We are all very aware that we live in a trend-setting world, where what is popular right now will be completely forgotten in a few months, overtaken by the next big hit. And yet, we still follow the trends, get the clothes, wear the makeup and do the procedures. And some of these trends are pretty harmless or easily reversed, but others can have long-lasting consequences and take multiple procedures to get you back to point zero. So what are the beauty choices you should definitely give a second thought to before committing?
Nail extensions
Somewhere along the way, we’ve been taught that every put-together woman needs to have perfectly manicured nails at every occasion. And because it’s practically impossible for us to do our nails every couple of days, and make sure the manicure stays while we’re going about our busy lives, we often turn to nail salons for long-lasting alternatives, such as gel nails. And while sculpting a perfect set of claws in any shape, length and color is a great way to have nails that look good for well over two weeks, the problems appear when you look at the bigger picture. Your natural nails underneath get damaged, and if you ever decide to stop getting gel manicures, you will have to wait for a long time for your nails to recover and become strong enough to hold up for themselves. Luckily, there are alternatives, such as gel-lacquer, which are applied to your natural nails. They give your nails a strong and lasting look and don’t ruin them once they’re taken off.
Over-dyeing hair
We have so many options today for different hairstyles, and it’s so tempting to change up your ‘do every chance you get. However, dyeing your hair with permanent dyes isn’t all that harmless, because the formula doesn’t sit on top of your hair strands – it penetrates into them. This means that if you dye your hair often, and especially if you do it with aggressive dyes, your hair will get severely damaged over time. And yes, hair does grow back, but constant dyeing can completely ruin the quality of your hair, even if you shave it all off and let it grow back. To avoid this, always get your hair dyed in a professional salon with good quality products, and ask them what nourishing routine you should be following to keep your hair healthy. However, if your hair is already damaged and it won’t grow to its fullest and richest length, you can always rely on clip in hair extensions for the desired healthy look.
Getting tattoos
Tattooing has been around for thousands of years, and in that time, it has had its ups and downs in popularity. However, we are now at quite a peak on the popular scale and it seems that everyone and their grandmother is getting tattooed. And tattoos can be a great way to decorate your body, mark an important memory or simply express yourself. However, since there are now so many tattoo shops popping up everywhere, it’s easier than ever to get a tattoo that you either instantly won’t like, or that you’ll regret over time, due to your opinions on the subject changing, or the tattoo aging poorly. To avoid this, make sure you always research your artist well, find someone with a good portfolio, and who works in a professional studio. Give yourself enough time to think about the theme and design of the tattoo, and trust your artist when they suggest a change. Luckily, we live in an age when even if you do make a mistake, there is the option of laser tattoo removal which will erase the mistakes you made, or help lighten them so you can cover them up with something you truly like.
Over-plucking eyebrows
The trend of eyebrow plucking comes and goes, but unfortunately, it is one of the things that can leave lasting consequences. During the ‘90s, when plucking your brows to be a single thin line was all the rage, many women religiously followed the trend, meaning that a decade later, when full brows came into fashion again, they were left wondering where all of their hair went. And even though, through careful nourishing, eyebrows can grow back to their natural fullness, there are also options like microblading, which create temporary tattoos of hairs, making your eyebrows look fuller. Or, if you don’t want to commit, there’s always makeup to save the day!
Whenever you catch yourself weighing the options of a certain beauty procedure that might have permanent consequences, remind yourself that if this is just a trend and not something you truly want for yourself forever, you might want to pass and wait for the next wave. Be smart about the choices you make with your body, because we only have one, and we need to take good care of it.