Guys: Do you remember when “work from home makeup” was new? How about being pumped to have the option to not wear makeup everyday? CHILD. It’s been a minute.
But now that work from home makeup is a permanent or part-time option, our routines are feeling stale, hunny. They are tired. They are spent. They are all but deceased.
Not to fear! There are still good reasons — and ways — to wear makeup everyday, and to make it part of your self-care routine. Here are 3 ways to refresh your work from home makeup and routine.
1. Set (or Reset) Healthy Boundaries
Last year, we talked a lllllllot about creating boundaries between your workday and your relaxation time. This just in: It’s still hella important! And there’s never been a better time to reset boundaries that may have slipped.
Set up a space dedicated solely to work, change out of those yoga pants from 9–5, or swipe on some Glass Glow Shinelighter before you Skype with the overseas market. Little actions like that tell your brain when it’s time to work and when it’s time to play, and drawing a clear line between the two makes both better.
Take it from Jamie Greenberg, makeup artist to the stars, super mom and Beautyblender-wielding pro. Greenberg told Refinery 29 how she created her own morning routine: Feeding her kids, going for a run, showering, then lighting a salt lamp, putting on music, and doing her hair and makeup. It not only helps her feel ready for the day, she said, but also elevates her mood.
“I noticed on the weekend, I wasn't as active and I was a little more sad and frustrated and definitely had some crying moments,” she says.
People: That is PROOF you can actually get your weekday routine so tight that your weekends will weep with jealousy. Now that’s #GOALS. Also, pls don’t cry, Jamie! You’ll smudge that perfect eye makeup you taught us all how to do in Jamie Greenberg’s Unconventional Way to Get Eye Makeup Just Right.
If it’s good enough for Kaley, it’s good enough for us.
2. Shake Up Your “Office”
So, now that we've refreshed your memory on the importance of work time, let’s talk work space. Step back and look at yours.
Does your computer placement make your neck ache by 3 p.m.? Is your lighting doing all it could for your work from home makeup look? Are you so sick of looking at the same photo of you and your Aunt Kathy that it’s making you want to smash it up and start from scratch?
Honestly, this home office would make us want to #RageQuit too.
Shake things up! Try creating an outdoor office — on a porch, a patio, a fire escape or even just by opening a window. Vitamin D has all kinds of health benefits, from boosting your mood to strengthening your bones, and sun is the best way to get it. So SPF (ps- you also need it even if you’re indoors) up, take a 15-minute walk before you start your day and at lunch, and drink in that sunny goodness. Then, set up an outdoor office in indirect sunlight so you can benefit from the breeze and the natural light, which will also help make your skin look flawless on FaceTime or Zoom.
And keep your work from home makeup simple:
1. Ace your base. You don’t need to cake on foundation to achieve the perfect base while working from home. Save time and look fab with a dab of Bounce concealer to cover any dark circles under your eyes or blemishes. Dab with damp Beautyblender, swipe on some BOUNCE Soft Focus Gemstone Setting Powder, and viola!
2. Amp up your eyes with liner. When you want to wear makeup everyday but your audience is virtual, eyeliner is your best friend because it defines your eyes even when you blink. Get it right with Liner Designer, our steady guide that will help you achieve your look without slip-ups in seconds.
3. Frame your face. Speaking of setting off your eyes, don’t forget to fill in your brows. Spread a little pigment with the slanted edge of The Player 3-Way Brush, and then add a little gel or brush brows up with the double-sided spoolie and you are GTG.
If your office *must* stay where it is, you can still use these tips to make your face look fly AND you can apply a little Bravo magic to your video call background, workplace vibe permitting.
3. Maintain your image
Why do you wear makeup everyday? The “why” is different for all of us.
Whatever yours is, know this: Science backs you, baby!
— Studies have shown that wearing makeup while taking a test can improve your score.
— Psychiatrists sometimes tell patients to put on lipstick before starting work to boost mood and define their day.
— Other studies show that dressing professionally makes us feel more present, and gives us a higher level of engagement. That results in higher levels of productivity, which, in case you forgot, means getting your work done better and faster, and who doesn’t want that?!
Getting dressed and doing some simple work from home makeup also helps maintain professional perception, even remotely, and even though many people don’t take the time to do it. That means it’s not a stretch to think work from home makeup could be the difference in your boss picking you to do that important presentation over your schlubby, gym-clothes-wearing co-worker. (Sorry, Trey, but you brought it on yourself.)
Refresh your routine:
— FaceTime Ready: Look Picture-Perfect For Your Video Chats
— 3 Ways to Give Your Work from Home Makeup a Business Professional Look
