A good beginning happens when you take what you’ve learned from the past to your immediate situation. This is why I’m writing down what the previous year gave us: An approach to beauty that’s rooted in putting reliable products and routines that make us feel better at home.

Maintaining hair color

I remember how many of us realized how valuable salons are for the effortless look. It was especially true for those who colored their hair regularly and didn’t trust the DIY boxed dyes. I found that you have to resist the urge to ruin your hair and just do what you can to keep it healthy. Purple shampoo came in handy to maintain color. So did a few hair masks that were all about keeping hair moisturized. That’s important because some of us may still be (unwillingly) growing our hair out.

There are several purple shampoos out there to keep brassiness at bay. One is the R+Co Sunset Blvd Daily Blonde Shampoo. You can use this daily with its mild formula that helps nourish with its blend of juniper berries, blood orange, rhubarb, leather accord, violet and dark woods.

When it comes to hair mask, there’s the Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Mask. You just need to use this once or twice a week, leaving it on for five minutes. On Cult Beauty, the product is described as a mask that helps everyone’s hair from “fine-to-normal, limp or lackluster.”

Face masks

Beauty masks were also a big thing. I think it’s also what helped a lot of us keep “maskne” at bay. It also helped us set up calming evening routines for days when it was all too overwhelming. There’s always the classic mud masks.

Given the time we have at home, I left them on longer than the usual 10 to 15 minutes, and I do believe my skin was better for it. Caution: Not all masks are meant to be left on your skin for prolonged periods of time. Always read the instructions and precautions.

Kiehl’s Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Mask is something that could go on the skin for the whole morning. After I wash it off, my skin looks and feels smoother. Helps for the Zoom calls sans makeup!

Masks also turned it up with lights. Since we couldn’t and are still advised to go to the derma with the utmost caution, we brought some of the devices home. There is the Soie Skin LED Glow Mask. You can choose from three different light settings to address your skin needs. There’s blue that helps stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, reduces inflammation, shrinks pores, tightens and rejuvenates skin, and helps increase blood circulation. There’s red that’s antibacterial and can help clarify blemish-prone skin. The amber light brightens your skin and stimulates lymphatic drainage.

Think pink

When it comes to makeup, pink tones and pink-colored products dominated especially for the cheeks and lips. This is because a pink shade looks good on that video call. All you need is some concealer or a good foundation to give you that healthy “I always look like this” face.

If you’re still on the hunt, there is the Natasha Denona Love Glow Cheek Palette. The four different shades can even be used in combination to create your custom color.

For lips, try a hydrating formulation when just at home such as the Koh Gen Do Maifashi in Apricot Pink. Some people still dared to go for a matte, transfer-proof lipstick under their masks. You can get the Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick for this.

You also need a good lip mask for naturally pink lips. There’s Flashpatch Hydrating Lip Gels by Patchology, something to make your routine updated and ready for 2021 and the years ahead.

R + Co is available on Net-A-Porter.com; Living Proof on cultbeauty.co.uk; Kiehl’s at @kiehlsphilippines on Instagram and facebook.com/soieskin.co; Natasha Denona, Koh Gen Do, Stila on Beautylish.com; Patchology at Beauty Bar.