
Brush your brows and sweep on a coat of a tinted brow gel, like Glossier Boy Brow, to fill in and plump up the brows.
The final step? Pop on a slick of lipstick or lipgloss - Gosia recommends using a colour that makes you feel confident, so whether that’s a chic nude or a glamorous red, we say go for it!