Lets set the scene... You're on your 6th morning coffee, you were up till 1am watching Bridgerton and you can't remember whether you washed the kids faces or yours. Your laptop starts pinging like its demented and you're suddenly expected on a Zoom meeting in less than 1 hour! It's happened to most of us over the past 10 months and its only now that we're really getting used to living a life on camera. Celebrity skincare suddenly makes sense and HD has gone from being the best thing since sliced bread to a dreaded documentation of our less than cameraworthy complexions.
What can you do in less than 1 hour to make a difference? You'd be surprised and it's absolutley not the time to mix 1 of sand and 2 of cement! We need to do quite the opposite.
Get your dry shampoo out, spray liberally at the root of your hair, leave to dry for a minute then give it a good massage in. It's that bit that does the work to mop up any excess oil and give you some volume.
There are loads of tutorials on Youtube but we havent got time today; get a headband in or a high pony and make it look presentable and professional
2. Wash your face, and try rinsing away with cool water. Not cold though, it can dehydrate your skin very quickly and thats the last thing we want.
Medik8 Gentle Cleanse Foam is ideal for even the most sensitive skins and can be used in the blink of an eye; apply to damp skin, massage in and rinse away.
3. Get a serum on before your skin is completely dry. Medik8 Hydr8 B5 Intense, Elemis Pro Collagen Marine Oil, whatever serum or oil you use under your moisturiser.
4. Lets employ some trickery now. I am a massive advocate of Eye Patches. Those little jellyfish-like pads that can make such a difference in just a few minutes. Elemis Pro Collagen Eye Patches promise an instant reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while providing deep hydration and comfort for tired eyes. You can pop them in the fridge before you use them but we're on a timescale here so get them on and lets carry on.
5. Head back to your laptop and if you have a ring light, get it all set up. If you don't (they are worth the investment if it's going to be a regular thing) make sure you are sitting in a position with your face pointing at a light source. Natural light is always best if possible and straight on to it if you can. We're doing our best to avoid casting shadows onto our faces.
Make sure you know where the camera is on your laptop and try your best to be looking straight on to it or slightly up at it. No one alive benefits from looking down on to a camera, it's THE most unflattering view. Make sure you're logged in to Zoom and you have all the paperwork you'll need to have a professional meeting.
6. Lets hydrate, ourselves and the room. Put the kettle down unless there is a herbal teabag in that mug and grab some water. You've time to drink a pint and have a wee before your Zoom so make the most of it. Have a bottle of water next to you during the meeting, too. Even if you don't drink much of it, you'll inspire everyone else too. Unless you've donned a second jumper or a coat, I'd guess your central heating is on and the room is cosy and warm and sucking every ounce of water out of your body.
If you have a humidifier or an Essential oil diffuser now is the time to spark it up. I treated myself to the Neom Wellness Pod after a glowing recommendation. It is expensive, although I believe it's on special offer at the moment, but it's been a joy. It's beautiful and quiet and the oils blends are precise and useful and the scents are incredible.
7. Back to the bathroom, peel off those eye patches and apply your moisturiser with loads of upward strokes. Use your fingertips to tap lightly all over your skin and create bloodflow to the area. Get your SPF on, they contain a Blue Light filter so your laptop and the light shining in your face isn't doing any harm.
8. Take your makeup bag to your laptop and apply in the same light you'll be having your Zoom. Mix a little of your foundation with some oil or Hylauronic Acid and apply it only to the areas that need it, usually across the cheeks and over the nose. You want your skin to reflect the light and look youthful so use as little product as you can. Use a little bronzer in the areas that you would usually catch the sun, the top of your forehead, tops of cheeks and across the nose. A little natural blusher to the apples of the cheeks, a slick of mascara and some brow gel or pencil to define the eye area and you are good to go.
Let the Zoom commence and forget what you look like, everyone else on there feels just the same as you do but hopefully this time you feel a little more confident.
Lets not get caught out next time though. There's a few things we can do to be prepared for our screen debuts that don't take any time up at all.
Use a face mask regularly, once or twice a week is plenty and you can carry on doing whatever you're doing while it works. Medik8 Natural Clay mask gently detoxes the skin to promote a clear, radiant complexion while hydrating and protecting the skins barrier.
Try a light facial tanner once or twice a week. St Tropez have created a fabulous tan that can be applied undder or over makeup. With no tell-tale self tan smell, no need to rinse off, simply spritz and glow for an instant radiance boost every few days all year round.
Be sure to exfoliate your skin to make sure that you don't get any tan build up over the week and your skin retains a healthy and natural glow.
Drink water.... It's such a boring thing to have to remind you of but its the quickest fix you'll get and the best long term results for your skin.
Happy Zooming everyone and let's hope we can be face to face again soon x