I Wore Full Glam For a Week of Staying at Home, and It Made Me Feel Human Again
:upscale()/2020/04/22/186/n/1922153/9c8379a05ea10b3f1e5b53.92346121_.jpg)
Wake up. Brush teeth. Turn on coffee pot. Throw on sweats. Open laptop. Sit on couch. Since staying at home every day, my morning routine has never been so simple. I practice the exact same actions over and over as soon as that alarm goes off. The one thing I actually miss is getting ready to head into the office; putting on makeup is my favorite part of my morning. It's almost like a meditation for me — my apartment is quiet and I get to take 20 minutes to just be creative and zone out. I miss that so much.
These days, I'm pretty much rolling out of bed and vaguely glancing at myself in the mirror for a moment. Of course it's been great to let my skin breath, but I also long for that put-together feeling I have when I'm ready to step out into the world.
So last week, I decided to challenge myself. I would put on a full face of makeup for seven days in a row. I'm not just talking about my usual routine; I decided to go all out and play with different looks. It would be a fun little project I could look forward to each morning. Ahead, I photographed each one of my completed looks (mostly to hold myself accountable) so I could take you though my little journey. Read on to see how I did, and how I ended up feeling by day seven.
:upscale()/2020/04/22/160/n/1922153/114b0adbe0a11752_IMG_7758.JPG)
Day 1: Going All Out
How I Felt: I was excited to start this challenge! While I was still bight-eyed and bushy-tailed, I decided to play with some color and use purple eyeshadow. I even curled my hair and threw in a scrunchie that matched my outfit (don't worry, I was still wearing leggings; I'm not that eager). I felt like myself again — except more purple.
The Products I Used:Huda Beauty Obsessions Eyeshadow Palette in Amethyst ($27);
MAC Dazzleglass Lipcolor in Money Honey ($18)
:extract_cover():upscale():fill(ffffff)/2020/04/23/762/n/1922153/bd13ebb85ea1cdcdce0628.00142851_Screen_Shot_.png)
:extract_cover():upscale():fill(ffffff)/2020/04/23/762/n/1922153/1a53e9685ea1cdd9855847.35628904_13010e97-17f.jpg)
:upscale()/2020/04/22/160/n/1922153/60751e2e8bde7e91_IMG_9619.jpg)
Day 2: Work Appropriate
How I Felt: I had several video meetings and had to film an Instagram Story for work, so I wanted to look polished. I would consider this to be more of a typical makeup look for me. A bronze eye and pink lipstick are my go-tos, so it made me nostalgic for my usual routine.
The Products I Used:Charlotte Tilbury Palette of Pops Luxury Eyeshadow Palette ($53);
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Amazing Grace ($34)
:extract_cover():upscale():fill(ffffff)/2020/04/23/762/n/1922153/b4b84d455ea1cdf2097163.88924966_s2245181-mai.jpg)
:extract_cover():upscale():fill(ffffff)/2020/04/23/763/n/1922153/2b5c990a5ea1ce19cbf7d4.18212127_Screen_Shot_.png)
:upscale()/2020/04/22/160/n/1922153/b0d3a31c6ad743e4_IMG_2656.JPG)
Day 3: Playing With Metallics
How I Felt: My vision for this look admittedly didn't translate (I was hoping for more shimmer and luster), but it was still enjoyable to use metallics, which I rarely ever do. I balanced out the eye with clear gloss on my lips. I really liked this look because it was easy to wash off before bed.
The Products I Used:NYX Prismatic Shadows in Metallic Silver ($6);
Glossier Lip Gloss in Holographic ($14)
:extract_cover():upscale():fill(ffffff)/2020/04/23/766/n/1922153/ff8942665ea1cf260895f2.46720184_Screen_Shot_.png)
:extract_cover():upscale():fill(ffffff)/2020/04/23/766/n/1922153/9bb52a445ea1cf3a709372.78556533_02_8488-13D_.png)
:upscale()/2020/04/22/160/n/1922153/77907a216301e940_IMG_2098.JPG)
Day 4: A Pop of Color
How I Felt: I have loved the colorful eyeliner trend and wanted to give it a try. This ended up being one of my favorite looks of the week! I slicked back my hair so that the focus would be on my cat eye.
The Products I Used:Sephora Collection Colorful Waterproof Eyeliner in Pool Party ($9, originally $12);
NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Budapest ($4)
:extract_cover():upscale():fill(ffffff)/2020/04/23/770/n/1922153/53ed66ca5ea1d0757558a9.70928021_Screen_Shot_.png)
:extract_cover():upscale():fill(ffffff)/2020/04/23/770/n/1922153/c50f6d695ea1d0585c3512.07500970_71GBnzwjW8L..jpg)
:upscale()/2020/04/22/160/n/1922153/65ede3a22adbb851_image.JPG)
Day 5: Classic Glam
How I Felt: When I'm going out, this is the look I would usually wear. I love wearing a black cat eye and red lipstick to feel confident. It felt nice to revisit this look, and it was easy to put on in the morning. I knew exactly how to achieve it, so there was no stress.
The Products I Used:Haus Laboratories by Lady Gaga Liquid Eyeliner ($20)
Smashbox Always On Matte Liquid Lipstick in Liquid Fire ($24)
:extract_cover():upscale():fill(ffffff)/2020/04/23/773/n/1922153/01b2237d5ea1d17d9af347.60556296_7179MxJPbyL..jpg)
:extract_cover():upscale():fill(ffffff)/2020/04/23/773/n/1922153/6f3f05f15ea1d186962550.53305300_Screen_Shot_.png)
:upscale()/2020/04/22/160/n/1922153/3b7d28c33c4e08bd_image_2.JPG)
Day 6: All-Pink Everything
How I Felt: Frankly, I had to force myself to put on my makeup by day six. I was getting a little tired of putting in a ton of effort, so I threw my hair in a bun and did an all-pink look to match my shirt. I kept it simple and glowy. Once I was finished, I was actually glad I did it. I felt great. It was just putting in the effort that gave me the struggles this day.
The Products I Used:Pop Beauty Lightshow Eye Palette ($16);
Becca Cosmetics Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter in Champagne Pop ($38)
:extract_cover():upscale():fill(ffffff)/2020/04/23/798/n/1922153/8b6d07ad5ea1da011d2a70.48505862_Screen_Shot_.png)
:extract_cover():upscale():fill(ffffff)/2020/04/23/799/n/1922153/07f374115ea1da1f87bd16.20719888_Screen_Shot_.png)
:upscale()/2020/04/22/160/n/1922153/287a71fe39180da6_image_3.JPG)
Day 7: Feeling Blue It's Over
How I Felt: I woke up feeling recharged because I knew it was my last day! I wanted to do something fun, and perhaps a little risky, so I swiped on blue eyeshadow and a blush-y cheek. I think I surprised some people on FaceTime with such a bold look, but I loved using such a mood-boosting color.
The Final Verdict: Honestly, I'm so happy I did this. It truly improved my mood and even made me more motivated to be productive with other activities throughout the day. While I probably won't do a full, trendy glam look every day, I'll definitely continue to wear makeup when I need a pick-me-up. The actual act of putting it on truly gives me joy.
The Products I Used:Colourpop 25/8 Blush Stix in Warm Rose ($8);
Colourpop Blue Moon Shadow Palette ($12)
:extract_cover():upscale():fill(ffffff)/2020/04/23/781/n/1922153/af3b34a45ea1d4197e5dc1.98892116_Screen_Shot_.png)
:extract_cover():upscale():fill(ffffff)/2020/04/23/780/n/1922153/eefdc34d5ea1d4041d0e30.49189134_Screen_Shot_.png)