AARP Hearing Center
COVID isolation was a DIY test lab. Left on our own without hair and nail salons, barbers and day spas, self-care became the new normal. The funny thing is even though business as usual has resumed, at-home treatments don’t seem as big a deal anymore. In fact, in a pinch or when just pinching pennies we now fearlessly get the job done. As a refresher, here are eight top at-home to-dos, with updated products that ease the way:
1. Give yourself a pedicure
Few at-home grooming rituals are as daunting at 50-plus as this one. All that shaping, filing, buffing and painting requires a steady hand, limber body and the eyesight for tidy trimming and polish application. Some tips: Remove old polish and soak your feet in the tub to soften cuticles for a painless push back. (Avoid cutting cuticles since they protect us from infection.) Add bath salts or shower gel to the water for a spa-like touch and use a multitasking pumice like the Spongeables Pedi-Scrub in a Sponge Foot Buffer 5+ ($3, ulta.com) to smooth soles and sides of your heels (see tip number 6 for tough calluses). Towel off and trim nails straight across with a pedicure clipper before filing the edges with an emery board. Massage your feet with a body cream or lotion. If you’re applying polish here’s what really makes a difference: Use a foam toe separator like the Rolabling Toe Separators ($5, amazon.com) to apply it without smudging, and an ergonomic-design bottle topper like the Olive & June The Poppy Manicure Tool ($16, target.com) to increase control (it’s perfect for shaky, clumsy or arthritic hands).
2. Get a flawless self-tan
Getting a sun-kissed body glow is no longer a time-consuming, sticky, messy deal. In fact, the new mousse formulas smell deliciously fruity or coconutty, have skin-enhancing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, botanical oils, vitamin E and aloe, and evolve into realistic shades. The big essential now for a seamless application is a tanning mitt like the MineTan Bronze On Applicator Mitt ($7, target.com). With the updated combo of mitt, whipped cream formula and hydrating ingredients there’s no need to worry about color buildup even at dry spots like elbows, knees and heels. Choose an express product like the St. Tropez Self Tan Express Bronzing Mousse ($44, target.com) or Coco & Eve Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam ($35, amazon.com) that “tans” in one to two hours, or a sheet- and PJ-proof formula like Sol by Jergens Medium Sunless Tanning Water Mousse ($24, target.com) for a stress-free eight-hour overnight tan.
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