Does this even make me low maintenance?

These are some of the skincare and wellness things I do regularly to lighten my daily routine!

1. Eyebrow dye: I have red hair, which means red eyebrows, which means very faint eyebrows! I love the color of my hair, but I wished for a long time that I had more definition in my eyebrows. For the past few years, I’ve been using a medium brown color from Just For Men’s beard dye to make my eyebrows more prominent! It costs like $10 at the store and it takes maybe 7 minutes total to apply, wait, and wash the dye off.

2. Silicone patches: I have very fair skin, which means I’m pretty susceptible to damage from the sun. I wear SPF and have a solid skincare routine, but I have noticed I’m developing tiny lines around my eyes and on my forehead. I’m hesitant to do Botox (no hate to those who do!! please be kind 🥺) but still want to make sure I’m doing everything possible to prevent long term damage to the skin. Dr Shereene Idriss made a video on TikTok about how this was a promising alternative to Botox, having slower and less noticeable results but still offering some protection from the formation of fine lines over time. I put it on before bed on my forehead and under my eyes and pull it off in the morning! I haven’t been using it that long, but I do notice my face is softer and more moisturized in these areas in the morning.

3. Electric toothbrush: An electric toothbrush has completely changed my dental hygiene! I used to brush for 4+ minutes with a regular toothbrush to feel as clean as when I use the electric toothbrush. It’s so much better at getting in between teeth and underneath gums that I don’t feel as guilty or embarrassed if I forget to floss (which happens more than I’d like to admit . . .).

4. Hydrogen peroxide rinse: Continuing with dental hygiene, I feel like this step has been so easy to add to my routine while making all the difference. Once a week, after brushing and flossing at the end of the day, I mix equal parts hydrogen peroxide and water and gently swish it around my mouth for anywhere from 30 seconds to as long as I can stand to keep it in my mouth. Hydrogen peroxide is an “oral debriding agent” meaning it helps remove layers of plaque in the mouth, but it also has whitening properties and is usually one of the active ingredients in teeth whiteners! I used to spend a lot of money on whitening strips and now feel content with this at home remedy. I started off using this rinse every day for one week, then I switched to once a week to help maintain the whiteness and to fight off plaque.

5. Eyelash curler: I have never really liked the way I look with mascara on and I don’t really know why. I love the look of long eyelashes, but something about mascara on my eyes always look clumpy and doesn’t really complement my look, no matter what brand I use. Most days I just do a casual makeup look anyway, and I find that my eyelashes mesh with my makeup so much better when I just use aquaphor/vaseline with an eyelash curler. The aquaphor adds a really subtle glow to my lashes and makes the curl stay put longer. I usually can have them stay curled all day when I use this method! Coconut oil also works really great for this.

6. Lotion/Coconut oil mix: I always feel like lotions and moisturizers, no matter how “intense” they are, leave me feeling like I need to reapply shortly after. For a while, I switched to coconut oil and felt like this was hydrating, but it was also very oily and took a long time to actually absorb into my skin. Then, I mixed both! I noticed it was absorbing faster into my skin while also keeping a protective hydrating layer on top, which is exactly what I need during the winter, after being outside, and after exfoliating as my skin gets SUPER dry during these times. I love being able to moisturize once and then not having to keep up with it throughout the day!

I feel like all of these are pretty basic but they’ve helped me so much! What’s helped you stay low maintenance in your routine?

#glowup #lemon8challenge