Page 51 - RPA Magazine December 2020

RPA 2020 TRENDS IN REVIEW 49 MARGARET MIELCZAREK, EDITOR, RETAIL PHARMACY ASSISTANTS What to do if you’ve been told to self-isolate (RPA April: What’s Trending, pages 58-59) As Covid-19 quickly became a pandemic, we began hearing phrases such as ‘social distancing’ and ‘self- isolation’. Experts across the country were detailing how to social distance, what it means to self-isolate and how to ensure proper personal hygiene through rigorous handwashing and the use of hand sanitiser. The importance of staying calm and undertaking activities to reduce growing anxiety was also underscored. The rise of DIY beauty (RPA May: What’s Trending, pages 6-9) Covid-19 continued to grip the globe and lockdown measures came into place, meaning trips to the shops to buy beauty supplies began to decrease. Unsurprisingly, DIY beauty began to rise. With people staying at home due to lockdown, Chemcorp International General Manager Jodie Phillips said: “DIY beauty is absolutely booming.” “With the salons being closed and with it being harder to get to the hairdresser, and with people having more time ... it’s all about DIY,” she said, adding that among the trending products, DIY eyelashes, brow tinting kits, at-home root coverups, Epsom salts and facemasks were rising in popularity. Ms Phillips mentioned that standout trending products in the DIY space included Chemcorp’s 1000HOUR Eyelash and Brow Dye Kit, along with its root cover-ups within the 1000HOUR brand – because we all needed a quick and easy, at-home way to touch up those pesky roots. The message around proper handwashing was reinforced with the call to wash our hands for at least 20 seconds, to the tune of Happy Birthday. However, with the focus on handwashing and hand sanitiser came the issue of dry hands. Brisbane consultant dermatologist Dr Leona Yip suggested trying a soap substitute or a “soap-free wash, because soap- based products really risk drying out the skin further and irritating it more”. Reducing stress and anxiety (RPA August: What’s Trending, pages 8-9) Unsurprisingly, Covid-19 has been a huge topic in the magazine this year. As the pandemic took hold of the country, we spoke with experts on how best to reduce stress and anxiety. Naturopath and NaturoBest founder Nikki Warren gave us her top tips to help with relaxation. She included those around breathing exercises, eating well, considering supplements, general exercise, and sleeping. “Sleep is so important for our mental health and wellbeing,” she said, adding that it’s important to try for seven to eight hours of sleep each night. “Invest in blackout curtains,” she added, “keep a window open at night for ventilation, read a book before bed rather than a screen, and keep the lights low for a few hours before bed to promote the production of melatonin.” A life of learning (RPA October: Exclusive Interview, pages 24-27) I spoke with Scotty Farrell, a sports coach and small business owner with a background in dietetics, who emphasised the importance of learning. “There’s so much to learn ... there’s always room for more learning and improvement,” he said. “The moment you think you’re at the top of your game in any profession, you either need a swift kick to remind you to keep learning, or you’ve likely had enough and need to move on.” Season of deadly danger (RPA November: What’s Trending, pages 12-14) With the weather warming up and summer approaching, getting your skin checked for potential nasties (skin cancer and melanoma) was the timely and urgent advice from the founder of Beard Season, Jimmy Niggles Esq. “It’s important to remember that wearing a hat, sunscreen and sunglasses ... is really important and to be especially careful around the loony lunchtime hours of 11am-3pm,” he said. “It’s always important to get checked. And in fact, because of Covid-19, Australia has had a ... 30 to 50 per cent drop in people getting checked. That’s really dangerous ... That might mean that there’s going to be a massive jump in late-stage cancer now, which is way harder to treat and a lot more deadly.” RETAIL PHARMACY ASSISTANTS • DEC 2020