When you aren’t going into the office or leaving the comfort of your home, you might be neglecting your regular beauty routine.
Board-certified dermatologist and founder of Marmur Medical, Ellen Marmur, joined Shop TODAY on Instagram to share exactly why you should be keeping up with a comprehensive skin care regimen — even while relaxing in your living room.
"Not only is it important to practice for your personal hygiene, but taking care of your skin and hair helps you to stay put-together and motivated throughout the day," explained Marmur.
She shares her favorite sunscreens, shaving essentials, scrubs and more to help us find the best skin care products on the market.
Remember to put on sunscreen
You may be spending most of your time practicing social distancing, but Marmur stresses the importance of getting some fresh air when you can — and wearing sunscreen.
"You need to go out and get some fresh air every day. Always remember to put on your sunscreen before you go out," said Marmur.
When looking for a good sunscreen, she says to focus on finding one with zinc oxide — a natural mineral that provides a physical shield between the sun and your skin, says Marmur. "Unlike chemical sunscreens, zinc forms a physical barrier on the skin and reflects the sun's rays."
1. Senté Invisible Shield Full Physical Sunscreen
This broad-spectrum sunscreen defends against environmental aggressors like harmful rays and pollution, which can lead to premature aging. It absorbs quickly and has a weightless feel, meaning you can wear it without feeling that sticky residue.
2. Skinbetter Science Sunscreen Stick
The Sunbetter Sheer Sunscreen Stick provides a transparent layer of broad-spectrum protection. According to the brand, it's water-resistant for up to 80 minutes and even protects against blue light and infrared radiation.
Use gentle products
"Being indoors can actually be a new environment for your skin, so you're probably breaking out," noted Marmur. "So make sure you hydrate, that's really good for your body in general — and then use products that are really gentle on your skin."
She adds that keeping up with your typical skin care routine is also important to establish structure during uncertain times. "A routine will also help to manage stress and anxiety during these difficult times," she said.
1. Beautycounter Instant Eye Makeup Remover
This makeup remover uses coconut and macadamia oils to break down pigments from makeup. It also includes cornflower extract that soothes delicate skin.
"I love the Beautycounter brand because the products have amazing, clean, nourishing ingredients," she said. Marmur also said she likes the company's female empowerment culture.
2. Skinfix Barrier+ Foaming Clay Cleanser
Formulated with ingredients like coconut, volcanic clay and glacial clay, this product is designed to extract impurities and soothe skin. The brand recommends massaging it into damp skin morning and evening and rinsing thoroughly to detoxify skin.
Shave with the right products
If you can't get in for your regular waxing or laser appointment, you may need to turn to the tried-and-true razor. Marmur recommends using an exfoliator to prep your skin and shaving cream with your favorite razor.
After shaving, she said to use an alcohol-free moisturizer to soothe the skin and to avoid irritation or razor bumps. "I love Alastin Body lotion, Honest body lotion, Nivea body lotion and anything with high amounts of shea butter for moisturizing after shaving."
1. Eos Shave Cream
This popular shave cream is packed with shea butter, conditioning oils and antioxidants to moisturize skin.
"I love the Eos Pomegranate Raspberry because it not only smells delicious but helps get a really close shave and leaves the skin hydrated, never red or irritated. Plus, it is cheerful!" said Marmur.
2. Yon-Ka Gel Exfoliating Sugar Scrub
"I don’t recommend exfoliating very often on the face because it can be abrasive and can irritate the skin," said Marmur. But she does recommend exfoliating other parts of your body with a gentle scrub.
"Yon-Ka body scrub is wonderful, especially for the forgotten zones of dead skin like the curvy areas behind the ankle (Achilles area), knees, and elbows."
Experiment with your favorite makeup
"When choosing my makeup, I try to find the cleanest ingredients I can," explained Marmur. She loves brands like Beautycounter and Chanel but says that she's a big fan of drugstore brands like Cetaphil, Aquaphor and L'Oreal, too.
1. Beautycounter Tint Skin Hydrating Foundation
Marmur's favorite foundation is from one of the leading clean beauty companies. "Beautycounter for cosmetics is my favorite because they are the leaders in transparency for cleaner cosmetics!"
She loves the weightless feel of the brand's Tint Skin Hydrating Foundation. It's available in 10 shades and blends effortlessly to blur imperfections.
2. Chanel Vitalumière Moisture-Rich Sunscreen
"I use Chanel Vitalumiere every day with its elegant tinted moisturizer with SPF," said Marmur.
This bestseller is designed to conceal and treat dull, dry and uneven skin. It's formulated with marine extracts that boost cell energy to enhance radiance, according to the brand.
3. Wonderskin Wonderblading Peel & Reveal Lip Color
This unique lip color is a mix between a stain and a lipstick. To use it, apply two or three coats of the lip mask onto your lips and wait 45 seconds. After, you can either wipe it off or peel it off to reveal instant color.
Focus on your hair
Marmur also mentions that it's extremely important to give your locks some love.
"Classically washing your hair and scalp four times a week is most healthy," she said, noting that some with thick or coarse hair should opt for once a week.
1. StriVectin Ultimate Restore Deep Mask
"Use your hair mask during the day so that you don't sleep on the product at night," suggested Marmur.
This one helps restore healthy hydration to damaged or thinning hair. The end result? Nourished, soft and shiny locks.
2. Moroccanoil Clarifying Shampoo
Marmur recommends the Moroccanoil Clarifying Shampoo for a lightweight and effective cleanser. When asked how often you should wash your hair, she said it depends on your texture.
"Some with thick, coarse hair can go once a week while those with thinner hair may have to wash every other day," she said. "I don’t recommend washing every day because it can cause an itchy, flaky scalp."
Davines Love Curl Shampoo
"We all need a little bit of love right now," said Marmur, which is why she recommends the Davines Love Curl Shampoo. It provides elasticity and softness to curls while enhancing the volume and texture of wavy or curly hair.
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