I’m a Hair Stylist and Beauty Creator And This Is What My Beauty Routine Looks Like In A Week

Sundays are my day for self-care. I used to work seven days a week, always making time for clients and never prioritizing myself, but quarantine forced me to slow down, take a step back and reflect. I realized how important it is for my mental health to sleep in, have time to drink water throughout the day, eat fueling foods like fruits and veggies and I truly began to see my inner beauty shine through, looking even better than I felt. I now dedicate my Sundays to beauty sleep which has dramatically helped brighten my under eyes, get rid of dark circles, and made a remarkable difference in my skin. I have sensitive skin which can easily break out or get red and irritated, but I found a simple beauty regime that works for me. 

Because of the redness I experience in my face, I avoid using too much product and narrowed it down to cleansing with Shiseido Men cleansing foam that I've been using for years, which sadly was recently discontinued. When I found out they were discontinuing, I ordered everything they had on Amazon and have been hoarding it, in denial that I would have to start looking for a new hero product. I recently discovered Zo Skin, and I now use the 10% Vitamin C and layer on the Daily Power Defense which I love for the way it glides on my face, making my skin feel so soft and less congested. 

When I feel like pampering myself, I'll get a facial. Sometimes I go to Burke Williams, but I really love using the Soothe app to find an at home facial because they tend to rush less than spas, spending more time massaging the face and neck. I try to get a full body massage every once in a while, which I feel like many people view as frivolous spending, but I wish it was more normalized as self-care. I think spending money on things that make your body and mind feel good should be justified as much as getting drinks or hanging out with friends at bars is. I like to see it as taking the play money I don’t spend on alcohol and putting it towards things that will have a long-term positive effect on my life and make me happy. 

Monday through Thursday
A key element of maintaining my physique is my gym routine. I aim to work out every day with an hour of cardio and an hour of lifting and maintain a consistent gym routine of five to seven days per week. Since I work out so much, I shower twice a day, using Old Spice body wash every time, but only washing my hair once per week. My wash day begins with the #MyConfidant Shampoo and Conditioner and the Olaplex No.9 Bond Protector Nourishing Hair Serum. In between washes, I like to use the #MyHero Collagen Repair Spray because it helps keep my hair so soft. On the third or fourth day, I use the #MyDirtySide dry shampoo which I love because it doesn’t leave a white cakey residue that a lot of products do and allows me to sleep with my styled hair and not have to worry about it the next day.

When I style my hair, I always spray my head with #MyDefender heat protecting spray which surrounds the hair with a polymer, protecting the strands and helps to hold the curls so much longer. I had a body wave digital perm which gave my hair so much texture and personally think it’s the best, most modern perm someone can get. For my color, I use the Wicked Shadow 7 which has a green ash base that controls the color changes that happen during the perm. When I curl my hair, the Gamma+ Korner XL wand that is skinnier at the base and wider at the end so I don’t have to wrap my hair around twice. When I really want to have a hair moment, I use the T3 BodyWaver to achieve perfect curls and always finish every look with the #MyPower hair spray that works best for my hair type because it has the texture and grip.

Friday and Saturday
I don’t ever like to wear a lot of makeup, but when I do, I use the Nudies tinted Blur stick in Light 2 (3 when I have a tan) because it’s just enough coverage to make me look like I’m wearing a filter but still looks so natural. I use it under my eyes and will use the concealer stick if I ever have a pimple. I used to always do my brows with a YoungBlood stick but it’s discontinued and after searching far and wide, finally discovered Mario’s which I found at Sephora. I don’t do a lip color or anything fancy, but I love a flavored Chapstick like the Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Cocoa Pebbles because I think beauty is all about having fun.

The most essential part of my beauty routine is prioritizing my mental health, self-reflecting, acknowledging what isn't making me happy and disassociating from toxic variables in my daily life. By purging negativity, it removes the stress and toxicity from my pores, and I see the results dramatically in my hair growth, skin clarity, and ultimately my beauty. I believe if we can acknowledge our problems and take action to find solutions, we can all be in a better, healthier place.