Who has an hour to get ready in the morning? Surely not moms. (And really, even if you aren’t a mom, you probably have better things to do than get the perfect curl.) If you’re anything like me, the idea of spending more than a few minutes getting ready makes your head spin. And that’s not a cute look for anyone.
So, over the last several years, I’ve perfected the art of getting ready in 10 minutes on an average day. Because let’s be real, I’d rather sleep in longer. Here are some tips and tricks to help you kick start your day faster, so you have more time to do other things (like get your kids dressed!):
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1. Wash your face and/or take off make-up with baby wipes. Seriously. It works wonders in literally four seconds, costs way less than your fancy soap scrub from Sephora, and doesn’t require a towel. It’s also a great alternative for taking your make-up off easily at night.
2. Moisturize and put on SPF in one affordable shot, thanks to Trader Joe’s. It’s important to use SPF every day, and many of us suffer from dry skin (which increases as you age!), so I apply this every morning. It also makes me feel like my skin glistens, and who doesn’t like to feel as though they’re glistening?
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3. Pick out your outfit the night before. Or just wear lots of black. I realize not everyone is like me and prefers wearing black all the time (but hey, it is easier, because everything matches). So, if you actually enjoy wearing colors, plan ahead. When I used to wake up at 5:00 a.m. everyday because of my teaching schedule, I laid out my clothes from the night before so I wouldn’t waste time trying to mix and match before my first cup of coffee.
4. If you wear make-up, choose neutral colors that match with everything. I don’t hide the fact that I enjoy wearing make-up and also consider myself a huge feminist. Perhaps it’s a part of childhood that I’ve never let go of–playing dress up–but I find it exciting to allow my face to be an artistic palette. To spend less time, I just wear the same thing every day that matches with anything; in my case, I opt for a white eyeshadow, mascara, a dab of blush, and concealer.
Obviously, you don’t have to wear make-up (because you’re beautiful without it), but if you do, just make it easy and organized. If you know where it is, it’s actually enjoyable.
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5. Take a shower from the night before and/or do your hair at night. Since it’s no secret I enjoy sleeping, I usually shower at night so I wake up as a clean slate. (Which also makes me feel like each day really is a new beginning). The same logic goes for my hair–if I feel really ambitious, I blow dry it. If I don’t (which is more often than not), I put it in a bun so I can wake up with some loose waves. Or you know, just cut your hair.
What are you go-to tricks for a quick morning routine?
