Wednesday, September 19, 2018

The Beauty Essentials You Should Be Keeping In Your Office Drawer.

Ismail oubarka | 9:09 AM

When I got my first real job in corporate America, I couldn't wait to work my butt off and climb the ladder to success. Working towards promotions meant taking on more responsibilities which also translated to more stress.

I remember coming home, some days, looking like I had gone through it. Once I realized what was happening, I decided to put a stop to it. I had to devise a strategy to keep me looking polished & refreshed all throughout the workday.

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I made a few changes to my workday routine and it made a world of difference! This was years ago. If I were to go back into the workforce, I'd make it a priority to execute a mini-beauty and wellness routine throughout the workday.

Here are just a few beauty habits that I'd incorporate.

If you work in an office, chances are that you spend most of the day in a low humidity environment. And, now that fall is around the corner, it's only gonna get worse. Those industrial, state of the art AC units will rob your skin and hair of adequate moisture. If you notice that you're always reaching for your lotion at work, you might want to take things a step further and invest in a personal mini humidifier. They're small but if you find a good one, you'll notice the difference.

Whenever people would stop by the office, or walk by my desk, they'd often comment on my unusually large bottle of water. That's because I made it my mission to consume several liters of water a day. I did this for a myriad of reasons:

1. Drinking water helped curb my appetite so I could work through the mornings and take a later lunch.

2. Water helped keep my belly fuller which meant that I'd snack less on the cookies and other decadent office snacks.

3. The more water I drank, the more restroom breaks I'd take. Restroom breaks were great because I'd use them as triggers/reminders to complete a series of other actions.

In order to get to the restroom, I had to pass a staircase that led to the second floor. Each time I used the restroom, I had to go up and down the stairs a certain number of times. I don't remember exactly how many flights of stairs I did in a day, but it all added up. When I did this faithfully, the results showed.

This is random but I also would use the larger stall so I would have room to do a few squats. So let's say that I did 25 squats each restroom break and I took a break every 2 hours. That's equivalent to 100 squats a day! It makes a difference.

Once I returned from the restroom, I would spend about a minute refreshing myself before jumping back to work. Back then my routine was simple, add a little light oil to my hair. I did this several times a day so I made sure to use an oil that was light and wouldn't weigh my hair down. That's where the idea of Gleau came from. Back then, I'd receive so many compliments because my hair always appeared healthy and reflected light. If I were to improve on this practice, perhaps I'd add a little oil to my cuticles as well.

Back then, I hadn't discovered the wonders of tea, but if I did, my office beauty routine would certainly include ample amounts of tea. People always talk about the benefits of drinking multiple cups of green tea a day. I would certainly put that theory to the test. But not only that, I would drink tea to help de-stress when needed. It's hard to enjoy a cup of tea without feeling a bit more relaxed. A tea break is your own little ritual in the midst of a hectic day. Tea is also a good antidote for when you indulge in sweets and want to minimize the effects of the sugar crash. If you don't want to go through the trouble of making hot tea, maybe try powdered green tea like Meagan Good.

Another item that I'd keep in my office draw is a lightweight sunscreen. Most of us don't think about this, but the sunscreen that you applied before heading off to work may not be offering you sun protection on your drive home. We all have experienced how strong, the late afternoon sun can be. It's a good idea to reapply before heading home.

Other beauty essentials to consider keeping in your office drawer can consider include:

A rollerball of your favorite fragrance. Spraying perfume while in an office might be too much. But a rollerball allows you to discretely reapply without offending others.
A facial mist that gives you glowy skin (especially if you're heading out after work).
Healthy snacks!!!!
(optional) a small vitamin organizer so you take your supplements after lunch.
Coconut oil in one of these nifty tiny little travel containers.
Your favorite bold lip color.

If I'm missing anything on the list, feel free to get creative. You don't have to stuff your desk drawer with a bunch of clutter, just a few essentials that you know you'll reach for throughout the day.