We’ve all been there – you wake up in the morning, only to realize that you’ve slept through your alarm and have no time to get ready.  OR you just want more time to sleep in the morning.  Either way, cutting some time off of your beauty routine is majorly helpful.

For me, my routine seems to be getting longer as I get older.  I’m not just talking about makeup (although it does take a little more effort in the morning to get to looking like myself each day). My hair routine has gotten longer as well.

So I decided to put together a list of the best ways to shave time off of your beauty routine.  Some of the items are free or cheap, others are more costly treatments.  But all will save you time!

Daily/Cheaper Beauty Hacks

Organize Your Makeup

There’s nothing quite as frustrating as not being able to find your favorite eye shadow brush.  Invest in an organizer and get your makeup situation sorted out – it’ll save you time and frustration!

Try a Nail Strengthener

I looooove nail strengtheners.  They make your nails look great without the damage of polish (or gels).  While I love a gel manicure, my nails are usually so weak afterwards that it takes months to get them back to good condition.  My favorites are OPI’s Nail Envy or Essie Treat Love & Color Nail Polish & Strengthener.  I especially like the Essie because it has a pink tint, so you look like you’re wearing polish.

Do Eye Makeup First

If you’re like me, eye makeup, while fun, is never a flawless endeavor.  Without fail, I either poke myself in the eye while applying mascara (always on the second eye, so when I blink really hard the mascara on the first eye gets all over the place), or manage to get eye shadow on my cheeks.  So I reversed my routine, and oh my god.  It saves so much time! Just put your eye makeup on first, then put on your foundation, concealer, etc.

Or get some DHC Olive Oil Swabs.  I have about 7 packages in my house at the moment.

Blow Dry Last

Take your shower, then let your hair air dry while have breakfast, do your makeup, check email, et cetera.  By the time you get to drying your hair, a lot of the work will be done for you.

Air Dry

If you haven’t already, check out my post on How to Air Dry Hair.  Air drying is better for your hair, anyways, so embrace your natural look and try some of the tricks from the experts I detailed in that post.

Dry Shampoo

Better yet, skip the hair washing altogether! I love dry shampoo so much, I should own stock in it.  Dry shampoo soaks up the oils in your hair so you can extend your blowouts for another day (or longer). Just make sure you don’t overuse dry shampoo, because using too much can cause scalp problems like dryness, itching, and sensitivity.

Use Multitasking Products

Shampoo/conditioner. Moisturizer/foundation. Cheek/lip stain. The above-mentioned nail strengthener/polish.  Really anything that does double duty will shave time off.

Use a Humidifier

Using a humidifier overnight can drastically improve your skin’s tone and texture, which could eliminate the need for foundation completely (at least, that’s what I’m hoping will happen J). Plus, having a humidifier in your bedroom is good for your lungs and keeping colds at bay.  See? Good all around.

Universal/More Expensive Beauty Hacks

Get a Keratin Treatment

Keratin treatments smooth and straighten the hair.  If you’ve got really frizzy, unruly hair, a keratin treatment could save you some time so you don’t have to blow dry every day – or they can even save blow drying time because they’ve cut out the frizz.  Make sure that you go to a trusted stylist for a keratin treatment and discuss it before you have one, though.  And don’t try one at home!

Get a Great Haircut

A great haircut can be a game changer.  I recently added layers to my naturally wavy hair, and now I can air dry without it looking flat and stringy.  But you need to go to a stylist who knows what they’re doing with your hair type, so do some research and be ready to make an investment.  Great haircuts can be pricey (trust me, I know this, I live in Los Angeles where some salons charge $450 for a haircut), but will be worth it if your stylist knows what to do with your hair type.

Invest in a Good Blow Dryer

This one you might not believe until you’ve experienced it, but a good blow dryer changes the whole game.  I grew up using a good ol’ Conair whatever – sturdy, reliable, inexpensive.  When I turned 30 I decided to invest in a T3 and oh my god.  It’s life changing.  A good hairdryer can shave tons of time off of your morning routine because it dries hair faster, especially when it has ionizing or tourmaline technology.  T3 is my favorite, but if you’ve got a lot of money to spend, I’d love to hear how the Dyson is!

Eyelash Extensions

Eyelash extensions were not as widely worn in Ohio as they are in Los Angeles.  Here, it seems like everyone has eyelash extensions.  And I don’t blame them.  The amazing thing about eyelash extensions is that you look like you’re wearing makeup when you aren’t wearing any.  A lot of women say that in addition to not needing mascara, they don’t even feel the need to wear eyeliner or eyeshadow!  Lash extensions will run you about $300 to start, with fills needed every four to six weeks.  Also, keep in mind that if you decide to let your lashes “grow out” i.e. stop getting extensions, your lashes may be sparse for a while.  Extensions are hard on your lashes, so take that into consideration before going this route.

Microblading

Microblading is a semi-permanent brow treatment where a technician basically tattoos hair shaped lines on under your brows to make them look fuller.  It sounds weird, but it looks amazing.  Even the most sparse brows can be filled in using microblading, and it eliminates the need for brow makeup.  A friend of mine just had it done, and she looks stunning.  Though costly (usually starting at around $700), the process can last from one to three years, and touch ups are less expensive.

Laser Hair Removal

Last but not least, Laser Hair Removal.  I’ve never really thought of shaving my legs as being a huge time constraint, but that’s just me.  If you’re feeling a time squeeze, or just sick of shaving, laser hair removal is definitely a good option.  Basically, you go in and the technician goes over your skin section by section with a laser, then over the next month, your hair falls out.  Sometimes, multiple treatments are required.  The cost varies widely, but averages around $235 per session.

And that’s all, folks! I hope I’ve saved you all some time!

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