Over the past two years, our lives have been dominated by a ruthless pandemic. To keep ourselves healthy, we’ve stayed at home, working tirelessly from the comfort of our desk, couch and even bed.
But as time went on, the monotony of daily life became really, well, mundane. Finding separation between work and life was difficult, and our personal care routines took a hit, with days dragging on without much leisure time.
Enter: Beauty Snacking.
The beauty industry has come to our rescue, with a self-care trend gifting us delightful, bite-sized reprieves with products that have been created to boost our moods and brighten our days. Of course, while it has no competition against a chocolate treat, it can give your skin the same mood-lifting benefits.
But what exactly is beauty snacking? Well, we’ve done the hard work for you.
Below, everything we know about beauty snacking, the 2022 self-care trend that’s here to optimise your complexion and amp up your beauty routine.
Main image via @chrisappleton1.
What Is ‘Beauty Snacking’?
According to trend forecaster WGSN, the term ‘beauty snacking’ is defined as the use of “flash” treatments—sadly, with no relation to food—that are both easy to use and leave minimal mess. Basically, it helps you utilise your beauty routine while you spend hours at your desk instead of your vanity.
During the seemingly endless lockdowns, it made sense that our shift to working from home saw a similar shift in our morning and evening beauty routines. Despite having more time to slap on skincare, excessive moments at-home left us feeling uninspired and unmotivated to tick off our usual to-do list.
Acting as a ‘snack’ eaten on the go, beauty snacking sees innovation and travel-friendly product reign supreme, with a focus on hygiene, efficiency and sustainability. Essentially a micro beauty moment, they can be completed during the day, breaking up the WFH lifestyle and treating yourself to a touch of rest and relaxation.
But what happens now that we’re headed back to in-office life? Well, WGSN prophesizes that as the years evolve, so will the trend. Sure, our journeys back into the office might be starting back up again, but no, it doesn’t mean that our micro me-moments need to stay at home.
Given how easy (and super fast) a ‘beauty snack’ can be, there’s no reason why you still can’t indulge at your desk—as long as you’re not embarrassed of some prying eyes.
How Can I ‘Beauty Snack’?
Naturally, it’s hard to imagine how bite-sized routines and treatments could be factored into a work day. After all, our 10-step, unmissable skincare routine leaves little wiggle room—so, don’t expect to indulge in anything too extravagant.
Instead, there are a plethora of five-minute techniques and at-desk routines that can help you bid adieu to a complexion riddled with dehydration, courtesy of air conditioners and excessive screen time.
Keen to bump up your skincare game (even after hours under fluorescent lighting)? Check out our favourite ‘beauty snacking’ must-haves below, and start stocking up your desk with go-to products your complexion will cheer for.
Face Mists
When you’re on your sixth consecutive hour in harsh air conditioning, there’s nothing quite like the spritz of a fresh face mist to take your skin out of Sahara Desert territory. Our choice? Opt for Laniege’s Cream Skin mist for its applause-worthy ability to keep your complexion hydrated for 12 hours—and yes, there’s no pesky fragrance that’ll annoy your colleagues.
Cream Skin Mist by Laneige, $33 at Adore Beauty.
Lip Oils and Masks
When it comes to in-office dehydration, your lips often cop the brunt of it. Whether it’s a result of your third coffee for the day or the anticipation of a well-deserved lunch, getting your hands on a lip oil or mask—hello, Laniege’s Lip Sleeping Mask!—is key for a plush pout. Jam-packed with super nourishing plant oils, they’re non-sticky and can be used on their own or on top of a lip product.
Lip Comfort Oil by Clarins, $37 at The Iconic.
Facial Tools
Facial tools are a cult-favourite for a reason. In particular, Aceology’s Ice Globe Facial Massagers are basically giant, cool orbs that help improve skincare and fluid absorption. Place these bad boys in the fridge or freezer 10 minutes before you plan to use them and massage into the skin toward the temples for a true spa-like experience. You’re welcome.
Ice Globe Facial Massager Set by Aceology, $64 at Adore Beauty.
Supplements
If you’re sick of slapping on skincare—or you just don’t want to ruin your makeup—then perhaps ingesting your beauty snack is your best bet. Get your hands on Me Today’s Beauty capsules if your hair, skin and nails are in need of an internal glow up, plus it’ll help maintain collagen formation and skin integrity.
Beauty 60 Vege Caps by Me Today, $37.99 at Adore Beauty.
Hand Creams
If all that typing and phone scrolling has your palms feeling parched, a healing hand cream should be a must-have at your desk. And after two years of mandatory (and excessive) handwashing, the repetitive rinsing can certainly strip our poor hands of much-needed moisture. Grab the Grown Alchemist’s rose and argan oil offering for some seriously soft fingertips.
Intensive Hand Cream by Grown Alchemist, $30 at Adore Beauty.
Aromatherapy Roll-Ons
For those who need some inner zen, sans the skincare routine, then an aromatherapy roll-on could be what you need. Filled with organic lavender, lavandin and clary sage, Aveda’s Stress-Fix is convenient to take with you for Ayurvedic rituals on the go. Just pop some concentrate on the inside of your wrists, at the top of your neck and your upper shoulders for a serious spa-like atmosphere.
Stress Fix Pure-Fume Roller Ball by Aveda, $43 at The Iconic.
Sunscreen
In a more literal approach, a simple pleasure for your skin is to protect it from the sun. While you should already be applying sunscreen before your morning makeup application, it’s just as important to reapply through the day as its efficiency wears off. Reach for Naked Sunday’s spray-on SPF 50+, and make sure that a full face of makeup can’t get in the way—trust us, you (and your healthy skin) can thank us later.
SPF50+ Hydrating Glow Mist by Naked Sundays, $39.95 at MECCA.
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