We depend on Google to answer a lot of our questions on a regular day, but it goes without saying that the past year hasn't exactly been regular. After spas and salons temporarily closed in late spring due to safety concerns following the spread of COVID-19 [1], many of us had to either give up our regular beauty treatments for a few months or become our own beauticians at home. Google, of course, was right by our sides with the answers to all of our burning questions.
The company just released its 2020 Year in Search [2], and to the surprise of no one, most of the top trending beauty searches from this year revolved around at-home beauty treatments. The results reveal that quite a few of us spent a lot of time either experimenting with our hair [3] and making attempts to cut, colour, and style it at home, or trying to give ourselves DIY [4] spa treatments.
What were some of the most common queries? We've rounded up the burning beauty Qs that made their way to the top of the list — and the answers, ahead.
"How to Cut Men's Hair at Home"
This year was all about at-home haircuts — some of them produced successful results . . . and others, not so much [5]. Still, there were plenty of pros out there who were more than willing to help, like Kim Kardashian [6]'s famed hairstylist, Chris Appleton [7], who shared a viral tutorial of his own on how to cut men's hair at home [8]. Check it out above.
"How to Wash Your Hands"
Yes, some people needed help in this department. (And yes, that's OK.) To ensure you rinse away all the germs, you should wash your hands [9] with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. This should happen before and after cooking and eating food, after using the bathroom, after sneezing or coughing, and after you come in contact with a sick person.
"How to Colour Your Hair at Home"
We'd normally recommend leaving hair colour to the professionals, but sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures. If you must apply hair colour at home [10], New York City-based hairstylist Brad Mondo [11] shared an extremely helpful video via YouTube back in the spring featuring a series of tips that are best to keep in mind when using colour and dye at home.
His top pieces of advice? Only work on dirty hair, work the colour into your hair from the ends up, and when it's all done, make sure you're applying a conditioning product after. Check out the full tutorial above.
"What Order to Do Skincare"
Sure, the products you put on your face are important, but what's also important is the way you layer them. The right layering technique will ensure you get maximum results for each product. For example, you should always apply your moisturisers after your serums, and your SPF after your moisturiser. Head over here to check out our detailed guide on how to layer your skin care products [12] and makeup.
"How to Plop Hair"
Plopping [13] is a technique used by people with curly hair, and it's essentially code for drying your curls with a cotton t-shirt as opposed to simply wrapping it up in a towel. It helps to reduce frizz after washing while also leaving you with bouncier, tighter curls.
There's really not much to the process: all you have to do is apply leave-in products to your hair as you normally would after washing and then wrap your hair in a t-shirt until it's dry. Check out the detailed tutorial above if you're more of a visual learner.
"How to Dermaplane"
Dermaplaning is when an aesthetician uses a scalpel blade to physically exfoliate dead skin cells and fine hairs or peach fuzz to improve your skin's texture. It's OK to perform this treatment at home, but you do run the risk of "traumatising and nicking the skin" if done wrong, according to what a dermatologist told us. For safer results, use a small, single-bladed razor that's less harsh on the skin, and shave with the grain to reduce the risk of skin injury.
Head over here for more details on the safest way to dermaplane at home [14].
"How to Trim Your Own Hair"
Let us just say that if you still haven't been able to get a trim in the last few months, it's not the end of the world [15]. But if your split ends are getting out of control and it's absolutely necessary for you to give yourself a trim at home [16], hairstylist Sunnie Brook [17] provided us with a handy tutorial on how to get the job done. Check it out above.
"How to Do Knotless Braids"
Knotless box braids [18] were one of the biggest braid trends [19] of the summer, and since many of us weren't able to see professionals to get them installed, we were left learning how to do it on our own [20]. The tutorial above especially will come in handy.
"What Does Vitamin C Do For Your Skin?"
Vitamin C is a hero ingredient in many a skin care product, as it's known for reducing hyperpigmentation, protecting the skin from environmental damage, and helping collagen production. We put together a handy guide of everything you should know about vitamin C [21] before you add it to your skin-care routine here.
"How to Style Curtain Bangs"
Curtain bangs made a huge comeback this year, likely because they're the safest option [22] for anyone willing to take a risk and cut their own fringe at home. Head over here to find out how to style them [23].
"How to Fade Hair"
Using electric clippers isn't as easy as it looks. This barber gave a very detailed tutorial on how to fade hair [24] in under 20 minutes using clippers, a trimmer, a styling comb, and a mirror. If you're doing this at home, you should of course start off with washed hair, and then form your guidelines (explained in the video above) before cutting. Check out the video above for a more detailed explanation.
