PRESS | Reemerging from lockdown? Fashion and beauty tips for a post-confinement world

Osifo urged people to stray from the basics, and to instead “expand your color or pattern styles, as well as embrace new garments you have not worn before.” Shirts made from natural fibers, rather than synthetic ones, are a rule thumb for the hotter months, as less breathable materials like nylon and polyester tend to trap moisture and cause sweat patches, he added.

Dress for new realities

Those returning to their workplaces may need to balance these considerations against other norms and expectations. But things may have changed markedly since the last time you got ready for work, said Karen, who suggested that office attire as we know it will drastically change. “I do feel like dress codes will be more lax,” she said.

“Gone will be the Wall Street suit-and-tie look,” she continued, predicting a move towards “Silicon Valley chic” – Mark Zuckerberg hoodies and all.

Stylist Josephine Eve advised refreshing what you know about “the dress code and standards” required at your workplace. Expectations may now be more relaxed than you remember. As well as keeping a close eye on colleagues’ choices, browsing the racks of corporate fashion brands – many of which embraced elements of athleisure, loungewear and smart casualwear in recent collections – may help you navigate the new normal.

According to Adenuga, “natural glamour” is the order of the day, with “an emphasis on eye makeup and a hint of color on the cheeks.” She recommended using lighter tinted moisturizers and concealers rather than heavy coverage foundations for the coming summer months. During a bout of early summer sunshine in London, for instance, people flocked to parks wearing “soft shimmery golden highlighted cheeks complemented (by) pops of blush” in darker shades such as cherry and plum, as well as soft peach, coral and apricot, the makeup artist said.

Although lipstick sales collapsed during the pandemic, people appear to be reaching for it once again. British retailer Escentuals reported an 85% surge in demand in May 2021, returning it to “pre-pandemic levels,” according to industry publication Fashion Network. Similar trends were also seen in the US, where research firm IRI noted an 80% increase in lipstick sales in April, compared to the same period last year.

Choosing stain-proof, mask-friendly lip tints is a must, Adenuga said. And an understated look can be achieved with matte lipsticks in “softer neutral shades of brown, taupe and nude,” she added.

Adenuga also said that eyebrows are “thicker and more natural” than before pandemic – possibly due to beauty salons shutting in many places during lockdowns – while feathered eyebrows have also become a popular choice. (Adenuga said using “tinted brow gels with a small tip” is the best way to tame unkempt brow hairs.)

And before dipping back into your eyeshadow palettes, Adenuga also recommended carrying out a “beauty audit” of your collection and throwing out anything past its expiry date.

‘Refresh and restart’ your hair

In places where hair salons have reopened, stylists have been bombarded with appointments to trim unruly pandemic locks – or even to fix the occasional TikTok-inspired hair disaster.

In Hong Kong (where fear of the virus rather than legal restrictions kept people away from salons), returning customers often found themselves “confused or lost” about want to do with their hair, said Marvin Lin, creative director of Shhh Salon.

Online research can only help so much. Consulting a professional hairstylist in person is often the best way to get recommendations suited your face shape and current trends, Lin said, adding: “We’re in a very good position to (give) advice.”

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She recommended shorter styles, which are not only suited to the hotter months but also allow you to literally “cut the last year away.” With hair typically growing six inches a year, a big chop will help “refresh and restart” your look, she explained.

Lin saw her fair share of hair crises during the pandemic – many of which resulted from the lockdown trend of using at-home dyes. There are a number of benefits to dyeing your hair at a salon rather than in your bathtub, as professional stylists will typically patch-test hair to ensure you’re achieving the exact color. Lin said that salons have various other precautions in place to protect clients’ hair and scalp.

“Without those proper steps … their hair – the texture — just totally became damaged and rough,” she said. “And not to mention (that people were) not able to achieve the color that they intended to.”

Those experiencing sensitivity and hair damage should, Lin suggested, try a “detox for the scalp” to cleanse the skin without stripping its natural oils.

Despite lockdown experiments with neon colors and ’90s-boyband-style frosted tips, some of us will be returning to more office-friendly hairstyles in the coming months. One way to retain some creativity is a hairstyle Lin calls the “Don’t Tell,” which involves strategically dyeing a lower section of hair with a bright shade that can be easily hidden when you leave your hair down. Contrasting highlights are another great way to go, she said.

But according to Karen, many of the unspoken “draconian rules” we once were beholden to have now been rendered “obsolete.” Whether it’s wearing color in our hair or dressing for comfort, we’ve developed a new relationship with our appearances – “and in turn,” she added, “developed a new relationship with ourselves.”