Got "mascne"? Prague salons tell us how to get gorgeous after quarantine

Tend to your beard — better

For those who decide to keep up beards sprouted during the days of sheltering in place, it’s time to get grooming, says Kraig Casebier, of American Barber in Prague fame.

“There are oils, balms, waxes, soaps, and shampoos specifically for beards and different techniques for keeping them maintained and styled,” says Casebier who spent two years developing his signature Murican beard oil.

Tip: Readers who mention this article at American Barber in Prague get a 10% discount on Angry Beards products and a 15% discount on beard trims until the end of the year.

Undo mask damage

Face masks can also wreak havoc on our skin. Jana Ehrlichová, a therapist at Carlo IV explains: “Masks trap moisture, sweat, and dirt to the point where our skin breaks out in contact dermatitis, blemishes, acne, or even rosacea.” Dermatologists even have a name for this condition, “mascne.”

While hotels have been hit hard by the absence of tourists, it’s no surprise that spas are welcoming more locals than ever. “We have a steady flow of bookings for spa treatments…there is actually an increase in orders for facial massages,” she says. One popular treatment is Carlo IV’s latest facial treatment using guasha tools and a rose quartz facial roller.

Local beautician and beauty expert Bára Blahůšková recommends a first aid cleansing tonic for calming skin after you cleanse your face at home. “The tonic is very important especially for calming,” she says. Prague 6’s BioOrganica showroom is currently closed due to coronavirus measures but you can still order Trauma Balm or Floral Tonic via their e-shop or shop for their products at any of these locations

TIP:Carlo IV is offering a 30% off from their usual spa menu on all body and facial treatments; 80 CZK from your purchase of BioOrganica products goes to the DOMA project which helps Czech seniors impacted by coronavirus.

Correct bad dye jobs

Being forced to stay home, many of us chose to touch up roots on our own. We asked Salon Unique owner Zuzana Hejnova if she’d seen any home hair disasters. “Long time clients have been getting the best care, resulting in long, damage-free hair. We use L’oreal color which is multi-tonal, just like natural hair. The subtle variations make hair shimmery. It’s impossible to replicate that look from a box, even with the perfect color. And no one gets the right color, because the picture on the box is rarely what you end up with.”

Her team salvaged coloring fails by asking clients to send photos of boxes they used. They corrected the color without additional damage, but sometimes it took several visits. Salon Unique offers Olaplex treatments, which go a long way toward keeping colored hair looking healthy.

Tip: A strong clarifying shampoo to lessen the impact of hair dyed overly dark from box color.

Scary hairy legs

Moving along from the hairstyles to body hair, we asked Selma Diniz owner of Beauty Secrets in Prague 6 what it was like re-opening their doors to waxing clients. 

Martina Drahošová, who runs ProVisage clinic which does permanent laser depilation, has seen an uptick in clients. Those who opt for permanent laser depilation achieve results after four to six visits so in case of a second wave, this is looking like a more attractive option than ever.

Tip:Provisage is running a pay for  3 + get 1 free special.

Tell us your experiences with post-quarantine skin and hair care!