Working from home, and wanting to look your best on the virtual meetings that now fill our calendars? Don’t despair—we have answers! Experts across Texas gave us their top tips and tricks for looking our WFH best, even though salons are closed statewide. So, Keep Calm and Zoom On!

Joel Quinones, Stylist at Solaya Spa & Salon by The Houstonian, Houston

With all this isolation, this is when you do the little extras, both inside and out. Before bed, apply either a serum or some coconut oil on the middle and ends of your hair. It will soften, remove impurities and act like a night cream for your hair.
In the shower, work on those locks again. For blondes and highlighted hair, I suggest a color neutralizing shampoo or masque. Finish with a masque for either strengthening or hydrating thirsty ends. For moisture there’s the L’Orėal Nutrifier Shampoo and Masque for undernourished, parched ends. After rinsing, don’t forget your leave-in conditioner.

If your color needs a touch up, for brunettes (or those pesky grays), I suggest L’Orėal Magic Root Cover Up. It’s a spray-on temporary gray hair concealer. Focus on your parting and around the hairline/temple area.

Sarah Lund, Austin-based Stylemaster at KEVIN.MURPHY

How to trim your hair yourself: This is probably best left to the professionals, I have been a hairdresser for 13 years and I don’t even cut my own hair! If you must trim those split ends, pull hair around so it is in front of your shoulders on either side. Then, using very sharp scissors (dull scissors will cause more damage), cut with the scissors at a diagonal as a jagged line is more forgiving than a straight blunt line. 

At-home color maintenance: Again, color is always best left to the professionals! Many salons are offering home root touch up kits for their regular clientele with your personalized color formula and detailed instructions on what to do. There are so many variables to coloring hair that this is the safest option! Plus, color corrections tend to be very expensive if something doesn’t go as planned! (Although, root touch ups are a brilliant idea for this time.)

Joy Williams, Master Artist for Houston-based CHI Haircare

Try out a new shampoo/conditioner: You now have the opportunity to try that great new deep conditioner you’ve been thinking about. From there, just remember to refresh your hair every few days with a good shampoo and conditioner.
Sleek & simple: We all look a little weird on those conference calls so try not to call too much attention to your already distorted features from the webcam. A nicely groomed bun or top knot will allow your colleagues and bosses to see your face and hear the importance of what you have to say, rather than wonder, “What’s she done with her hair?”

When in doubt – wear a ponytail: A nice low pony with a few curls or waves gives you just enough of the “I tried” look to keep it professional on your Zoom call. The wonderful thing about a ponytail is that it is low maintenance and easy to wear for a couple of days before needing to be refreshed.
Hair accessories are your friend: A nicely placed headband or hair accessory with a little pizzazz livens up any basic hairstyle and makes you look well groomed. 

Kerry E Yates, founder of Dallas-based Colour Collective

No roots: To camouflage overgrown hair roots and look flawless during video meetings cover up with a fabulous scarf tied around your hairline creating a wide headband. If you’re not a scarf person then, in a pinch, try some neutral eyeshadow or eyebrow enhancers. Works exactly like the temporary touch-up powders, and everyone one has a neutral eye shadow in their beauty drawer.
Embrace the Zoom: Looking good on-screen can be challenging especially because our home lights deliver harsh effects like under-eye bags and stress lines versus that soft glow we desire. To overcome the harsh at-home light, position yourself in front of a window; the natural light is evenly dispersed across your face giving you that soft glow.

Show me some lip: Normal WFH usually does not include full face makeup with glammed up lips. Unfortunately, when video conferencing your lips seem to be front and center therefore they need a little bit of attention. Try a bit of gloss and light-colored lip shine or lip wax.  My favorite is Burts Bees….love them. The idea is to not look too made up; you just want to give a more finished effect.
Smile: The last tip to make you look amazing during your at-home video conferences – smile and smile big. The situation we are all in stinks and honestly is quite scary. But showing someone your bright smile can really lift their spirits as well as yours.

Cover photo Judi Neumeyer on Unsplash

Julie Tereshchuk is the Editor-in-Chief of Texas Lifestyle Magazine.