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Seemingly overnight, the coronavirus pandemic has changed life as we know it. But despite the pressure to #stayhome, people are finding creative ways to spice up life in the “New Normal”.
When you don’t see anyone in person, you pay less attention to your appearance, and you don’t spend much on anything other than daily necessities… Does this logic really apply to everyone?
We interviewed Riho, who enjoys online shopping even during quarantine and started posting cosmetic reviews on social media, to explore new beauty values and consumption behavior.
――What have you been up to lately?
I’ve been working out a lot. I also like to apply full makeup even if I don’t go out, to research and practice different makeup techniques. When I think about what I enjoy the most in my quarantine life, it’s definitely the time I spend on makeup every morning. It’s more fun to spend the time doing what you like than just slacking off at home. Applying full makeup also makes me feel fresh and motivated when I’m working from home.
I’ve been spending so much time shopping online recently and keep buying new makeup products. I love watching makeup reviews on YouTube. The more I watch, the more products I have to add to my shopping list, and I just can’t stop buying things. Before coronavirus spread, I always visited physical stores to check out product samples, but now YouTube reviewers show color and texture in detail so I’m happy with online shopping.
――What have you bought recently?
Eyeshadow from a British brand which was recommended by a beauty product-savvy friend, and some cosmetics from the Japanese brand “&be” which I saw on the YouTube channel of makeup artist Yusuke Kawakita.
I also bought some dresses and a bikini. I don’t know if I can go anywhere to swim this summer, but I bought it for workout motivation. I tried it on as soon as it arrived and checked how my waist looked. I’m looking forward to wearing it again a month later and see how my body has changed.
I’m basically a shopaholic, so I feel mentally unstable when I’m not buying anything. There was a time when I didn’t go shopping at all for 1-2 months, and it felt like I was dead inside. My shopping habit has recently come back and now I’m on the hunt again.
――What made you start posting cosmetic reviews yourself?
Because I was bored. I recently had an opportunity to work at a Korean cosmetic brand store for a month, and was very inspired when customers told me they wanted to copy my makeup techniques. And when I posted something about makeup on my Instagram stories, some of my friends sent me messages saying that they wanted to buy the products I wrote about. There were even some strangers saving my Instagram posts! I thought I should try writing in more detail on my blog if these people are finding my posts useful. I don’t have many followers, but I’m happy if there is anyone, even one person, who is interested in my writing.
――Do you think Covid-19 has changed the way you think?
Things I used to take for granted are not there anymore, so I try to cherish the simple moments more than before. For example, it used to be totally normal to just walk around with full makeup but now, I have to hide my face with a face mask. I hate putting makeup only around my eyes, so I really miss the time where I could go out with full makeup. I tend to neglect my beauty routines when I’m busy, but this quarantine has given me an opportunity to think about what I really like and value, so I really want to keep it up even when the situation settles down.
