Have you ever looked down at your chapped, chipped, hang-nail ridden hands and wondered, "Holy sh!t — when was the last time I got a manicure?" Or looked at your eyebrows and realized you've accidentally let yourself grow a unibrow? (Same). Keeping track of how often you should be getting certain beauty treatments is kind of a pain. Our lives are so busy in general, it's hard to remember when you're due for a haircut or a bikini wax until things have gotten so out of control, you're pretty much forced to deal with it.
Because everything else in our lives somehow makes it onto our calendars (like when we're supposed to water our cacti and check our IUD strings), why should beauty treatments be any different. Self-care is just as important as succulent care, y'all. To find out how often we're supposed to be treating ourselves this year, I spoke to experts from every corner of the beauty industry for their tips on when we should be heading in for our appointments, or at the very least, be giving ourself a little TLC at home.
Now go ahead get out your iCal and get ready to schedule your haircuts/waxes/nail treatments from today until 2018.
1. Manicure
Timeline: Once every week to two weeks
There are two kinds of humans out there: Those who take care of their nails and those who don't. "Those who don’t #selfcare will tend to be more prone to develop ragged cuticles, hang nails, and poorly shaped nails and should not be waiting too long between appointments — once every week to two weeks is appropriate," says dermatologist Dr. Dana Stern. Even if you generally aren't a self-maintenance kind of gal, make sure your take care of your cuticles in between and don’t forget to apply your favorite cuticle oil or cream throughout the day, especially in cold, dry months or when exposed to excess water.
2. Pedicure
Timeline: Once a month
As far as beauty treatments go, pedicures are hands (or feet?) down the most enjoyable. You can read a magazine and text while you're getting them! We are hard on our feet and they require a lot of maintenance to keep them healthy and beautiful," says Dermatologist Dr. Dana Stern. "A monthly pedicure during winter boot season is appropriate, but you may need more frequent foot love come sandal season." If you're super diligent about removing dead skin cells and callus build up, moisturizing, trimming and shaping your toenails, you may be able to get away with going for longer without one, but why would you want to?!
3. Eyebrow Wax
Timeline: It depends on your brow growth
Your eyebrows are unique unicorns, and no one's timeline is going to be exactly the same. "People should be getting their eyebrows done when their eyebrows need to be done," says celebrity makeup artist and brow expert Tonya Crooks. "How to figure this out is by leaving the brow completely alone and letting it grow on its own until it becomes hard to find a definitive line. You will recognize this by noticing overgrowth and it becomes more difficult to achieve a nice fill in."
Crooks says that each person's growth cycle can be different, but the average is to have the brows done every three to four weeks without maintaining much in between. If you are a slower grower then it may be six to eight weeks. If you're a fast grower it may be two to three. Basically, just pay attention to your brows, and when they start to feel a little messy and unruly then it's time to make that appointment!
4. Facial
Timeline: Once a month to four times a year
Consider this your official excuse to get facials on a regular basis: "I always say getting extraction facials seasonally is the best for your skin. Meaning 4 times a year," says NYC-based aesthetician Tess Adams. "I always promote Microcurrent facials monthly! It's important to stimulate your tissues & get your blood circulating. That will keep your skin looking younger, longer!"
5. Wash Makeup Brushes
Timeline: Twice a week
You are definitely not doing this enough. "It's important to clean your makeup brushes at least twice a week, especially if you wear makeup everyday," says Adams. "Our applicators can carry a lot of bacteria, causing acne or blemishes."
6. Hair Color
Timeline: It depends on what kind of color you have
This one isn't quite cut and dry (lol). It's a bit more "Relationship Status: Complicated." Most importantly, it requires keeping track of what your hair needs. "The variables are almost endless," says celebrity hair stylist Marc Anthony. "Finer hair shows roots sooner so fine haired clients tend to return sooner. The larger the difference between your natural and your tinted color the more frequently." He suggests an appointment every four to six for full color, or once every few months for highlights, lowlights, balayage, or ombre.
7. Hair Cut
Timeline: Whenever you start to see split ends
Just like with dying, there's no hard and fast rule for how often you should get your haircut... As long as you're keeping up with what it needs. "I am not a fan of the four to six week creed," says Anthony, though some stylists swear by it. "You cut your hair when the cut refuses to cooperate and you see the start of split ends. Some cuts can last three months, unless you have a shorter style that needs cosmetic maintenance."
