It is so nice to have brighter days and longer evenings, I really feel it can put some pep in your step and I am also loving being able to get out on the horses with the kids after work and school.

Beauticians have thankfully reopened, but if you – like many – are still nervous to go out and have your eyebrows done, here are some tips to tide you over until you are confident to go to your beautician again.

Quick tips

First off, don’t do anything drastic! As much as you might feel like going to town on your brows, try not to. Only tweeze the really apparent, strong hairs. You will be amazed at how much better your brows will look with just those gone and then you won’t risk ruining their shape before you can get back to your beautician.

If you get a regular brow tint but aren’t confident enough to do it yourself, I would suggest buying yourself a great brow pencil and some gel. Our own Ayu Easy Brow pencil and gel is handy to fill in any sparse areas and the gel will then set the hair, keeping your brows looking perfect all day no matter what you are doing. The formula is smudge and water resistant, so once it’s on you won’t have to think of it again.

If you rely on Phibrows (microblading) to fill in thin brows, you can now get products like Revitabrow (around €90) which encourageS hair growth and thickens brows. I have used their lash conditioner and it has made my eyelashes so long and much more full. The only thing with these products is that you need to be consistent with the application for it to work.

Lip and chin

Another area you might not spend as much time on during your daily routine is your lips and this is an area we need to look after a bit more. While out in the elements, faced with wind, rain and sun, our lips take a bashing. You don’t need an elaborate lip routine, but I have a few tips that can help keep them nourished and in prime condition – no more dry, cracked or sore lips.

First off, you need to exfoliate. You exfoliate your face, so why not your lips? Exfoliating will help remove dry, dead skin. You can do this with your regular exfoliator, or with a soft wet toothbrush. Gently brush in circular motions to lift any dead cells away from the skin.

Secondly, you need to hydrate your lips. Unlike the rest of your skin, lips tend to dry out and become easily chapped. This is because they do not contain oil glands. Drink lots of water to keep lips from drying out and avoid licking your lips as this saps moisture.

Lastly, protect and moisturise your lips. They receive a lot of sun exposure (particularly the bottom lip) which means they are a common area for skin cancers. It’s really important – especially if you work outside or are outdoors a lot – that your daytime lip product includes an SPF 15 or higher.

And yes, you still need to protect your lips (and the rest of your skin), even if you are wearing a mask. You will also need to reapply throughout the day.

I love these lip balms for day wear: Nivea Sun Lip Balm with SPF30 (€3.65) and Carmex Lip Balm with SPF15 (€4). At night, I switch to a moisturising product to help combat nighttime dryness.

One product I love is from an Irish brand called Meadows. Meadows operates out of its dairy farm in Co Wicklow and has a beautiful range of natural skincare products. Its nourishing lip balm (€4.95) is handmade with lime essential oil and uses pure cocoa butter, beeswax and apricot kernel. The lime essential oil has antiseptic, disinfectant properties, which also helps keep cold sores at bay.

Until next time, stay safe,

Suzie x