Covid Essentials.
The must-use and the good-idea-to-use items to protect you and others.
We are now living in a post-Covid era, a time of unprecedented change and new precautions. As we try and reintegrate into society there are some measures and key items that will help keep you and others safe. These are my must-have and more importantly must-use items as we adapt to live our New Normal.
the non-negotiables
FACE MASK | This is a no-brainer. It should go without saying that we all need to be wearing masks right now until we’re told by the health authorities that it’s safe to stop. This is the new normal. Wearing a mask isn’t as much about protecting yourself but more so on keeping your neighbours, friends, family, fellow shoppers safe. The mask prevents the water droplets as you breathe out from spreading into the air which someone else will later inhale, meaning that you need to make sure your mask covers both your nose and your mouth - it’s not a “choose one or the other” option. If you’re not wearing a mask when you’re at the supermarket, buying a new candle, doing some retail therapy, then consider yourself a walking pathogen to the rest of the world. Wear a mask, just do it.
HAND SANITISER | What was once an item that lived next to the cash til of your corner shop, often ignored and gathering dust, suddenly became the most sought after item in March 2020. Thanks to all the distilleries and businesses that stepped up now almost every shop seems to be selling hand sanitisers, affirming the importance for you to own and use one. Take this bad boy with you everywhere, and make sure to spritz it after you touch ANYTHING while you’re outside. And bear in mind that hand sanitisers don’t replace the act of washing your hands, so keep up with the scrubbing and soaping of your hands/palms/nails whenever you’re inside.
ZIPLOCK/ PLASTIC BAG | Use this as a rubbish bin while you’re out and about. You use a tissue, you need to throw away your disposable mask, you used a wet wipe -all of this can go in your ziplock. In fact throwing away your face mask is extremely dangerous if not done properly, causing potential harm to your friendly bin man and others who are processing your rubbish. Whenever you need to throw away your disposable mask, place it in a plastic bag and tie it up before putting it in the bin.
the extra bits
HAND CREAM | With every squirt and spray of my hand sanitiser I can feel my hands drying up, leaving my skin’s surface looking like the cracks in a meringue. For this reason you won’t see me without my hand cream, ever. I’ve learned to be more tactical as to when I apply my hand cream so as not to waste it’s precious juices - the trick is to apply it when you’re indoors after you’ve washed your hands, and just before you go to bed. I use Aesop’s Resurrection Hand Cream religiously since the pre-Covid days and it’s proven to continue fulfilling its duty now.
CUTICLE OIL | In addition to hand creams, I’ve been using my cuticle oil to nourish those extra crispy and dehydrated bits. I have a habit of picking at my skin, nails, ingrowns, you name it, and the last thing I need to be doing during a pandemic is picking at my skin or bringing my hands to my face. And since I’m sitting at home most of the day I can take the time to care for the little bits. Similar to my hand cream regimen, I always apply it before I go to bed or while I’m reading/ watching a show so I know I won’t accidentally rub the oil off. I find that the L’Occitane Cuticle Oil to be particularly great as a little goes a long way and I need that kind of security in my hand care at the moment.
LIP BALM | Always an essential in my books, but now it’s all about the the “touchless” lip balm. No more pots and tubs and finger application products, but choose the stick and glaze and balm versions. While “don’t touch your face” is becoming a new mantra, we forget that there are some habits of ours that we haven’t abandoned that brings our fingers to our lips. As someone who has a lipbalm or three on her person at all times I’ve come to know what the most hydrating, long-lasting and bang-for-buck products are. My new Milk Makeup Kush Lip Glaze meets all the criteria, and same with the long-time favourite Burt’s Bees Lip Balm -you know which one I’m talking about.
VASELINE (AND EQUIVALENTS) | It’s pretty much a given that through wearing a mask day in day out will cause some redness and spots on your face. Any kind of consistent friction on your skin will exfoliate and your top skin layers until you become raw and pink. Many of us will react to treat these dry patches with moisturiser and oils, however we could do better by preventing the rubbing in the first place. Petroleum jelly products like Vaseline are great for protecting the skin barrier and prevents it from drying out, so I would recommend applying a layer on your face around the area where your mask sits before you put your mask on. Adopted from my Australian friends, I always have a tube of Lucas’ Pawpaw Ointment open; it’s a great product with all the antimicrobial and anti-bacterial properties of the Pawpaw fruit.
NOTE: I AM NOT A HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL. THESE ARE ITEMS THAT I AM USING BASED ON RECOMMENDATIONS BY MY HEALTH AUTHORITIES, AND ITEMS I HAVE INCORPORATED BY PERSONAL PREFERENCE. PLEASE FOLLOW GUIDELINES PLACED BY YOUR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS.