Our Editors’ Self-Isolation Hero Products

I put makeup on almost every day because it makes me feel a little more normal (but trust me, I haven’t put on a shirt that isn’t of the “T” variety in quite a while). But I’m just at home, so putting on a full or even medium-coverage foundation doesn’t exactly seem right. So, when I packed up to come back to my parents’ house in Ohio for the next month, I stuck this tinted moisturizer in my bag. This is a gel formula, so it feels like you’re wearing nothing on your face. It’s perfect for video conference calls, selfies, and just feeling like you got ready for the day like usual.

Full disclosure: this is mom’s, not mine, but she has gracefully let me put her oil diffuser in my room while I’m home. Listen, I’ve been anxious, sad, annoyed, frustrated, and downright pissed off lately—all natural responses to the world around us—and having an oil diffuser going in my room while I’m working, reading, or relaxing makes me feel so much calmer. Is it placebo? Maybe, but I’ll take it. I’ve been loving lavender and eucalyptus while I’m getting ready for bed and lemon and sweet orange in the morning and during the workday.

I spoke about my love for these leggings and this company at length here, but this is all I have left to say: I ordered the lime shade a few weeks ago, and they bring just a little bit of spring-time happiness to me every time I wear them.

I started taking this CBD oil a few months ago, but since my daily routine, anxiety levels, and overall life has changed quite a bit recently, I’ve switched up how I use it. Before, I was taking these drops from Equilibria (an all-around favorite, but especially right now) in the morning and at night. Recently, I’ve started taking the Daily Drops in the morning (after some peanut butter and banana or avocado toast because they’re fat-soluble) to keep my anxiety levels at a baseline all day. Then, I take the drops as needed. Say I catch a glimpse of the news and feel my heart pounding—I’ll use a dropper-full. Sometimes, my mind is racing before bed, and I take a little to help me sleep. Following this routine has helped me stay calm and helps me know that when anxiety strikes, I have a little something to give me relief.

Somehow, being at home has made my skin worse. IDEK. But I tacked this onto an Ulta order last week out of desperation, and I noticed a huge difference after just a few uses. I’ve noticed improvements in texture, and I’m hoping to see a brighter, more even complexion by the time I get to see my friends again!

Since I’ve been home a bit more and cooking more than usual, I’ve noticed that my apartment has been a bit messier than previous circumstances. I finally splurged on this Dyson handheld vacuum, and now I literally use it four times a day. It helps me keep up with the little messes as I go, which makes deep-cleaning less intimidating.

Pulling out my yoga mat is my favorite part of the day (standards are low here, people). I’ve used it to simply lay and meditate, to do online yoga classes, and to do higher energy HIIT workouts. I’ve had it for years, but I’ve used it more than I ever have given the quarantine situation. We’re basically dating now.

Since I’m working from home and staring at my computer more than ever before (no breaks for team meetings or a trip to the Nespresso machine), I’ve noticed that my eye strain and blue-light-related headaches have been especially bad. I bought these super affordable blue light blocking glasses from Amazon and so far, so good! They’re super cute too, which is always a plus.

I was gifted my Instant Pot over the holidays and I’m so glad that I had it on deck during the last month. I’ve used it so much and have made so many yummy, one-pot, easy-cleanup meals for one. If you don’t already have a pressure cooker, now’s the time to invest. It’ll make your life so much easier!

I have totally given up on wearing real bras (underwire? I don’t know her) but I have enough boob that free-swinging isn’t always my favorite. These bralettes are the perfect-in between. Usually a bralette is like a wisp of lace that is basically like wearing nothing but air and that I always put holes in with my thumbs. These bralettes are built more like sports bras, but are extra soft. I routinely forget I’m wearing them which is the bra holy grail. Highly recommended.

My studio apartment was built a century ago and feels like it’s been updated maybe twice since, so there are a total of two plugs in my living room/bedroom. I have been struggling with these plugs and the one power strip I stole from my parent’s house before going to college, which is oddly fluorescent orange, for about two years until I finally made an executive decision and bought three of these babies. And you know what? My life is CHANGED. There are USB slots! I can plug in my fan, charge my computer, and keep my lights on! It’s a whole new world.

I have not been dressing up for isolation because I want to be as happy as possible and wearing real pants rarely makes me feel joy. Instead, I have been wearing an XL Hanes Men’s T-Shirt the entirety of the time I’ve been social isolating. Sometimes I wear pajama pants. Sometimes I forgo pants. Either way, I am comfy as hell. You can buy a five pack of shirts for under $15, which is honestly inspiring.

I have been giving my skin a rest and avoiding wearing makeup while at home, other than the occasional “let’s get ready to feel better” types of moods. This eyebrow gel has been my go-to in the morning after I wash my face just to look a tad put-together. I’ve tried others, but nothing compares to this one and as simple as it is, it just makes me and my very eyebrows happy.

I’ve been having these pesky red marks on my face from old zits that just won’t go away, and I am choosing to stay away from medical offices at the moment. So, I scoured the internet for hours to find a solution and this was my best bet and so far, the skin gods have listened and are doing my skin justice.

I know we’re hearing literally everyone say “I’m living in these sweatpants,” but like, I actually am living in these sweatpants. I sleep in them, I eat in them, I walk my dog in them, I work in them, I work out in them. These are honestly the comfiest things in the world and are oh so buttery soft (and def worth the investment). They’re my happy pants.

Aside from some eye cream and lip balm, this is the only thing that’s been touching my face lately. Staying indoors in the same environment daily has really been getting the oils in my skin to come out and play on the surface of my face, so using this micellar-like cleanser twice a day has been amazing. It refreshes the skin and makes it feel squeaky clean without stripping it of moisture. Containing a bunch of natural green plant extracts, this is also amazing for anyone trying to soothe redness on their face.

“Wash your hands!” they say. “They’ll end up chapped and full of scabs!” they don’t say. Well friends, my already-reptilian skin has gotten degrees worse from the intense scrubbing I’ve been doing, and caused my hands to age a good 40 years. Every single First Aid Beauty product I’ve tried has never failed me, and this one’s no exception. It’s the absolute best multi-purpose cream to instantly revive your skin like magic, and it’s unscented, which I love. My hands have finally begun to regain their youth.

I’ve been trying to do a little bit of yoga every day—even if it’s just a quick five-minute flow—in order to keep my stress and anxiety levels down and move my body a bit. I recently bought this yoga essentials set on Amazon so that I can step up my game and challenge myself to more yoga each day. This set is super affordable for all that it comes with and I love that it all matches (it’s the little things)!

While I’m staying home 24/7, I figured there is no better time than now to make sure I’m staying super hydrated and drinking enough water. I love this Yeti because it holds a ton of water and keeps it cold for a long time. I love to start my day with lemon water and make sure that I drink at least three of these per day.

I’ve been staying at my mom’s house and she decided to buy this for everyone to use during this time while we’re all home. And let me tell you, I am so happy that she did. My sister and I have been having a great time playing barista and making different types of coffees and lattes—it’s ALMOST like going to your favorite coffee shop.

I am not someone who generally spends money on loungewear. Nobody’s seeing me in it, and I’d so much rather buy something that I’m wearing out of the house—but obviously, isolation has changed that. After realizing that I had no sweatpants except ones from my senior year of high school, I bought a couple pairs. When I got these, I literally gasped when I put them on—they are absolutely the softest thing I have ever put on my body. These are absolutely worth the hype and have been bringing me joy every single day of isolation. I would predict they’re the only sweats I’ll be buying from here on out.

I have been burning through my candle’s like nobody’s business, and a couple of weeks ago I realized that I hoard fall and winter candles, but have nothing spring or summery. I was nervous to risk ordering more expensive ones without smelling them first, so instead I ordered a few from Target—and this one is the winner. I cannot express how much this candle smells like the cult-favorite Capri Blue, but it is $9.99. I promise you, if you made me smell both of them with my eyes closed, I’d never know the difference. I wake up and look forward to lighting this.

Since being isolated, I find that the two main things I do are sleep and put things on my face. I have been doing some kind of face mask basically every day, and I’m obsessed with these. They’re so inexpensive and my skin looks glowy and bright when I take them off. They’re perfect to treat yourself to some isolated self-care with.

This might by TMI to admit on the internet, but since I’ve been inside all day, I’ve been trying to finally get in the habit of washing my hair less. I’m usually an every-other-day washer, but because of this dry shampoo, I’ve been able to wash my hair every third day. My biggest problem has always been wanting to wash my hair after workouts, but this dry shampoo has saved my life. It’s meant to be used after workouts and actually makes your hair feel clean and freshly-washed—even if you just got back from a long run.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: my Barefoot Dreams blanket quite literally makes everything better. As I’m wrapped up in the luxurious, plush throw while I’m writing this (it’s always with me these days), my only regret is that I didn’t splurge on it years sooner. It’s amazing quality (so it lasts forever), and is a rumored Kardashian/Jenner-favorite (just call me Kim!). This blanket is single-handedly making my self-isolation a little bit cozier, since when I’m on the couch watching “Grace and Frankie” reruns wrapped in my Barefoot Dreams blanket, I never want to leave the house anyway.

I am not usually an at-home workout person (I need a fancy gym and pricey cancellation fee to force myself to workout), so this super on-trend yoga mat has become my fitness savior during the time spent at home. Full disclosure, I leave the mat rolled out in my living room (because it fits my decor anyways!), to squeeze in a quick yoga session on my lunch break or get right into a full HIIT session when I get the chance. This mat is sturdy enough to use with sneakers on, but soft enough to prevent any pain (I have bad knees, and I think all this self-isolation is aging me). This mat is the perfect tool to achieve all your fitness goals while at-home, and is as pretty as it is useful.

I never thought I’d be a “sleep romper” person (what if you have to pee in the middle of the night!?) but wearing the same leggings and joggers every day has apparently made me adventurous. I ordered this sleep romper on a whim because it’s on a crazy sale, and it has become my favorite item in my entire closet (yes, even before my super cute spring dresses that I won’t get to wear this season). I’ve had to use the washing machine more often because I want to wear it every day (forget stupid old joggers and leggings!).

My anxiety has been through the roof these days (shout out to my therapist for basically being on speed dial). I’ve been doing everything I can to keep calm and happy (like avoiding the news), but it’s really helped to replace my normal cup of coffee with Four Sigmatic mushroom coffee. The packets contain adaptogens that have helped me reduce anxiety and boost productivity, and there’s less caffeine than a normal cup of coffee (I always feel more anxious and jittery post-caffeine kick). Most importantly, I just feel better on the days I drink a cup of Mushroom Coffee, and this time is all about taking care of ourselves in the ways that work for us.

Even before we were all staying home and living in loungewear, I had declared coziness to be my general 2020 vibe. Because of that (or maybe the vibe came from this purchase? Hard to say), I picked up this pullover that absolutely oozes coziness. I bought it very oversized, which I honestly wouldn’t recommend because it doesn’t look super great on me (it looks way better in the photos that buyers posted online!), but it’s so soft and comfortable that I couldn’t care less, I love it so.

My skin has been acting UP since I started staying home. I don’t know if it’s the general anxiety right now, the lack of a more regular schedule (fully my fault), or something else, but these are stressful times and my skin is showing it. Luckily, this peeling solution is here for me whenever my skin needs a boost, and I have a feeling it’s going to get a lot of use over these next few months.

I love all things in the sherpa-y arena. Even though this is technically a jacket, I’ve been wearing it every day inside since I started working from home. Seriously, when this is all over, this piece will be forever associated with this point in time. It fits like a warm, oversized sweatshirt and I am basically living in it.

This eyeliner has been a forever favorite of mine. I’ve mostly taken a break from makeup the past few weeks, but a girl’s gotta look good for those Zoom calls and the occasional stroll around the block, right? Stormy grey is my go-to, and for paler coloring like mine, a little goes a long way.

These joggers are the best! They are so comfy and perfect for working from home in (and sleeping!). They are lighter weight so they’ll be great for when the warmer weather arrives. They are so versatile you can wear them while watching TV, reading a book, or even while cooking a meal! I’ve also worn them during online barre classes, so I would say they are approved for some basic at-home workouts as well.

I’ve tried a lot of sheet masks in my day — but this drugstore K-beauty brand is really and truly my all-time favorite. As I’m looking to calm both redness on my face and the crippling fear in my soul, this mask accomplishes both (if only for 15 minutes at a time). I like to wear one as I scroll TikTok before bed, pretending my biggest problem is the fact that 15-year-old Charli D’Amelio is way cooler than I am.

I initially bought this as an iced-coffee receptacle to be filled on my all-too-frequent trips to Starbucks—but since that’s not happening right now, I couldn’t let this chic little guy go to waste. I fill it up with water about 20 times a day, which is keeping me nice and hydrated for all the adventures I’m not going on.

Yes, I know they’re expensive, but that’s the price you pay for material that is hand-spun by Chris Hemsworth himself as he rides a unicorn into the Australian sunset (technically not verifiable, but it FEELS like it!). These are made of the most soft, buttery material, and they hang really well. You could work out in them if you want, but I like to save mine for workdays—they feel a little more put-together than sweatpants, but don’t constrict you like a legging. These are my absolute go-to pant, and I’ve ALMOST talked myself into justifying a second pair (girl’s still gotta budget, amiright ladies).