Way back when (was it only 6 weeks ago?) agebuzz featured a post on self-grooming during the pandemic. Well, this many weeks later, few of us are looking too polished- our hair is growing to previously unexperienced lengths (or has been subject to an at-home hair cut), our nails are looking ratty and our gray roots are becoming a permanent fixture. Many of us haven’t applied make-up in weeks and we’re lucky if we splash water on our faces once a day. In essence, our standards for an acceptable appearance may be changing, and it seems permissible to slack off when everyone else seems to be doing so as well. In fact, writing in The Washington Post, opinion writer Helaine Olen recently admitted how refreshing it was to see television news anchors take on a more natural, less “done-up” look now that they’re broadcasting from their basements without personal stylists. (And for another sign of changing beauty standards, let’s celebrate the appearance of 85-year-old Dame Judi Dench on the upcoming June 2020 cover of British Vogue!)

And while we’re zooming from our basements, we’re paying less attention to our face and hair. A recent piece in The New York Times noted that cosmetic purchases, especially of high-end products, have dropped significantly. With masks covering our mouths and caps covering our heads, does it really make sense to use our usual products? Many of us have decided to embrace our “authentic” selves- yet for others, keeping up appearances is a necessary way of maintaining a sense of confidence and control of our situations. In fact, some of us are still receiving advice and products (and even styling on the sly) from our usual salon sources, and others are using the pandemic as a way to experiment with a new look. Wired magazine noted that a quarantine makeover is not just a way to relieve your boredom but it’s also a coping mechanism to deal with the loss of control in other areas of your life. So, for example, we now have the rise of pink as the new at-home hair color, according to Allure magazine. Apparently it’s a happy color that shows a positive attitude and, using a temporary product, can give us a lift without a permanent commitment. 

But then there are those of us who can’t wait to get back in our stylist’s chair. That may be your dream, but you’ll need to temper it with reality, as the new “norm” at the salon will be anything but normal. A recent profile of a newly opened hair salon in Colorado foreshadows what may likely await you when/if your salon re-opens: waiting areas will be removed, temperature checks will become the norm, masks, and gloves for all will be essential, disinfectants will be ever-present and the social aspects of a beauty salon will likely recede as the need for safety and efficiency will be paramount. Your hair may once again be colored but your desire for social connection may give way to necessary distancing. It’s all a part of re-thinking past and present circumstances as we gravitate toward a new way of negotiating this strange new world.