We’ve all felt that familiar panic – you groggily peek at your alarm clock in the morning only to discover it’s way later than you thought. (Insert immediate freak out here). And suddenly, all the time you had planned on using to pick out the perfect outfit and carefully apply your makeup is gone out the window. But before you resign yourself to bedhead and a bare face for the rest of the day, know this – there are ways to help save time in your beauty routine so you can you still tackle your day looking fresh and put-together. Read on my tips…
1.) Twirl it: To channel that messy chic look instead of “I just rolled out of bed 5 minutes ago”, try twirling your hair into small buns. After your shower, let your hair air-dry until it’s damp. Run some styling cream through your strands and divide your hair into two to three sections. Twirl each section into a bun and secure with bobby pins. If it’s the PM, you can sleep in these buns and lightly mist with styling spray when you shake them out in the morning. If it’s the AM, leave the buns in while you get dressed and do your makeup, then blast them with cool air from your hair dryer and shake them out. The result? Loose, pretty waves.
2.) Brighten + clean: Did you know that soy can help fade unwanted dark spots on your skin? Look for a makeup-removing wipe infused with soy to remove your makeup andbrighten your skin in one simple step.
3.) Skip the morning cleanse: I know this sounds crazy, but skipping your AM cleanse every so often isn’t the end of the world. Just make sure you didn’t sweat too much the night before! If your skin needs a morning pick me up, just use a refreshing facial spray instead.
4.) Smart detangling: Save yourself the pain of detangling knotted hair by bringing a wide-toothed comb in the shower with you. Run it through your locks after applying conditioner to detangle right in the shower – afterwards, gently dry with a t-shirt for smooth, tangle-free tresses.
5.) Find ONE double (or triple)-duty face product: Instead of using a separate moisturizer, sunscreen and foundation, why not combine all three into one product? Today, there are so many amazing double and triple-duty products out there that will moisturize, protect and conceal in one step!
6.) Say bye to cucumbers: No time to lay down with cucumber slices over your eyes to decrease puffiness? No problem! Just steer clear of super-salty foods – they help you retain water and can cause puffy eyes. Also, sleep on your back with your head elevated so the fluids around your eyes can drain.
7.) Blowdry…your face: Instead of waiting for your moisturizer to sink in or your makeup to set, put your blowdryer on “cool” and give your face a quick blast.
8.) Lay out your daily makeup: If your makeup bag is exploding with lip colors, eyeshadows and blushes, set aside only the shades you use on a daily basis in a separate bag so you don’t waste time in the morning digging around for them. And if you’re in a serious rush, you can always grab this bag on the way out the door and apply your makeup later!
9.) Replace toner: If you don’t have time for a 3-step skincare system in the morning, skip the toner and use a cleanser that has salicylic acid in it instead – it’ll break down and remove dead skin cells to keep your pores clean.
10.) Minimize your wash: Let’s face it – washing, drying and styling your hair every day just a bit too time-consuming most mornings. If your roots or bangs are looking a little greasy but you don’t have time to jump in the shower, just section off your bangs and give them a rinse with shampoo in your sink. Then, just blow-dry them with a round brush to give your hair new life. (Dry shampoo and baby powder will help soak up excess oil near your roots as well!)