The Ultimate Lockdown Survival Guide

Since we went on lockdown I have macgyvered several different ways to at least make myself feel somewhat normal. There are so many services and things that we like to do on a daily basis that we don't even notice when they get taken away, until our nails start growing out, or skin protests, and we can't sneakily leave the house at 11pm for a totally not a hookup that is a hookup. I’ve done the legwork for you. I’ve compiled a little list of what my followers said they miss the most during lockdown, and hopefully some remedies to try yourselves with just some pva glue, poster paint and pipe cleaners, (I’m kidding please use none of these things).

PROBLEM: Acrylic nail grow-out

SOLUTION:

Okay so I’ve done tons of research on this and i can happily say that my natural nails are going strong after removing my acrylics at home and letting them grow naturally. The first thing to mention is PLEASE DON’T just pick them off, it's going to kill your nail bed. The below method is going to take forever but your nails will thank you.

What you’ll need;

-Good coarse nail files (more than one you're gonna be here a while)

-Pure acetone

-Orange sticks

-Tin foil

-Cotton wool balls

Personally the first thing I like to do is clip off the length of my nail to “start again” as it were but if you want to keep the length of your natural nail maybe leave this part out. Try to file away as much of the acrylic as possible on the entire surface of every nail to thin them out, make sure you keep checking how they are doing in case you zone out watching Netflix whilst doing this like I did. We want to protect as much of the natural nail as possible.

Next you're going to want to soak the cotton wool balls in the acetone and give yourself some nice little tin foil claws. This holds in the heat and gives the acetone time to work, dissolving the product. Check them every 30 minutes or so and then give them a poke with your orange stick, once it's a little mushy you can try to peel some of the product off. Don't be super rough as you can always buff off the remaining acrylic with a file and a foam buff at the end.

Once this process has finished congratulations! Your nails are now naked and ready to receive whatever you usually do to make them nice and strong. I like to use cuticle cream, a light base coat and just go insane with the hand cream.

PROBLEM: Your skin isn't getting the luxury it deserves and now its breaking out

SOLUTION:

I'm a complete face mask fanatic. I'm often sceptical of buying face masks off the shelf anyway, as I've found that the least ingredients often means the best outcome. I've got a few firm favourites of DIY mask which i'll tell you how to make below BUT, the most important thing for skin is to drink a ton of water, exercise, get lots of fruit and veggies in your system, and change your pillowcases.

Speaking as someone who suffers with cystic acne best believe I’m the breakout Don. Keep in mind that I’m keeping these recipes to stuff you're definitely going to be able to find in your average supermarket.

If you have painful breakouts like I do this is going to be your new holy grail. The minute I feel a tough spot coming through I bust out this little beauty and it really calms my face down. Beware with this one not to leave it on too long unless you enjoy looking like an oompa loompa, but it really is fab if you lay it on very thickly.

The turmeric is the perfect anti-inflammatory agent, the egg white is a fantastic astringent and makes your pores nice and small, and the lemon juice has fantastic antimicrobial and antiseptic qualities. Bonus points for this mask as it can be used as an exfoliator when you wash it off.

This simple little facemask is absolutely brilliant for combating oily skin, and since it has two ingredients it's super easy to whip up at home with a quick trip to the supermarket. Honey is antiseptic and gently removes oil buildup all the while moisturising your skin, while the brown sugar is an excellent exfoliant. This little mask is great in a pinch if you're used to expensive facials, blotting pads, and oil controlling powders from your favourite beauty brands

Ahhhh the old favourite avocado. Yes I thought we were all over the craze too but it turns out that avocado is chocked full of vitamin E and antioxidants. Aloe vera is crazy good at reducing scarring and cools skin, and mixed with the olive oil this mask really packs a punch for dry ass skin. Say buh-bye to your little flakeys, Avo and Aloe to the rescue

PROBLEM: You miss your friends, family and a social atmosphere

SOLUTION:

Okay I know it's not a solution for what we all miss so badly but it is the next best thing. I am a video calling convert as most of my work is being in the public eye so I didn't really have a choice if I wanted to stay anywhere near relevant, but more importantly like many of us I cant see my loved ones, as I live alone, and my mum is compromised due to health concerns (if you’re reading this mother stay your ass inside). There's a couple of really good platforms for staying connected that I really wasn't aware of so I’ll give you guys the rundown. A couple of these are obvious to the tech savvy but we’ll take a bit of a comprehensive look at what works for what.

WHATSAPP VIDEO CALL

This is the one I talk to people one on one most with. I keep it solely for my friends and family and tend to keep my work life off of it so I have some distinction between work and home life. It's great if you want a quick call, with no logging in or whatever like on other sites, and it's obviously mobile so sometimes a little walk in the park talking to Aunty Linda so she knows you're safe is good. You can video call up to four people at the same time on this little Gem so a family or friend chinwag would be totally doable.

ZOOM

I have just been introduced to zoom and it’s totally changed my life. I’ve done group shows to post on facebook live with this, and had a couple of really cute little quarantine dates with very little upset or lag. I’ve found this to be the best platform for business meetings as you can host a large number of people at any one time. There’s a little bit of a log in faff but once you get past it it’s super easy. Inviting people is easy too, just send them a link. My top tip for quarantine dating is to make the effort like it was the real deal. Do your pre date routine like you would usually do, even though none of us are getting laid at the moment. Light a candle, drink wine, go full cheese.

LIFESIZE

Lifesize is very much like Zoom and can host a large number of people at the same time, again here's a login system which I found to be a little bit more difficult than other platforms but generally great for networking. You can video call from anywhere and mute or unmute yourself to stop interference. I have no idea why I prefer zoom. I think that the interface just ever so slightly wins out over Lifesize.

The bottom line is whatever platform you prefer to call on, I say that the way to make it feel more connected is do as much as you can to make it feel real, make an effort, get everyone involved, and share what you would normally share.

PROBLEM: Your workout is suffering

SOLUTION:

Now I’ve never been much of a gym bunny, and working out has actually taken a steep uphill turn in my life just because I find that while we are all in lockdown, there are very few ways we can actually release some feel good endorphins. I have probably run more miles in three weeks than I have in three months. And of course any outside cardio (as long as your social distancing) is going to be great for getting fresh air, getting out of your head, and maintaining some freedom.

Ive taken my hardcore workouts outside when I can too, a little change of scenery goes a long way, and youre way more likely to actually do the thing when youre out of your bedroom trust me. Apart from that there are other great ways to stay fit and healthy at home. Here’s my recommendations;

FITON

Most exercise apps will tempt you in with slick graphics, and promises to give you results within a certain time frame, and just when you're getting into it, now it's time to pay up. While there are some wonderful paid for apps out there I just have to tell you about Fiton.

I stumbled across it one day looking for a decent yoga app and to my surprise this one has that and SO much more. Practically everything you can think of is contained within this gorgeous, friendly little app. They might even have some faces in there that you might know! I cant tell you how pleased I was when I saw a yoga video taught by JVN, my favourite Queer Eye guy. I'd highly recommend if your goal oriented but love variety. It's not pushy and it gives you a personalised profile. 100% download.

YOUTUBE

You don't need me to tell you that there is everything you could possibly think of on youtube, now's the time to get stuck into a new channel with an instructor you like. You may even find something new that you’ve never even thought of. The thing we miss most about actual exercise classes is the human interaction. That's why youtube is so brilliant, I even had a class with myself and a few friends on zoom watching the same thing. The future amiright?

FACEBOOK LIVE

You and I both know that someone you know is doing a facebook live right now. If you’ve always wanted to learn someone’s skill now's the time. The great thing about doing this is that you can interact with the hosting a watch party so you and few others can all do it together.

PROBLEM: You miss your favourite dirty little treat

SOLUTION:

Now that you’ve worked your ass off it's time for a treat. I know that anything you do at home is never going to compare to your favourite treat BUT there are some excellent dupe recipes that will get you pretty close to the way it should taste. Here are my favourites;

If you’re looking to make an absolutely banging cocktail to fancy up your lockdown I have no doubt that you’ll love you deserve a drink, cocktail making with a side of humour? That's a hard yes

If it's one thing I was heartbroken to hear closing its doors it was our beloved golden arches. I'm all for eating a healthy and balanced diet but holding a big mac in one hand and a Starbucks coffee in my right is my own personal bit of disgraceful heaven. The Daily Meal has you covered, 10 Iconic Mcdonalds recipes to make at home so you can be a disgrace in peace.

Everyone has gone baking mad right now, (I did banana bread before it was cool, just saying) but nothing quite hits the spot like a chewy Millies cookie. Baking Mad has you covered with this easy dupe.

If you're a Brit reading this you know that a Nandos is the cornerstone of every high street lunch experience, missing it hardcore? Easy Peasy Foodie has a great recipe for its famous Peri Peri Chicken. Enjoy!

So there you have it, a little about lockdown life normalised the best way we can. I’ll likely do more survival articles so keep your eyes PEELED for more! Stay safe x

If you enjoyed this link feel free to give a little tip to a struggling writer who’s licking Peri Peri sauce off of her freshly un-manicured hands on zoom.