In Tri Delta’s new series, “3 For You,” we’re covering the best tips from experts as we navigate the situation around COVID-19. Tri Delta alumna and self-care guru Stacy Nadeau, Creighton, offers advice on re-assessing our beauty and maintenance routines during the current circumstances. Read her three tips below, or listen to the podcast.
The current pandemic has us all re-assessing our beauty and maintenance routines. With social distancing, our norms have changed and we’re having to adapt to new routines, including the ones many women have for keeping up with personal maintenance and appearance. But this isn’t just about having our salon appointments cancelled—it’s about how we examine self-care as a part of our overall well-being and mental health. Self-care guru Stacy Nadeau shares three powerful tips in the areas of beauty and self-acceptance.
Tip #1 Acceptance without Guilt
We are many weeks into uncharted territory with shelter in place. But shelter in place doesn’t necessarily mean no one is ever going to see you. Now we’re doing more video calls than we’ve ever done, and we’re connecting in images more than we ever have. During this time, it’s so important to meet yourself where you are. Maybe what you would have considered your beauty standard a few weeks ago no longer applies and, in many cases, is no longer possible. Maybe you would have never showed up at a video conference when your gray is showing, but now you have no choice because your salon is closed. It’s important to accept where we are without feeling guilty.
If you have a beauty routine that’s important to you, that just translates to the fact that you care about yourself. Don’t feel guilty for wanting to get your nails or hair done—it just means you want to take care of yourself and feel normal in your own routine. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s also time to make a new agreement with yourself about what your beauty care routine is going to look like during in shelter in place. Come up with that and be intentional about it.
Tip #2 Get Creative and Make Connections
Consider this as an opportunity to get creative with learning new skills to take care of yourself. We have so many resources at our finger tips. There are endless YouTube videos, for example, on how to do an at-home pedicure. There are so many people out there who want to share advice and expertise, and one of the great things we’re going to see in this scenario is how willing people are to connect and share! Think through your contacts and reach out to people who can help you. Creativity and connection go hand-in-hand because we’re going to need help if we’re stepping out of our realm. It’s not about pressure—it’s about curiosity. Think: How can I get creative? Who can I connect with? What can I learn?
Tip #3 Own and Hone your Power
We have more power than we give ourselves credit for, and often we give away a lot of our power. When you think about your beauty care routine, this is a good time to re-evaluate where you are giving away your power. For example, maybe you don’t feel like you need to get your nails done; maybe you don’t enjoy it, or it’s not your top priority. But perhaps having your hair done is important to you. This is the perfect time to re-evaluate those priorities. Remind yourself where your power is and where you’re choosing to put your power. Some of our beauty routine has been on auto-pilot, but now we can take a step back and see where we’re giving our power—and money—away. We can re-take some of that power and remind ourselves where we want our power and energy to go.
Want more? Watch this video, or find more helpful 3 For You topics.