If you’ve ever heard the saying “beauty is a pain,” here’s another, perhaps more accurate way to put it: beauty is expensive. Quarterly hair salon visits, biweekly nail salon visits, monthly waxing, and everything else you might be missing can all add up to more expenses than you’d expect. Plus, finding the time to go to those salons, and self-care overall, often feels like a luxury. Luckily, with the rise of at-home beauty treatments, it’s now easier than ever to treat yourself without the need for costly and time-consuming salon visits.
These days, effective, easy-to-use beauty treatments allow you to get salon-quality results without a trip to the salon (and paying salon fees). From tinting your eyebrows to perfecting an at-home gel manicure, you can easily perform time-consuming beauty treatments at home. The best part is that these treatments are not only effective, but they can also be customized to meet your specific needs. Whether you’re looking to boost your glow, polish your manicure, or simply indulge in some much-needed self-care, these at-home beauty treatments are the key to looking and feeling your best while saving you time and money.
At-home beauty treatments
Eyebrow tint
Trust us, we know the struggle of having to dye our eyebrows frequently (why does the color fade so quickly?) Luckily, dyeing your eyebrows at home is super easy and effective.
First, you’ll need a brow tint kit. The kit includes the tint dye, activator, and applicator tool. Before applying the tint, clean your brows and the surrounding skin to remove any oils or makeup. (Pro tip: We recommend applying a thin layer of Vaseline around your brows to prevent the dye from getting on your skin.) Next, mix the tint with the activator. Once mixed, use the applicator to carefully apply the tint to your brows from root to tip. Then, leave the tint on for the recommended time (usually 5-15 minutes, depending on how intense the color is). Once the time is up, wipe off the tint using a damp cotton pad or cloth. (If the color is too light, you can reapply the tint for a few more minutes.) Finally, rinse your brows with warm water and pat them dry. Easy, right?
Gel manicure and pedicure
If there’s one thing we don’t have time for, it’s going to a nail salon. Gel nails are definitely quicker than acrylic nails, but it still takes a lot of time and money to get your nails done continuously. To solve that problem, we resort to doing gel nails at home. Trust me, it’s so easy.
To get started, you will need a gel nail kit that includes a base coat, color gel polish, top coat, and a UV or LED light to cure the gel. To begin your manicure, first prepare your nails (i.e., cut and shape your nails, push back the cuticles, and buff the surface of each nail). Once your nails are prepped, apply a thin layer of base coat and cure it under a UV or LED light (one coat should not take more than a minute). Next, apply one layer of your desired color gel polish and cure it. Depending on the opacity of the polish, you may need to apply a second or third layer, in which case cure each layer. Finally, apply one layer of top coat and you’re ready to go.
facial
Sure, getting a professional facial every now and then is fun, but it’s not always the most cost-effective. But an at-home facial is the next best thing. Why? Because it can be customized to fit exactly your skin care needs and goals.
If you really want to take this facial to the next level, you’ll need a few basic skin care products: a gentle cleanser, an exfoliant, a steam source, a face mask for your skin type, a toner, and a moisturizer. (Sounds like a lot, but it really isn’t!) An at-home facial starts with washing your face to remove all makeup, dirt, and oil. Then, exfoliate your skin with a scrub or chemical peeling agent. This removes dead skin cells and clogs pores. After exfoliating, steam your face for 5-10 minutes to open up your pores and make it easier for your skin to absorb the good ingredients in the mask. (Depending on how fancy you want to get, you can also steam your face by leaning over a bowl of hot water with a towel wrapped around your head or use a facial steamer.) Once your pores are open, it’s time to put on a face mask. Leave the mask on for the recommended time and rinse it off with lukewarm water. Then, restore your skin’s pH balance with a toner and finish with a moisturizer to lock in moisture. Get glowing skin!
Light Chemical Peeling
Now, the key word with at-home chemical peels is “mild.” This version isn’t as strong as your typical chemical peel, but it still delivers great results. Here’s the gist: These peels use mild acids like glycolic, lactic, or salicylic acid to peel off the outer layer of dead skin cells, revealing the new skin underneath. When it comes to at-home peels, it’s important to start with a trusted source. We personally like Dr. Dennis Gross and iS Clinical. Once you’ve found a peel you can trust, wash your face thoroughly. After cleansing, apply the chemical peel solution (in this case, a treatment pad) evenly all over your face. (It’s very normal to feel a slight tingling sensation after application.)
If you’re looking for an at-home peel that takes it up a notch, try Shani Darden’s Triple Acid Signature Peel. This two-step peel first applies three acids to brighten and resurface the skin, followed by a clay mask to neutralize the skin and cleanse pores, giving you clearer, brighter, and more youthful skin right at home.
Depending on the type of peel you have, you may want to apply a light moisturizer afterwards. Because your skin will be more sensitive to UV rays after a chemical peel, try to avoid sun exposure as much as possible and use a broad-spectrum sunscreen daily.
Self-tanning
Tanning beds are so old school. Today, self-tanning is king. For a glowing tan, stock up on the essentials: an exfoliating scrub, moisturizer, a self-tanning product (lotion, mousse, or spray), and a tanning mitt or gloves to keep your hands clean. Note: Preparation is key to successful self-tanning.
First, exfoliate your entire body to remove dead skin cells. Pay special attention to rough areas like elbows, knees, and ankles. After exfoliating, apply a moisturizer to these areas to prevent the self-tanner from sticking to dry areas and creating uneven coverage. Once your skin is prepped and dry, apply your self-tanner. Using a tanning mitt or glove, apply the self-tanner in long, spreading motions, starting from your legs and working your way up to avoid creating creases. For your back, ask a friend to help you or buy a self-tanner applicator designed for your back. When you’re done, let the self-tanner dry completely before getting dressed. That’s it!
Beauty treatments you shouldn’t do at home
While there are several beauty treatments you can do at home, there are also some treatments you should never try yourself.
Microneedling
There is debate as to whether you can use microneedling at home, and although there are some more advanced tools available these days, we still don’t recommend it. This process, which uses tiny needles, stimulates collagen production, improves skin texture, and helps address issues such as acne scars, fine lines, and pigmentation. However, the procedure requires very precise techniques to avoid effects such as infection, scarring, and redness. Additionally, professional practitioners use medical-grade equipment and are trained to adjust the depth and pressure of the needles based on your individual skin type and concerns, making the treatment more effective. Take our word for it, don’t use microneedling at home.
Deep Chemical Peeling
While we’ve mentioned that you can do light chemical peels at home, we don’t recommend doing deep chemical peels yourself. Deep chemical peels use strong acids like trichloroacetic acid (TCA) or phenol, which – you guessed it – penetrate deep into the skin. That’s why you don’t want to cut corners. Doing a TCA chemical peel at home can cause burns, scarring, and infections, all of which you want to avoid. Leave it to the professionals.
Laser hair removal
Yes, I know there are home laser hair removal kits on the market today, but I still think it’s best to leave it to the professionals. Home laser hair removal devices do not have the power and precision of professional equipment, so they need to be used more frequently than usual and can cause burns, pigmentation, scars, etc. if used incorrectly.
