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And Update To The FDA’s COVID-19 Home Testing FAQ

Kate-Madonna Hindes
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And Update To The FDA’s COVID-19 Home Testing FAQ

In-home testing has received Emergency Use Authorization, but its’ necessary to keep updated on what tests are currently approved and what tests have been withdrawn from EUA approval.

In a national push to expand testing, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides updates to its FAQs page online almost daily. Public health officials believe the push for tests, including at home testing, is essential news to monitor, whether you’re planning to have a COVID-19 test taken or if you’re a healthcare professional involved in the tracking or treatment of SARS-CoV-2. 

The FDA has used its Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) process to accelerate the availability of tests, as well as PPE, to combat the still spreading COVID-19.

In one of the newest updates, the FDA has no objection to serology tests to identify antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. This is an area where the test has been validated. This is done while the manufacturer is preparing its EUA request. 

RELATED: FDA Has Approved A New At-Home Test For COVID-19

Commercial manufacturers have notified the FDA that they intend to distribute serology tests with instructions included for use. For your information, there are some caveats to current testing procedures:

  • Negative results do not preclude acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. If acute infection is suspected, direct testing for SARS-CoV-2 is necessary.
  • Results from antibody testing should not be used to diagnose or exclude acute SARS-CoV-2 infection.

These tests have not gone through the usual FDA testing and review process due to the health emergency conditions. In-home testing has received EUA, but its’ necessary to keep updated on what tests are currently approved and what tests have been withdrawn from EUA approval.

The FDA Reissued Guidelines For PPE In Hospitals And Clinics
Photo by sturti/Getty Images

There are still marked supply issues with obtaining personal protection equipment (PPE) of various kinds, including swabs. The FDA is moving to make more equipment readily available.

RELATED: Understanding New Rules Around Serological Testing

In a June 4 update to the FAQ, the FDA states that some report trouble obtaining viral transport media/universal transport media (VTM/UTM) and a flocked nasopharyngeal swab to collect and transport patient samples.  

The FDA believes that a nasopharyngeal specimen is the preferred choice for swab-based SARS-CoV-2 testing. There are two different types of swab (polyester vs. rayon), depending on what anatomical part the sample is drawn from. Health care professionals are encouraged to share their results; and the FDA will update its validation data if you agree to share the test data. This way, other laboratories can learn from the data.  

Should You Tip Your Budtender

Mike Adams
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Should You Tip Your Budtender

Tip jars started to take shape around a decade ago when medical marijuana was first beginning to build momentum across the country.  

Now that marijuana legalization has taken hold in more parts of the United States, people are showing up to cannabis dispensaries in droves to see what it’s like to purchase legal weed. Sure, there is a novelty factor to it for some, while others are stepping inside these establishments destined to become regular patrons. 

At the front of the house are budtenders. These folks act in several different capacities, assisting customers in finding the best possible strain, showing them new products and answering questions to help them walk away with the best possible experience. It is important work, especially when it comes to dealing with a new customer whose only experience with marijuana was that one time back in college when they took a hit off a bong. These people need to be guided through the latest developments on the cannabis scene and the budtender is a big part of the process.

One of the things a new customer might notice while browsing the display cases in a dispensary is the presence of tip jars. This trend started to take shape around a decade ago when medical marijuana was first beginning to build momentum across the country. But now they seem to be turning up more in both the medical and recreational sectors. The idea, as with any situation where a tip jar is present, is to give the budtender an opportunity to earn additional income.

It is also an incentivizing measure. If a budtender believes he or she can earn an extra $50 or more each day by simply providing superb customer service, chances are they will come to work ready to make it rain.  

Why Are Marijuana Retailers Struggling To Keep Budtenders?
Photo by Heath Korvola/Getty Images

Still, some people take issue with tip jars becoming more commonplace in dispensary life. Some feel that while a budtender might deserve and extra $10 or so for helping them identify a strain most effective in treating their specific health condition, others think it is flat out BS that they must cough up extra cheddar just because one sold them a package of edibles. And while tipping is always optional, many argue that some budtenders act as though they are entitled to a tip for spending a few minutes with a customer. 

RELATED: Want To Be A Marijuana Budtender? Here’s How To Do It

So what is the right thing to do? Should we tip our budtenders, or simply treat them the same way we do our liquor store clerks? After all, the people who sell us beer do not get tipped out just for telling us where they keep the Lagunitas.

The answer should be simple, but it is actually a bit tricky.

Photo by Heath Korvola / Getty Images

For starters, what exactly is a budtender’s job? According to the California-based employment agency Vangst, it is to provide “excellent customer service to all patients and customers in medical and recreational dispensaries. Uses point-of-sale system and other technology to ensure all cannabis product sales are properly tracked. Provides information to customers on product choices, consumption methods, compliance, and safety. Remains up to date on all cannabis regulations to ensure compliance within the dispensary.”

RELATED: Let Your Friendly Neighborhood Budtender Help You

No doubt, there is a lot of responsibility involved with being an exceptional budtender, which is the reason that these people are paid an above-average salary right out of the gate. Budtenders often start out making around $16 per hour. These are not excellent wages, but they are significantly higher than if these people were to punch a clock at a fast food joint, where employees are not compensated with tips.

It is also more money than what the average liquor store clerk earns. And as we established earlier in this article, they don’t get tips either. But then again, society has no qualms whatsoever about tipping bartenders a buck or two for simply popping the top on a beer and setting in front of them.

So, do we tip budtenders or not? 

Listen, don’t feel obligated to leave a tip just because a dispensary has scattered jars all around. However, if a budtender is friendly, helpful and makes your dispensary experience a pleasant one, by all means, don’t be afraid to leave them a few extra bucks. Yet, if all a budtender does is ring up a package of edibles or pre-rolls, a tip isn’t exactly necessary. These products are already expensive enough with all of the additional taxes for people to be required to pay more just because an employee punched a few buttons on a cash register.

But, here’s the thing: Good people who do good work and, above all, help you in ways that could not have been achieved without them, are always deserving of more. It is a classy move to offer a gratuity for exceptional service. 

What To Know About CBD And Eczema

Maria Loreto
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What To Know About CBD And Eczema

Although there’s a lack of scientific research on CBD due to the compound’s strange legal standing, many experts are hopeful in the effect it could have on eczema.

Eczema is a condition that targets a large percentage of people across the country. Known for irritating the skin and leaving it patchy and red for stretches of time, eczema occurs due to a combination of genetics and environmental situations. Flare ups of the condition can occur from pollen in the air or the types of foods and drinks you ingest.

Could CBD provide some relief for this type of skin inflammation?

Eczema, which refers to a group of skin conditions that can manifest in different ways, is traditionally treated by managing its most prevalent symptoms in order to prevent flare ups. The condition is not contagious and can be very different from person to person, with the most prevalent symptom manifesting as patches of itchy skin.

RELATED: 5 Cannabis Products That Will Defeat Eczema In Time For Summer

There is no cure for eczema, which is why people who suffer from this ailment have to be careful, moisturizing their skin often, while also looking for effective ways of avoiding triggers. The ways in which people treat their eczema are varied and personal, ranging from warm baths and gentle soaps to wearing cotton clothes that won’t hurt them.

Here's What You Should Know About CBD Topicals
Photo by vadimguzhva/Getty Images

Since its rise in popularity, CBD has garnered some acclaim within the beauty and skincare industry. Although there’s a lack of scientific research on CBD due to the compound’s strange legal standing, many experts are hopeful in the effect it could have on eczema.

RELATED: Could CBD And Cannabis Eliminate The High-Cost And High-Stakes Of Current Psoriasis Medicines?

Different studies have shown that CBD is effective in providing anti-inflammatory effects and managing skin irritation. There are also studies that have found CBD has antioxidant properties, which could help prevent infections when skin has been damaged by eczema and is at its most vulnerable.

Once additional studies are conducted, CBD can finally outgrow many of the issues that plague it and stop the compound from being perceived as a legitimate source of relief. For now, there’s some promise for treating different skin ailments with CBD.

Nickelodeon Tweets About SpongeBob, Internet Flips Out

Maria Loreto
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Nickelodeon Tweets About SpongeBob, Internet Flips Out

Nickelodeon tweeted about Pride using a photo of SpongeBob and the internet interpreted it as the cartoon’s coming out moment.

June is Pride month. Although it’s been a year unlike any other, the month remains a time where members of the LGBTQ community are celebrated by their peers and allies. For media this means hopefully to provide support through their content, highlighting the characters and stories that reflect the lives of queer people all around the world. Like beloved cartoon characters, apparently. It seems Nickelodeon tweets about SpongeBob, internet flips out and lessons are learned.

There’s been a long discussion about SpongeBob and his sexuality, with fans highlighting his relationship with Patrick as having romantic undertones. On Saturday, Nickelodeon reignited the discourse by uploading a tweet celebrating Pride and the LGBTQ community.

RELATED: 3 Ways To Celebrate Pride Month This Year

The tweet features a photo of SpongeBob along with Korra from “The Legend of Korra,” and Schwoz from “Henry Danger.” The latter two characters broke boundaries for the LGBT community, especially since these are both programs geared for children — an audience not usually exposed to queer cartoon personalities.

Depictions of these characters highlight how much times have changed and the slow yet noticeable progress that society has experienced in recent years.

Many viewers interpreted the tweet as a coming out moment for SpongeBob.

In 2005, SpongeBob’s creator Stephen Hillenburg, who passed away in 2018, was asked about SpongeBob’s sexuality. “We never intended them to be gay,” he said. “I consider them to be almost asexual.”

Of course, there are tweets celebrating that too.

Bernie Sanders And Cory Booker On What Legal Marijuana Would Mean For People Of Color

Brendan Bures
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Bernie Sanders And Cory Booker On What Legal Marijuana Would Mean For People Of Color

The senators analyzed how cannabis criminalization drives deep wedges into society with long-term, damaging consequences.

Sens. Cory Booker and Bernie Sanders held a virtual town hall meeting last week to discuss criminal justice reform, which included a lengthy dialogue about the role cannabis enforcement plays in social inequities. Booker said he and Sanders discuss “marijuana justice all the time” and how the War on Drugs influences systems of oppression.

“I’m all for [marijuana] legalization,” Booker said. “I came to the Senate speaking about legalization. But to say that in the same breath and not to include expunging records, reinvesting profits into communities that have been economically devastated by the drug war; you’re not talking about justice if you suddenly say, ‘Okay, everybody started in the same field. Go ahead.’”

At campaign rallies, Sanders stated he would often ask attendees to raise their hand if they or a known acquaintance had been arrested for cannabis possession.

“I was astounded by the hands that went up,” he said. “Then if you get a criminal record […] you’re looking for a job and the boss says, ‘Have you ever been arrested?’ ‘Well, yeah, I have been.’ ‘Okay, well, thank you. We’ll interview somebody else.’”

RELATED: NORML Says Marijuana Prohibition More Damaging Than The Plant Itself

Booker and Sanders have established themselves as two of the loudest voices fighting for marijuana legalization at the federal level. Sanders promised immediately removing cannabis as a banned substance if he was elected President. Booker, meanwhile, introduced a bill that would legalize cannabis at the national level with support from Sanders and other 2020 presidential candidates like Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris.

Bernie Sanders Promises To Legalize Marijuana First Day Of Office As President
Photo by Joe Raedle/Staff/Getty Images

Since dropping out of the presidential race in January, Booker has continued driving dialogue about marijuana reform. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, he questioned why some state lawmakers had labeled cannabis an “essential good,” but the substance remained federally illegal. He also underlined how marijuana enforcement represented the racist inequities spurring protests following the death of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police.

He echoed those sentiments in conversation with Sanders, when a viewer asked: “What would legalizing marijuana, expunging the records of those arrested for marijuana, mean for people of color?”

RELATED: Will Bernie Sanders Push Joe Biden Toward Dramatic Marijuana Reform?

“In 2017, the last year we have data for, there were more marijuana possession arrests than all violent crime arrests in America combined,” Booker said. “And again, they’re arresting people of color. They’re not arresting folks of greater privilege.”

As Booker referenced, that data also showed black Americans were more than four times as likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than white Americans. The groups, however, consumer marijuana at similar rates.

“Now you get a nonviolent drug charge for doing something that two of the three last presidents admitted to doing,” the senator said. “Now you have 40,000 collateral consequences that strip you from your economic power. You can’t get Pell grants, can’t get public housing, can’t get jobs, can’t get loans from the bank.”

Cannabis Experts Say Elon Musk’s Outspoken Support Is Helpful, But Not Enough

Andrew Ward
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Cannabis Experts Say Elon Musk’s Outspoken Support Is Helpful, But Not Enough

“While such statements from prominent figures might help raise an issue’s profile or increase awareness among their fans, it doesn’t equate to policy change,” says one industry insider.

Can a prominent person create change with a statement alone? To an extent, it appears so, though experts say more is required to move the needle when creating change.

Tesla Inc. TSLA 1.71% CEO Elon Musk became one of the latest notable names to use their platform to stoke conversation.

In the early hours of June 6, Musk tweeted about the disparity that finds thousands of people in jail for selling marijuana while the market becomes increasingly legal.

“Doesn’t make sense, isn’t right,” was the extent of his analysis. While lacking any further depth, Musk’s platform added to the gathering calls for reform across cannabis, policing and civil rights.

Do Statements Alone Create Change?

Experts in cannabis and criminal justice believe more is needed to create the change being sought.

Morgan Fox, media relations director for the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA), said that while Musk’s statement isn’t groundbreaking, influential voices do add volume to the chorus of those seeking reform. “While such statements from prominent figures might help raise an issue’s profile or increase awareness among their fans, it doesn’t equate to policy change,” Fox said.

RELATED: Elon Musk Tweets About Marijuana, Gets Trolled

Torie Marshall is a co-founding organizer of National Expungement Week (NEW), a week-long nationwide event aimed at providing services to individuals seeking to have their rights restored.

Marshall told Benzinga that Musk’s statement, and others like it, raise awareness while failing to address systemic issues and those most impacted.

“If he’s not being direct with who it’s affecting, then he continues to allow the privileged to appropriate our narrative,” said Marshall.

Roz McCarthy, CEO and founder of Minorities for Medical Marijuana (M4MM), said that “To black and brown people, the negative stereotypical history of marijuana in our country is a very sensitive subject.”

Racial Disparity

McCarthy wishes that such statements would consider and acknowledge those most affected, especially during recent developments.

Black people, in particular, face a disparity concerning marijuana arrests. 2020 findings from the American Civil Liberties Union found that Black people were arrested for cannabis possession 3.64 times more than a white person.

This disparity occurred across every state despite usage rates between the two races being similar.

“Now that [cannabis] is deemed as an ‘essential service,’ it makes the pill even harder to swallow,” McCarthy said. “Imagine having an arrest record or still being in jail for the very same plant that our government now says is an ‘essential service.'”

RELATED: The Role Marijuana Legalization Can Play In Fighting Racial Injustice

She would also state that while she would like to see more from prominent people in power, like Musk, there is power in their platform alone.

“Like it or not, if Mr. Musk had not made his comment, we would not be here discussing this subject,” McCarthy added. “That shows you the very power of words and how something as simple as a tweet can affect change.”

Elon Musk Had To Apologize to SpaceX Employees For Smoking Weed With Joe Rogan
Photo by Loren Elliott/Stringer/Getty Images

Action Needed To Back Words

Businesses and prominent individuals alike need to back their words with action, said, several respondents.

James Watt, a co-founding organizer of NEW, believes words alone help but do nothing on their own. “Exploited communities need a constant, consistent amplification of our voices,” Watt told Benzinga, adding, “action is always the path to results.”

Some, like NCIA’s Fox, echoed a similar response many had for Musk on Twitter, telling him to donate his money to worthy causes, like the Last Prisoner Project.

A person, regardless of their bank account, can take action. Both NEW’s Watt and M4MM’s McCarthy say customers can use their buying power to show what they support.

See Also: All-Star Trio: Isiah Thomas, John Salley And Al Harrington Want To Change The Cannabis Game

Watt discussed how a consumer could show their support: “Consumers can make their voices heard by supporting companies that engage authentically, provide opportunities, and support ownership in historically marginalized communities.”

McCarthy noted that customers could vet brands by asking questions ranging from what causes it support to how they use their platform to amplify Black and other marginalized voices.

On June 10, a group of cannabis companies, headed up by Cannaclusive, released the Accountability List, which aims to serve as a regularly updated catalog of industry brands and their responses to addressing inclusion in the space.

In a press release announcing the release, Cannaclusive co-founder Mary Pryor stated, “The Accountability List was created to serve as a guide for consumers who are living their values or for those who want to support brands that share those ideals.”

This article originally appeared on Benzinga.

Using CBD To Make The Most Of Your Summer

Maria Loreto
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Using CBD To Make The Most Of Your Summer

Summer is here, providing good weather and the chance to spend more time outdoors. Here’s how CBD can make a difference.

Summer time is set as magical time during the school years when we have a 3 month vacation. Ice cream, swimming, long bike rides, and endless adventures stay with us into adulthood. You can’t help but want to have fun, but an older body may make it a little harder.  Here are some tips on using CBD to make the most of the summer.

 

CBD skincare

What You Should Know When Reading A CBD Label
Photo by Pharma Hemp Complex via Unsplash

There’s plenty of brands and types of CBD skincare, from those focused on beauty to products that can treat acne and oily skin. Although there’s not much research on CBD and its effect on sunburns, the compound is effective in treating inflammation and pain, two side effects of serious sunburns.

You can also use CBD oil to treat bug bites, managing pain, itchiness and inflammation.

RELATED: 5 Ways Cannabis Can Help With Common Summertime Ailments

CBD to stay hydrated

It’s very important to stay hydrated during the summer, especially if you’re planning on staying active. The more you move and sweat, the more water and hydration you’ll need. CBD drinks could be a fun option. These come in different flavors and formats, such as energy drinks and water, all helping you treat the pain and inflammation from workouts while also helping you cope with symptoms such as anxiety.

Photo by Polina Zimmerman via Pexels

CBD to help you stay focused

Whether you’re trying to have an intense workout session or looking for some help with focusing on work or any other tasks you need to complete, CBD can help. Oil, tinctures, strips and myriad other CBD products can help you control anxious thoughts while preventing lethargy.

RELATED: 3 Ways CBD Can Help You Get Into Swimsuit Shape

CBD to help you relax

If relaxing and unwinding are among your summer plans, CBD can assist with that, too. CBD oils play a subtle yet important role that grows more effective over time. Regular exposure helps you manage your heart rate, racing thoughts and unstable patterns of sleep.

Study Finds Hemp Oil Can Help Chronic Neuropathic Pain

Kate-Madonna Hindes
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Study Finds Hemp Oil Can Help Chronic Neuropathic Pain

It’s another step towards lessening our dependency on the pharmacological use of opioids and opioid-derivatives.

Medical professionals and researchers throughout the U.S. are seeking to steer patients away from opioids and other severely addictive medications. The University of New Mexico released a study in May, published in the scientific journal Life, with positive long-term results in the expanded use of hemp oil to treat chronic neuropathic pain. 

Researchers seek to rely on increasingly natural and organic ways to treat chronic pain.  The biggest takeaway from this UNM study is the increased efficacy of hemp oil, which  means an opportunity to move away from dependence on the pharmacological use of opioids and opioid-derivatives. 

Conventional pharmacological drugs are ranking high as one of the leading forms of causing preventable deaths, and conventional medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the U.S..

“Cannabis plants with low THC are still psychoactive, but tend to result in less psychedelic experiences, while still offering profound and often immediate relief from symptoms such as pain, anxiety, and depression,” says co-researcher Dr. Jacob Miguel Vigil, an associate professor in the UNM Psychology Department. 

The UNM researchers used mice as a study subject to examine both the efficacy and the safety of cannabis products. For several hours after being dosed with hemp oil, the mice demonstrated reduced pain. Cannabis oils have been used to relieve aches and pains, anxiety, sleep disturbances and other maladies. They’re also widely available in your local drug store, big box retailer and Amazon. (Just make sure your product is legit before purchasing.)

RELATED: Why Mice Are Perfect For Marijuana Research

Cannabis plants can also produce cannabinoid (CBD). If your CBD oil is purified from hemp plants (hemp CBD), it’s federally legal. If not, it’s still illegal on a federal level, classified as a Schedule 1 drug.  

Farmers harvest the plant and collect CBD. But caution is strongly advised because the extraction process for THC is essentially the same as CBD, which means the CBD you just bought likely contains a bit of THC.

Long-Term Effects Marijuana
Photo by ColiN00B via Pixabay

“There are many intriguing findings in pre-clinical studies that suggest CBD and hemp oil have anti-inflammatory effects and may be helpful with improving sleep and anxiety,” says Dr. Brent Bauer, an internist and director of research for the Mayo Clinic Integrative Medicine program. Dr. Bauer cautioned in 2019 that the studies on humans are still relatively limited. 

RELATED: 3 Main Differences Between CBD Oil And Hemp Oil

There is still the need for additional information and continued study in the use of cannabis oils to alleviate pain. In addition to medical professionals, this is still an evolving area to keep up on the latest information for patients, medical professionals, retailers, law enforcement professionals, city and state officials, among others. 

Study Finds Denver’s Marijuana Businesses Need To Diversify

Brendan Bures
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Study Finds Denver’s Marijuana Businesses Need To Diversify

Racial disparity among marijuana business owners and employees are in need of change, policymakers say.

A 2017 Marijuana Business Daily poll reported that less than 10% of nationwide cannabis businesses were founded by Hispanic or African American owners. Sadly, a study commissioned by Denver policymakers found the cannabis industry still needs more diversity initiatives and inclusion in one of marijuana’s epicenters.

About 75% of licensed Denver marijuana business owners are white, the study finds, and 68% of employees are white as well. Though Hispanic or Latino populations make up about 30% of the population in Denver county, only 12% of marijuana business owners and employees are Hispanic or Latino.

Black and African American residents account for less than 6% of ownership and employee bases in Denver’s cannabis scene. According to 2019 U.S. Census Bureau statistics, around 10% of Denver county is black or African American.

“This study sadly confirmed what was widely suspected,” executive director of Denver’s Excise and Licensing division Ashley Kilroy said in a statement. “Just like what has been seen across the state and in other legalized markets across the U.S., Denver does not have a diverse marijuana industry.”

RELATED: The Role Marijuana Legalization Can Play In Fighting Racial Injustice

Denver commissioned the study before widespread protests against police brutality and systemic racism spurred a reckoning with various American industries. City policymakers hoped the study would highlight opportunities to address social justice and social equality initiatives, according to the Denver Post.

More than 80% of Denver Teens Don't Smoke Marijuana
Photo by Eric Donzella via Unsplash

Researchers gathered data used through an online survey that tapped a wide swath of cannabis industry stakeholders, including dispensary owners, budtenders, social justice advocates, growers, the general public, and more. Over 50% of those survey labeled ownership opportunities as “poor,” but employment opportunities as “good.” Money represented a barrier to entry in both cases, however; almost 77% of respondents said access to capital was the biggest hurdle to ownership while just over 70% cited low wages for entry-level jobs as a barrier to working within the industry.

RELATED: Dispensary Job Market Still Strong Despite Lockdowns

Data from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) shows racial disparities in marijuana arrests persist. Though Colorado has the lowest racial disparity in the nation, black residents are still 1.5 times more likely to get arrested for marijuana possession than white people. Lack of opportunity in the legal industry could fuel those numbers, according to experts.

“The emerging legal marijuana industry is overwhelmingly white-owned and white-dominated, and provides good access to white customers,” Stanford psychologist Keith Humphreys told the Post. “So one possibility is that that leaves the illegal market disproportionately composed of people of color, both the buyers and the sellers.”

How To Perfect Your Video Call Make Up

Maria Loreto
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0
How To Perfect Your Video Call Make Up

Video calls provide a unique challenge when it comes to makeup. Here’s what some experts recommend.

One of the small comforts we get to enjoy nowadays is the ability to spend our days in our sweatpants with no makeup on. Although this perk quickly gets old and a little sad, it’s nice to put a temporary hold on these kinds of concerns, which are time consuming and tedious. Still, at some point you’re going to have to connect to a Zoom call, whether that’s with friends, a date or your coworkers.

Your laptop’s camera will never replace the real deal, which means that your makeup should be approached differently. Unless your laptop or phone has a very advanced camera, most of the nuance of makeup will be lost in video, which is why some suggest kicking it up a notch or focusing on key areas that will make you look better.

Makeup artist Kasey Spickard pointed out to The Strategist some of the challenges the camera creates. “The camera can wash you out, so you want to focus on sculpting and creating definition in the face.”

RELATED: Are Second Hand Cosmetics Safe To Use?

For video calls, makeup experts prioritize using foundation, concealer and highlighter. These tackle some of the biggest problems created by cameras, which are oily looking skin, eye bags and less definition in your nose, cheekbones and jaw.

Here's What You Should Know About Video Call Make Up
Photo by Ekaterina Bolovtsova via Pexels

Another factor that plays a big role with cameras is lighting and the positioning of your laptop or smartphone. If you’re having a long or important video meeting and want to look good and comfortable, make sure to put your laptop in someplace that’s safe and elevated, preventing double chins and other awkward positions.

RELATED: Zoom Says It’s Taking Steps To Censor Nudity From Video Chats

When it comes to lighting, a window with some shades over it is the goal, since partial natural light is the most flattering. If you don’t have that, you can try a selfie ring, which provides decent illumination and soft light.

Zoom video calls are much like taking selfies. Try to achieve a natural and comfortable look, one that won’t take you hours to put together but that will help you feel make the most out of the current situation.

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