5 ways to experiment with your beauty and hygiene routines at home

CHICAGO — We’ve all been stuck at home for the past five months, and it looks like that’s going to continue, so if you’ve ever wanted so shake up your beauty routine, now is the perfect time to experiment. But whether it’s dying your hair an edgy color, switching to a natural deodorant or trying a moisturizer with retinol, there can be an adjustment period.

“Quarantine might be the perfect time to test out a natural deodorant,” said Chicago dermatologist Dr. Jordan Carqueville. “Natural deodorants don’t contain aluminum-based compounds, which are the active ingredient of an anti-perspirant deodorant. This means more sweating, so a trial period would be ideal.”

“Retinol and retinoids are used in anti-aging skincare because they increase turnover of the skin cells and stimulate collagen production,” Carqueville said. But there’s one catch when beginning a retinoid, first-time users most likely will experience dryness, redness or irritation of the skin and can take a few weeks for your skin to adjust.

Here are five ways to shake up your routing while you’re stuck at home.