How to Simplify Your Beauty Routine in 10 Minutes or Less

How to Simplify Your Beauty Routine to 10 Minutes or Less

Now that Madina is in my life, I have even less time in the mornings to devote to my beauty routine. Though I’m sometimes tempted to skip it altogether and just wash my face quickly so I can get my day started, I know that spending even a few minutes on myself every morning helps me feel more put together and keeps me feeling like myself, despite the many hats I wear (including mom!).

The key for me this past month has been taking some of my tried-and-true beauty habits and paring them down so I can get a mini routine done in about ten minutes or less, even with the kids around.

Here are the ways I’m paring things down to save time each day. Hopefully they’ll be useful to you, too — we can all use a little more time on our hands!

Skin Routine: 5 Minutes

As I’ve mentioned before, taking good care of my skin is a must. If it’s in good shape, that means I don’t need as much makeup, which means I cut time out of my overall routine. My usual 4-step skin routine — which includes cleansing, followed by toning, moisturizing and SPF is something I never skip, even in a time crunch. And I always take off my makeup before bed, if I wear any.

Quick, Fuss-Free Hairstyle: 1 Minute

As a curly haired gal, just letting my hair go completely wild could potentially lead to tangles and breakage if I’m not paying close enough attention each day. So in addition to sleeping with a silk pillowcase to cut down on frizz and using my usual styling gel to tame fly-aways after I shower, I’ve also been turning to my favorite fuss-free hairstyles, like a messy topknot with a headband or a low side chignon. They take a few seconds to do and are meant to be a little messy and undone, so I’m wearing them on repeat!

Makeup: Less Than 3 Minutes

Unless there’s a special occasion these days, I’m really keeping my makeup pared down to the extreme basics. For me, that’s my wonder-product, Vaseline, which instantly makes my eyelashes look thicker and can be used as a lip quencher and highlighter on my eyelids, brow and cheek bones; a swipe of white eyeliner along my waterlines to make my eyes look more awake; and a quick dab of a multipurpose tint to give my lips and cheeks life.

Fragrance: A Few Seconds

Some people prefer going fragrance-free, but for me, wearing my signature fragrance is an easy way to feel more like myself, even if the rest of my schedule if out of whack. Plus, it literally takes a few seconds to spritz it on my pulse points! Anytime I need a luxurious boost, I can just head to my vanity to apply it.