Life’s starting to feel a tad unruly during this strange and unusual time of quarantine. Social engagements and staff meetings have shifted to pants-optional video calls. Our kitchen tables are littered with remnants of work, distance learning, and half-finished craft projects. Every day seems to run into the next and, perhaps, like us, you’re looking for a silver lining. Thankfully, we have this unique moment of pause from the hustle of our former lives. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to practice self-care and embrace your natural beauty!
1. Repair those damaged eyelashes
Put down the mascara wand! Daily use of mascara can cause damage to your lashes. Use this time to give your lashes a break. If you have an important Zoom call, give your lashes a gentle curl with a clean eyelash curler, or the back of a warmed spoon.
If you currently have lash extensions, remove the remaining lash glue with castor oil. The oil will break up the glue, and the fatty acids in castor oil will nourish your lashes and prevent breakage. We like Heritage Organic Castor Oil.
2. Don’t fall prey to box dye!
Unless you are prepared to spend thousands of dollars to fix a potential disaster, it’s not worth the risk, not to mention the toxicity of most box dyes. It is nearly impossible to pick the right shade for at-home color. The swatch color and the hair color of the model on the box are not always accurate. Also, color varies slightly by line, so even if you know the shade your colorist normally uses, it may not be the same in the box brand. Pick a shade too light and you are left with “hot roots.” Too dark, and your colorist will have to lighten your hair in several processes using bleach or color remover.Having roots is okay! After all, the bohemian look is very in. Don’t want to rock grey roots? Use a colored hair powder or root spray to blend them in. We like the powders from Bari Natural.
An even better option is to rock a turban or a headband to camouflage your roots. We like prAna’s organic headbands.
3. Go ahead, give yourself a little trim
Pick up a feather razor blade online at Amazon. Normally we say NO WAY to Amazon as there are a lot of counterfeit products, but in this case, you are safe.
Less is more! It’s important to remember that your stylist has cut thousands of heads to be able to cut your hair with ease. This isn’t the time to cut those straight precise Betty Paige bangs you’ve been wanting. Just clean up the pieces here and there that are bothering you. Many stylists, including NVBL’s, are offering private Zoom home haircutting sessions to walk you through each step.
4. Get off the couch
This is a great time to start moving! Need some inspiration? There are a lot of online workouts with a free introductory membership. Here are our favorites:
Tracy Anderson: A mix of pilates, yoga, and dance.
Alo Moves: Yoga, fitness, and meditation
Openfit: Barre, Pilates, and fitness
On a digital detox? No worries. Nature isn’t closed, and it is very healing. No matter your routine, try to include at least a 30-minute walk in your nearest green space. Just remember your sunscreen!
5. Detox
Finally form those healthy habits you’ve been mulling over, and take advantage of this time to eliminate everything from your life that no longer serves you.
Social Circle: Have a toxic friend? It’s okay to unfollow people both on IG 
and in life. Ask yourself, “what evidence do I have that this person is good for me.” Just because you have history with someone doesn’t mean you need to maintain a friendship, especially if they’re bringing you down.
Diet: Replace processed for plant based foods. You can't go wrong with eating fresh fruits and vegetables. If you have the space, now is the time to plant that garden. If you live in an apartment or small space, look into hydroponic gardening. There is something very healing about growing your own food. Many garden centers are offering curbside pick up. For recipes and resources on detox, check out Medical Medium’s Cleanse to Heal. For other plant based recipes and tips, check out our friend, Minimalist Baker, and @earthandy. 
Household: Ditch the toxic beauty and cleaning products! Examine all your products for the EWG’s Toxic 20. Check out our post: The Guide to Natural Beauty Products for everything you need to know. You don’t need to sacrifice your health for the sake of beauty.
Face: Skip your make-up routine and try a non-toxic skincare routine instead. We love the Luxe Botanics Camu routine. Camu is an Amazon superfruit with more vitamin C than Acai. This product will brighten, even out skin tone, and increase collagen production. 
Step 1: Camu Brightening Cleanser
Step 2: Camu Brightening Serum
Step 3: Camu Brightening Moisturizer
For a refresh or to prevent free radical damage on your nature walks spray on Camu Brightening Mist.
Body: Try dry brushing to exfoliate and increase blood flow. Using a dry, firm bristle brush, take long strokes up your body, moving in the direction of your heart.
In the shower, use Oway’s Detox Body Bath, which removes impurities and toxins from the skin and protects against free radical damage. After your shower, treat yourself to Rahua’s Body Oil, which works to repair, heal, and moisturize the skin.
On a budget and can’t splurge on new beauty products? Castor oil makes a great moisturizer for your face and body.
Home: For cleaning products, there are quite a few non-toxic solutions on the market. We like AspenClean. They are one of the few companies that the EWG has given an A rating.
On a budget? For an inexpensive, non-toxic homemade cleaning solution, use 1/2 cup of white distilled vinegar to a half-gallon of warm water. For other homemade cleaning, ideas check out diynatural.com.
Digital: There’s no better time to power off. Becky doesn’t really look like that, it’s a filter! Forget the FOMO. Right now, you really aren’t missing out. Everyone is doing that same thing. Be present with your partner and/or kids instead of trying to catch the perfect Instagram moment.
We don’t know what the future holds, but we do know we are in this together. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL because you are you. We’ve been plucking, coloring, gluing things to our bodies our whole lives. Now is the time to take a break and focus on being the best, natural you.
