Getting ready in the morning. It’s not something most women enjoy, but it is something that takes up a significant chunk of time. The question is, can you speed up your routine and still feel confident in your appearance? For most, the answer is a resounding “yes.”
Infusing Efficiency Into Your Morning Beauty Routine
According to one survey, American women spend an average of 49 minutes per day on personal grooming. According to a separate study, British women spend an average of 3 hours and 19 minutes each week in front of the mirror – a total that’s equivalent to 474 days over the course of an average lifetime.
In other words, we’re spending far too much time getting ready each day – so much so that it’s limiting our scheduling flexibility, leading to hastiness in other areas of our lives, and fueling an overabundant sense of vanity.
The good news is that you don’t need to spend 49 minutes per day putting on makeup and shaving your legs. In fact, you could probably spend just 20 or 25 minutes on your morning routine and still look just as beautiful.
Following these tips and suggestions will help you reach this goal:
- Give Yourself a Time Limit
Are you familiar with Parkinson’s Law? It’s a scientific theory that states work will expand to fill the time available for its completion. In other words, your beauty routine will take as much time as you provide. If there’s no specific time constraint, you’ll continue indefinitely until something else comes up.
The best thing you can do is give yourself a strict time limit. Start with 45 minutes one week, then cut back to 40 minutes the next week, 35 minutes the week after that, and so on and so forth. As you gradually cut back, you’ll realize that you modify your behaviors to fill the time you have.
- Try Laser Hair Removal
For many women, shaving is one of the most time-consuming aspects of getting ready – especially shaving underarms. Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be.
“Whether your skin-care routine includes shaving every day or waxing every few weeks, removing underarm hair is a tedious process,” Laser All admits. “If you’re sick of razor burn and are ready to remove unwanted hair for good, it’s time to consider laser hair removal.”
With laser hair removal, you set up a handful of treatment sessions spread out over a series of weeks. The lasers – which are safe and virtually painless – destroy the hair follicle and prevent hair from return. The result is smooth underarms that never need to be shaved.
- Style as You Sleep
Instead of waking up and quickly trying to detangle your bed head and throw it into that perfect hairstyle, try styling your hair as you sleep. There are dozens of methods to try and each one can be modified to your hair type and desired look.
One option is to use dry shampoo before going to bed. When you sleep, the dry shampoo will work into your hair and provide you with beautiful volume in the morning. Another option is to prep your hair with braids the night before. Try two to six braids (while the hair is damp) and remove them upon waking. You’ll have naturally flowing waves that are easy to work with.
- Use a Bold Lipstick
If you’re spending a lot of time applying makeup and eye shadow, there’s a quicker way to achieve a sexy look. In the same time it takes to blend shadows and precisely apply eyeliner, you can simply apply a bold-colored lipstick. This will draw the attention to your pout and give you a sleek, sexy look that can be achieved in just a fraction of the time.
Stop Wasting Your Time
Time is precious – particularly in the morning hours when you’re trying to get out of the house. If you’re spending close to an hour getting ready, you’re doing yourself a major disservice. By being more strategic with how you conduct your routine, you can shave precious minutes off the process and avoid that hurried feeling that leaves you anxious and unprepared. Give it a try and see what you think!
