< PreviousGillian Jackson, beauty educator and owner of Lincolnshire’s Skin Couture Beauty Salon & Gillian Jackson Aesthetics, shares her secrets for lockdown beauty. HAIR & BEAUTY L ockdown finds us contemplating greater things than our beauty care routine. However, if we take a moment to consider the potential for boredom, loneliness, agitation and anxiety that spending time in isolation may bring, a little home spa TLC might be just what you need to keep your spirits high. The impact of time spent on self-care is proven to lead to more positive mental health. It’s likely your daily routine has undergone some rapid changes. The one thing we have all gained is time. We have more time than before to get the things done that we have previously had to put off. Often our own self care is moved to the bottom of the list as we care for those around us and juggle our work and life obligations. Yet the best investment we can make is time spent on ourselves. When you feel relaxed and replenished you naturally become a more positive person, and the best thing is that positivity is contagious. Tips for creating a spa at home: Bathing Ritual Add some natural herbs to your daily bath or shower to recreate the spa bath. Rosemary, lavender or mint are easily grown in the garden – add a fresh bunch under running water and practice deep breathing for an aromatherapy experience that can uplift, calm and relieve stress. Drink healthy Boredom can tempt us into the kitchen more often than usual, so creating a good habit here can really pay off. Feed your skin with vitamins and antioxidants by simply adding lemon, cucumber or both to water and sip throughout the day for a more glowing skin. Spa at home 40 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 40-41.qxp_Layout 1 29/04/2020 11:18 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 41 HAIR & BEAUTY © Shutterstock /Africa Studio Socialise from a distance Have a virtual pamper party with friends. Phone apps such as Houseparty or Zoom allow you to see and chat with friends face to face. If you can’t get to grips with the technology then a plan a phone call, it works just as well. You can source products online from local salons, make some refreshments then chat as you go through a facial routine together. This usually consists of: cleanse, exfoliate, apply a mask, then remove and moisturise. Learn something new If you are comfortable online then it’s a great time to look at what beauty business are doing. Many are offering free online tutorials. You could even treat your isolation buddies to a pamper with your new skills. This is especially lovely if you are living with a key worker- right now they need the recovery time more than anyone! The time trying something new and fun is also great for antiaging the brain. After all self-care is about total wellbeing, inside and out. 40-41.qxp_Layout 1 29/04/2020 11:18 Page 242 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY HAIR & BEAUTY L et’s face it, the lockdown isn’t very enjoyable. Even to those imagining time off work might mean more chances to pick up that oft-forgotten skill you wanted to master or get ahead on that novel you wanted to read, it can be a dull and boring experience. Being locked inside so much and not having time to go out, it can be easy to think there’s no point keeping up with hair and beauty regimes. After all, no one is going to see it so what’s the effort? Surprisingly enough, the effort could be in your own mental – and physical – health. It’s long been known both by psychologists and the average person that we’re more likely to feel confident if we look good. Be it a proper haircut before a night out, a full pampering before a wedding or just spending that extra hour to pick out the perfect outfit or shade of mascara to really finish off that Friday night look. Self-perception and mental health go hand in hand or, to put it simply, we feel as good as we look. In a lockdown where we’re trapped inside more often than ever, taking the time to follow a routine and spruce up can help both alleviate boredom and bring back a sense of normality. And what many people may have forgotten is that the body and the mind are intrinsically tied to one another. In the same way that laughter can be the best cure, feeling down in the doldrums can lower your immune system and leave you open to infection, a dangerous concept in today’s world. While it would be remiss and highly dangerous of us to suggest a good hair and beauty regime will prevent coronavirus – it won’t – having a clean home and taking time to keep yourself well-kept certainly might. More than that, feeling more cheerful because you look better will also lessen the desire to go out, flouting lockdown and putting yourself at risk. What’s more, spending more time on your appearance has been shown to make you more productive when working for home. This goes for men as well as women and works especially well if you also dress up as you would for work. It’s easy to work from home in pyjamas but evidence shows this leads us to being more easily distracted, be it by pets, food or what might be on the TV. Routines are important, and the routine of getting ready each morning sets our mind into work mode. For beauty tips this month, you may want to turn to social media, if you haven’t already. With a good portion of the world in isolation, our social lives have naturally dipped. While social media is not and should never be considered a substitute to meeting face to face, it’s the best we have in these trying times and well worth indulging in. One trend we’re seeing at the moment is people trying wild and fantastical approaches to their makeup or hair. And why not? The usual argument for not taking risks is that you’ll need to go to work and everyone will see, but if you’re working from home or isolated then that’s not such a problem. Bring out the curlers, tongs or irons and have a little fun, or try a colour you’ve always wanted to but never been sure about. If you feel brave enough, post your successes, or even failures, online for others to comment or commiserate on. We’ve all been there. Indulging this way will help you feel better about yourself, give you something to do in bored hours alone and keep spirits high, and that is something we could all use right about now. Keeping up It can be easy in this time of lockdown and isolation to let go of our regimes, but you may be doing yourself – and your health – no favours by it. 42-43.qxp_Layout 1 29/04/2020 11:19 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 43 HAIR & BEAUTY © Shutterstock /ViChizh 42-43.qxp_Layout 1 29/04/2020 11:19 Page 244 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY HEALTH AND FITNESS As the coronavirus pandemic continues to keep us in ‘lockdown’ within our homes, it is now all too easy to sit sedentary on the sofa, but it is essential that we stay fit and active. Not only important for physical health, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol as well as warding off a variety of conditions like heart disease, staying active is also key for mental health, with exercise known to decrease anxiety, depression and stress. Guidelines state that adults should aim to incorporate 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week via various activities, whether it be dancing or simply pushing a lawn mower, be active every day, and complete strengthening activities to work major muscles - legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms - at Keeping fit at home Though lockdown is underway, health and fitness remain vitally important, with exercise routines now much simpler to maintain from home than one might think. least two days a week. With gyms closed, memberships frozen, communal classes cancelled and social distancing in full force, the world of health and fitness has quickly responded to the change in our lifestyles to enable activity in new environments, primarily our living rooms. It is therefore time to build a new fitness routine to maintain healthy bodies and minds and enjoy a welcome distraction from the world’s events. A wide range of fitness apps are now free or are offering extended free trials, while home workouts are being live streamed through sites like Facebook and Instagram by gyms. For example, Energie Fitness Lincoln City owner Lee Kilby is offering videos in a free to join Facebook group. Celebrities and fitness stars have stepped up to lead the nation’s exercise regimes too, for instance Joe Wicks has been holding 30 minute PE lessons captivating children and adults every Monday to Friday on his YouTube channel, and has released videos featuring gentle exercises for seniors and those with low mobility. Voice assistants like the Google Home speaker and Amazon Echo’s Alexa meanwhile can present instructions and motivation for exercise, playing playlists from Spotify, and utilising various workout apps. Video games across consoles like Just Dance, Yoga Master, Shape Up and Ring Fit Adventure are also coming in handy, for the many who want to make exercise a little more fun. Expert trainers have been accessible online for quite some time, whether that be on YouTube, on which there are endless videos focusing on different exercises and activities, or streaming services. From HIIT to dance, Pilates and yoga, there’s something for everyone, all ages and abilities. Usefully, the NHS even has a list of gym-free workouts online with graphics, created by fitness expert Darebee/Niela Rey, which can be done anywhere, at any time, including 44-45.qxp_Layout 1 29/04/2020 11:21 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 45 HEALTH AND FITNESS recommended that you do not exercise if you have flu-like symptoms. While regular moderate intensity exercise can reduce infection susceptibility, boosting the immune system to fight pathogens, too much can have the opposite effect. Strengthen your muscles, increase that heart rate and release your backlog of emotions and energy. Enjoy the endorphin rush and stress reduction of exercise. With so many options available online, why not take this opportunity to try something new from the comfort of your home. chair workouts for wheelchair users, neck exercises to relieve tension and stiffness, cardio jump workouts and more, as well as offering longer term programmes including the five week virtual strength and flex exercise plan and its NHS Fitness Studio. To work out from home, fortunately, an abundance of equipment is not required. One can easily use household objects to complete exercises, like chair tricep dips, make use of stairs or utilise one’s own bodyweight. With a little creativity, household items can replace gym equipment - soup cans and filled water bottles can become dumbbells for example for bicep curls or the table employed for incline press ups. Plenty of exercises however require nothing but yourself, such as squats and crunches. While dumbbells amongst other tools boost workouts, these bodyweight workouts can be done from anywhere and made more challenging themselves by using different techniques, like one legged squats, adding pulses or increasing reps. With many of us now working from home, curled over laptops, and facing increasing back and neck ache, activities like Pilates and yoga are highly recommended and important for getting us stretching, improving posture, flexibility, strength and relaxation. It is also vital to keep moving during the 9 to 5, completing regular stretches to get blood flowing - roll your shoulders, rotate your neck, and stand up every half an hour. For those who can, ensure to take advantage of the Government’s once a day outdoor exercise allowance with walking, running or cycling – of course staying two metres away from others. Alternatively, if you have one, step out and exercise in the garden. Fresh air can clear the mind and a plethora of studies have highlighted how nature reduces stress and anxiety. Do not however exercise past exhaustion as this can increase illness risk and it is 44-45.qxp_Layout 1 29/04/2020 11:22 Page 246 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY RELATIONSHIPS A t the beginning of 2020, no one could have imagined that in just a few months, our way of life would be fundamentally changed. Every aspect of our lives has been upended by the coronavirus crisis and that includes our romantic relationships. The pandemic has essentially forced those couples that don’t live together to a crossroads. The government has said that non-cohabiting partners could pass on the virus if they continue to visit each other. Therefore, they have been advised to move in together or spend the rest of the lockdown apart which, at present, remains indefinitely in place. That’s all well and good in theory but moving in together is a significant step for many couples. Rushing the process can lead to a myriad of issues and even strain the relationship so thin it threatens to come undone. No doubt some of the couples offered this ultimatum will opt for indefinite separation – maintaining their relationship over messaging apps and video calls as if it was long distance – but others will have taken the plunge and moved in together. These might be couples who have only been together a few weeks, or it had hitherto been more of a casual thing, but circumstance has bumped it up a gear into something more serious. So people who have never previously lived together, or have only just met, are shacking up for the first time. So widespread is this phenomenon that it’s even earned a few gauche terms – ‘corona cuffing’ and, even worse, ‘coronnials’. Regardless of whether a couple has newly moved in together or has been living together for years or longer, the coronavirus is putting everyone’s relationships to the test. With the lockdown, most couples are being forced to basically do everything together all day every day which as well as getting on one another’s nerves, can also mean losing a sense of excitement and attraction. This can be doubly true for home-working couples who can become so preoccupied with their work that it eats into any leisure time and, subsequently, the relationship suffers. Fortunately, there are ways to remedy this and help maintain a healthy relationship during the crisis. For a couple working from home, especially those with children, it’s critical to create space and boundaries. This is true in normal circumstances, but critically so during the lockdown. By creating boundaries, couples can ensure that they’re not in one another’s hair all day. This can be easily accomplished in a house, especially if workspaces are on different floors, but even in flats and apartments have separate spaces – be it Love in a In life, there are many things that can test a romantic relationship, but one of the biggest stresses is also the most recent – the lockdown. 46-47.qxp_Layout 1 29/04/2020 11:23 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 47 © Shutterstock /Roman Samborskyi the bedroom or living area. However, not all homes can allow for this kind of physical separation so in these circumstances it’s worth trying other options such as using headphones whilst you work. This can also be used to help drown out the sound of the little ones (as long as there’s someone else to mind them, of course). It might be drastic for some, but some experts suggest that couples not talk to one another during the workday, thereby preserving the way things were pre-lockdown. Creating structure and scheduling your days is crucial as much for your mental health as for maintaining a healthy relationship, especially for those who are working from home for perhaps the first time in their lives. Although adjusting to the ‘new normal’ can be difficult, it’s important to try and retain a work-life balance. By treating the working week as, well, a working week, it allows the weekend to be its own time despite the lockdown so that it isn’t simply absorbed into work. The same is true for relationships. Making time for love and sex is important to ensuring a relationship lasts and that’s never been truer than now. Outside of working hours – or for those that aren’t currently working, are furloughed or are retired – there are other simple things couples can do around the house and garden that can help bring them closer together during this time of crisis instead of tearing them apart. Cooking together can be therapeutic and highly rewarding and romantic when undertaken together. Moreover, it provides quality time for a couple to enjoy one another’s company and, crucially, space to discuss issues they might be experiencing. That’s because you’re both working together and focussing on an end result. In this case it’s a meal, so you’re less likely to end up bickering, but rather proactivity and maturely talking about your issues. The very act of shared activities can also help to overcome frictions between two people. For example, one partner may be more controlling, but sharing the task and dividing up what needs to be done to make a meal or, say, bake a cake, can be a great way to overcome this. Best of all, you can get to enjoy the fruits of your labour after. It can be especially beneficial for those couples that are used to eating out all the time, as adjustments and compromises have to be made as surely in love as during lockdown. As in every other aspect of a relationship, communication is key, and how we both talk to and approach our partners is critical. Now is not the time to be shutting our loved ones out, but using the lockdown as a catalyst, a means of tearing down the walls inside ourselves and opening our hearts to love. 46-47.qxp_Layout 1 29/04/2020 11:23 Page 248 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY CARING T he most common wish is for a person to continue living in their home as they move into their old age, with as few changes to their lifestyle as possible. People want to continue being independent, and can often feel embarrassed at any changes they feel they have to make for their own convenience. While certain conditions are going to require more specific care, such as those suffering with dementia, it’s still possible to maintain independence and live in your own home. What must often happen, is a period of adapting the home, and yourself, to accommodate your needs – as well as what needs you might have later on. Simple tasks can become more difficult as time goes on, and taking steps to make them easier sooner, rather than later, can prevent not only potential injury but keep mental health strong by empowering a person to look after themselves. When it comes to staying at home, the things to keep in mind are safety, convenience and mobility. Safety is something subjective to each person and is best decided by a doctor based on your medical requirements. Someone who requires constant care needs to talk with family and consider their personal case. Convenience and mobility, however, are more readily fixed. It’s important therefore to catalogue each task that might become more difficult with age, and what steps one can take to fix them. Perhaps the most obvious problem is that of staircases, particularly if they are used commonly. Thankfully when it comes to traversing the staircase, there is always the clear option of a stairlift to fall back on. These used to be a lot more expensive as the technology was new but have become much more affordable nowadays. They will often require bringing in a professional to look at your house beforehand, no two sets of stairs are the same after all, and the task really needs to be done safely. Once installed, the issue of traversing the stairs becomes one of the past, immediately dealing with one of the greatest concern points for many elderly people. Something else to consider should be a way of answering the door in case of visitors. Whether it’s family, a visiting carer, or a door-to-door salesperson, constantly being forced to get up and make one’s way to the door can easily wear a person out. Intercom systems, particularly if you can have some form of remote entry lock in place, can enable a person to at least determine who is calling before having to get up. Trusted family can let themselves in, as can a care-worker, but an intercom can save effort when it comes to unsolicited or unwanted guests. Bathing can be another difficult task as a person gets older. Getting into and out of a bath can be an inconvenient enough task whatever your age, and the matter is only made worse if the floor is wet or slippery. But for a person with more brittle bones and slower reflexes, even the act of taking a bath can be fraught with risk. This is another aspect however for which there are various solutions. With a wide range of mobility baths and showers available on the market, many of which include a door which opens to allow a person to simply `walk into` their bath, rather than climb in. Changes such as these can be easily made in a home and can offer a person independence as well as peace of mind. But many people shy away from considering these problems, often due to pride or a feeling of embarrassment at considering their bodies getting weaker. What is important however is to remember that such conditions are natural as a person grows older, and like any problem, ignoring it for longer only makes it worse. It’s always best to talk to the people who know most the home Adapting While care homes are an option for all entering their golden years, they’re not ideal for everyone. It’s perfectly possible to continue living at home in today’s technologically advanced world, if you take a few steps to think about convenience and mobility. © Shutterstock /Photographee.eu 48-49.qxp_Layout 1 29/04/2020 11:24 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 49 CARING © Shutterstock /Russell Binns Although during the coronavirus lockdown, getting out doesn’t mean what it used to, but that’s not to say that people who depend on mobility scooters can’t get out for fresh air. about mobility – the professionals. Their business relies on providing a good service, so it’s in their best interests to be honest, and since they will be more used to helping people growing old than you (everyone only grows old once, after all) they will be able to identify points of improvement that a lot of people might miss. Of course, mobility can refer as much to the inside of the home as out. Although during the coronavirus lockdown, getting out doesn’t mean what it used to, but that’s not to say that people who depend on mobility scooters can’t get out for fresh air. It should come as no surprise that not all mobility scooters are made equally and, ultimately, you get what you pay for. However, there are more affordable options, such as hiring. This allows you to have all the benefits of a top end mobility scooter without the price tag that comes with it. It’s also important to bear repairs in mind for those who do own their own scooter. It can be expensive to replace a scooter out right and replacements might not be covered in insurance. It might come to pass that as time continues, a person’s requirements might change, particularly when it comes to illnesses or disease, or an elderly individual who either has little family, or that family lives far away. Accepting a carer into the home, even if it is just a part-time care worker might become a necessity. The types of care available might include help getting in and out of bed, bathing, preparing meals, taking a person out shopping or simply cleaning the house. Many people look to reduce their costs by downsizing their home. Selling their existing property and moving to a new one that is smaller in size and contains less rooms. This can not only cut out undesirable elements like staircases, but also allow the house to be heated for less cost. A smaller home is also less expensive when it comes to employing the aforementioned improvements to mobility, requiring less in the way of equipment. While this option can be good on the financial side of things however, it’s worth doing some research into the new location. Does it have good access to shopping centres, how safe is the area, does it still enable the tenant to continue any hobbies they might have? Is it closer to your existing family? It’s important to remember that one should look to be happy as well as safe in a new home, so if golf is your hobby, then why not look for a smaller home near a golf course? It might be however, that a person feels they are unable to live in their home any longer. Be it due to their health, the difficulty or simply the lack of interaction. As such, the next option is often looking at care homes themselves. Such a decision might be suggested by others, due to a trip or fall at home, but it’s worth keeping in mind that the final decision should ultimately be the person making the move. Is there a good reason for going into full-time care? The only two reasons one should accept is that there is a risk to your health of staying at home, or that you genuinely want to make the move, be it for company, more activities or simply a more relaxed atmosphere. A person should never feel forced to go into care, as that attitude will simply ensure the experience is not enjoyable. 48-49.qxp_Layout 1 29/04/2020 11:24 Page 2Next >