"If you’ve heard the saying, “Beauty is pain,” we’ll challenge you with another, perhaps more accurate version: “Beauty is expensive.” Keeping up with quarterly hair appointments, bi-weekly nail visits, monthly waxes, and everything in between can add up more than you bargained for. And, on top of that, finding the time for these appointments–and self-care as a whole–can often feel like a luxury. Luckily, thanks to the rise of at-home beauty treatments, it’s now easier than ever to forgo the expensive, time-consuming appointments, and do treatments yourself instead.
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These days, effective and easy-to-use beauty treatments can deliver salon-quality results without the trip to (and price tag of) a salon. Whether it’s tinting your eyebrows or perfecting an at-home gel manicure, there are a handful of high-maintenance beauty treatments you can do at home to stay low-maintenance. The best part? These treatments are not only effective, but also allow you to tailor them to your specific needs. Whether you’re looking to enhance your glow, step up your manis, or simply enjoy some much-needed self-care, these at-home beauty treatments are your key to looking and feeling your best, all while saving time and money.
Beauty Treatments You Can Do at Home
Eyebrow Tinting
Trust us: We know the struggle of constantly having to get your eyebrows tinted. (Why must the color fade so fast?) Luckily, tinting your eyebrows at home is super easy and effective.
To start, you’ll need an eyebrow tint kit, which includes the tinting dye, an activator, and applicator tools. Before applying the tint, clean your eyebrows and the surrounding skin to remove any oils or makeup. (Pro tip: It’s a good idea to apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly around your eyebrows to prevent the dye from staining your skin.) Then, mix the tint and activator together. Once that’s mixed, use the applicator to carefully apply the tint to your eyebrows, covering the hair from the root to the tip. Then, let the tint sit for the recommended amount of time, which is usually between 5-15 minutes, depending on how intense you want the color to be. Once the time is up, wipe off the tint using a damp cotton pad or cloth. (If the color is too light, you can reapply the tint for a few more minutes.) Finally, rinse your brows with lukewarm water and pat them dry. Easy enough, right?
Gel Manicures and Pedicures
If there’s one thing we don’t have time for, it’s a nail appointment. While getting a gel mani is definitely faster than getting acrylics, it still requires a lot of time and money to keep your nails consistently done. To solve that problem, we rely on giving ourselves gel manicures at home–and trust us, it’s so easy.
To get started, you’ll need a gel nail kit, which should include a base coat, colored gel polish, a top coat, and a UV or LED light for curing the gel. Kick off your mani by prepping your nails (read: trim and shape them, push back the cuticles, and buff the surface of each nail). Once your nails are ready, apply a thin layer of the base coat and cure it under the UV or LED light. (It shouldn’t take more than one minute per coat.) Next, apply a layer of the colored gel polish you want, and cure that. Depending on the opacity of the polish, you may need to apply a second or even third coat, curing each layer as you go. Finish off with a layer of the top coat, and you’ll be good to go.
Facials
While, yes, we do love a professional facial every now and then, they’re not always the most cost-effective. However, giving yourself an at-home facial is the next best thing. Why? Because you can tailor it exactly to your skincare needs and goals.
If you really want to make this facial next-level, you’ll need a few basic skincare products, including a gentle cleanser, an exfoliator, a steam source, a face mask suited to your skin type, a toner, and a moisturizer. (It sounds like a lot but it’s really not!) Begin your at-home facial by cleansing your face, removing any bit of makeup, dirt, or oil. Then, exfoliate your skin using a scrub or chemical exfoliant. This will help to remove dead skin cells and unclog pores. After exfoliating, steam your face for 5-10 minutes to really open up your pores, making it easier for your skin to absorb the good-for-you ingredients in the mask. (Depending on how fancy you want to get, you can steam your face by leaning over a bowl of hot water with a towel draped over your head, or by using a facial steamer.) Once your pores are open, apply your face mask. Leave the mask on for the recommended time, then rinse it off with lukewarm water. Follow up with a toner to restore your skin’s pH balance, and finish with a moisturizer to lock in hydration. Glowing skin, we see you.
Light Chemical Peels
OK, the key word here is ‘light’ when it comes to at-home chemical peels. While this version is less intense than the typical chemical peel, it can still deliver great results. Here’s the scoop: These peels use mild acids, such as glycolic acid, lactic acid, or salicylic acid, to exfoliate the outer layer of dead skin cells to reveal new skin underneath. To do a peel at home, it’s important to start with a trustworthy source. We personally like Dr. Dennis Gross and iS Clinical. Once you find a peel you trust, wash your face thoroughly. After cleansing, apply the chemical peel solution (in this case, it will be a treatment pad) evenly across your face. (It’s totally normal to feel a slight tingling sensation after applying it.)
If you’re looking for a next-level at-home peel, Shani Darden’s Triple Acid Signature Peel is a great option. The two-step peel includes a trio of acids that are applied first to brighten and resurface the skin, and a clay mask that’s applied second to neutralize the skin and cleanse pores, leaving you with clear, bright, rejuvenated skin at home.
Depending on which peel you have, apply a light layer or moisturizer after. Be sure to avoid sun exposure as much as you can and use a broad-spectrum sunscreen daily since your skin will be more sensitive to UV rays after a chemical peel.
Self-Tanning
Tanning beds are so 1990; in this day and age, we’re all about self-tanning. To get a glowing tan, gather your essentials: an exfoliating scrub, a moisturizer, a self-tanning product (lotion, mousse, or spray), and a tanning mitt or gloves to prevent staining your hands. Note: Preparation is key to a good self-tan.
Start by exfoliating your entire body to remove dead skin cells. Pay extra attention to rough areas like elbows, knees, and ankles. After exfoliating, moisturize these areas to prevent the self-tanner from clinging to dry patches and creating an uneven look. Once your skin is prepped and dry, it’s time to put on the self-tanner. Using a tanning mitt or gloves, apply the self-tanner in long, sweeping motions, starting from your legs and working your way up to avoid creases. For your back, you can ask a friend for help or invest in a self-tanning back applicator. Once you’re done, let the self-tanner dry completely before putting on clothes. Done and done.
Beauty Treatments You Shouldn’t Do at Home
While there are a select few beauty treatments you can do at home, there are also a handful you should definitely not attempt to do yourself.
Microneedling
There’s been some debate about if you can microneedle at home, and while some tools are more advanced these days, we still advise against it. The process, which uses small needles, helps to stimulate collagen production, improve skin texture, and address issues such as acne scars, fine lines, and hyperpigmentation. However, the procedure requires a very precise technique to avoid effects like infections, scarring, and redness. Plus, professional practitioners use medical-grade equipment and are trained to adjust needle depth and pressure based on individual skin types and concerns, which makes the treatment more effective. Take it from us, don’t microneedle at home.
Deep Chemical Peels
OK, we know we mentioned that you can do light chemical peels at home, but we do not suggest doing deep chemical peels yourself. Deeper chemical peels, which use stronger acids like trichloroacetic acid (TCA) or phenol, penetrate, as you might guess, deep into the skin, which is why you don’t want to mess around. Doing a TCA chemical peel at home can lead to burns, scarring, and infections, all of which we don’t want. Leave it to the professionals.
Laser Hair Removal
Yes, we know there are at-home laser hair removal kits on the market right now, but we still think going to a professional is best. That’s because at-home laser hair removal devices typically lack the power and precision of professional equipment, which means you’ll have to use them more often than usual, and you can face effects like burns, hyperpigmentation, and scarring if you do it wrong.