Not sure how
beauty upkeep is going in your lockdown life, but over here it means brushing my teeth by bedtime and cajoling my husband to trim my hair. To be fair, I've never been into makeup, facials or manicures.
But I'm big on
physical fitness and, mercifully, if I get the light right, video calls are magically forgiving on wrinkles and under-eye bags.
Truth is we all want to look—and feel—good. We just have different ways of doing it, and some strategies are more sustainable than others.

“To me, beauty is 100 percent defined by confidence,” says Lauren Boggi, a Los Angeles-based celebrity fitness trainer and founder of
Studio LB, a virtual fitness platform featuring her signature cardio and body-sculpting workouts. “It’s an attitude, and a way of taking care of yourself so that you are your best you. It’s not at all about perfection. I always tell women to own the difference that makes them beautiful. They’re not working out to be thin. They’re working out to feel alive. It’s very different, and your best self will emerge as a side effect. When a woman oozes aliveness she’s the most beautiful, magnetic person in a room.”
To be fair (once more), from what I’ve seen,
Boggi must turn heads based on looks alone, and I hope she's okay with me saying so. But that doesn't make her point any less valid.
“I empower people through movement, so confidence and being comfortable in your skin is really the heart of my brand message. I really believe that beauty is the whole package of mind, body and spirit,” Boggi says. “Smart and accessible nutrition, as in eating healthy, whole foods, and drinking plenty of water is just as important, and so is taking good care of your skin.”
Now then, let's get down to business. Below are four pandemic-prompted beauty problems, and Boggi's take on solving them, along with info from a few other sources.
1. You feel like a slob
Make an effort. “Shower, and wear real clothes,” Boggi says. “The mental and physical reset is key. Get out of the sweats. I promise you’ll feel so much better.”
2. You feel lethargic, so you're not bothering with beauty upkeep
Go outside. “Fresh vibes and fresh air feel so good,” Boggi says. “I’ve been taking two to three walks daily and also working
outdoors whenever possible. I’m in SoCal so this is easy for me, but do whatever you can to get outdoors.”
Exercise. “How lucky are we that we have
digital fitness?” says Boggi, who started her virtual workout platform in 2016, before coronavirus cooped us up. “So many people are new to and struggling with at-home fitness. I’m getting the vibe that many feel like working out from home is subpar, but honestly it just takes some getting used to. Having a strong, fit body that is flexible, has muscle definition and good joint mobility is number one. If you want to look and feel beautiful and confident, you absolutely have to move. Movement is lifeblood: It makes your skin glow and oxygenates every cell in your body.”
Wash your face. So simple, but as I write this, it's 3 p.m. and I still haven't done it. “Washing” varies depending on your skin and preferences. For example, drier skin needs only a morning rinse or a rub with non-soap cleanser (shout out to
Derma E, which I've used for years), according to
beauty experts.
3. You're putting on pounds
Create a meal plan. Apparently, lots of folks have gained weight since the pandemic started, a condition dubbed “
Quarantine 15,” 15 referring to pounds gained.
“Quarantine isn’t free reign to eat and drink whatever you want whenever you want, and I can promise you that you will really regret it if you do,” Boggi says. “Make sure you’re drinking water, eating meals and not just snacking.”
Turn on music and dance. “Morning and night I blast music and freestyle,” Boggi says. “Energy
out, guys. It is cathartic.”
4. Your hair is mangy
Self-style. If you live alone, hilarious stylist Brad Mondo’s YouTube videos are truly useful for DIY trimming, coloring and more. I
followed one when my mop was too unruly to wind into a hair clip and my husband drew the line at figuring out how to cut layers.
Or just let yourself be. If becoming your own stylist terrifies you, let your hair grow in its own wild way or shave it off with wild abandon. Let your true hair color come through.
“Make peace,” Boggi says. “This (pandemic) is the ultimate reset, right?”
To be fair (a final time), Boggi was referring to letting go of interpersonal conflicts. But intrapersonal conflict—our incessant
internal critiquing—can be harder to brook, so her tip is just as useful when dealing with ourselves.
Mitra Malek is a news journalist and former Yoga Journal senior editor and contributing editor.