As we begin not only a new year but also a new decade, it is a great idea to get organized, take stock and determine what is or isn’t working for you. This includes your beauty routine! While you are re-evaluating your beauty routine, there are some changes you can make that will help you streamline the process. So if you are like me and would love to spend less time on your skincare and makeup routines, this post is for you.
These tips and suggestions will help you streamline your morning skincare and makeup routines. Even if you can take one idea and implement it into your beauty routine, it should save you precious time and minimize the effort it takes to complete your routine in the morning for days and even possibly years to come. And who couldn’t use a few extra minutes in the morning or afternoon or evening for that matter??
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Create an Easy to Use Beauty Space
One of the best steps you can take to streamline your morning beauty routine is to get organized and have everything you need at hand.
There is nothing more frustrating than digging through drawers for a product that you know you have buried somewhere. I’ve been there and done that, all too recently to admit! So before you start your morning beauty routine, it’s helpful to have your products organized and easily accessible.
One of my favorite beauty purchases of last year was this rotating circular beauty organizer. I store not only my skincare products on this unit but also some makeup and haircare products on it as well. I love it so much that I’m considering purchasing a second unit.
To access what you need, just give it a whirl! It’s a lifesaver and a timesaver in that you’ll have most of what you need for your morning routine close at hand to run through your skincare and makeup routines fast.
Focus on Your Skin Type
With all of the new skincare products that are flooding the market, it’s tempting to try the latest and greatest in skincare. But whether it drugstore or high-end, reducing the number of products that you use to include only items that work for your skin type and skin concerns will filter out the fluff and extra product applications which can take up precious time.
On mornings when you have zero time to be up and out the door, use the products that treat your main skin concerns. If you have oily skin and blemishes, don’t forget the acne treatments or mattifiers. If you are on the opposite end of the spectrum, be sure to apply hydrating products that treat your dry, flaky skin.
Anti-aging is my main skin concern, so I make sure that vitamin C is in one of the products I apply in the mornings. SPF is a must regardless of your skin concerns, so be sure not to skip it if you are going outside during the day.
Reduce the Number of Steps In Your Morning Skincare Routine
Use Multi-Tasking Skincare Products
When I find a product that can cover more than one step of my skincare routine I am sold! It will not only speed up your morning beauty routine, but it will also free up that precious counter space!
If you want a quick exfoliation for your face, choose a product that both exfoliates and cleanses. Once or twice a week you can use a cleanser and exfoliator in one, such as Olay Regenerist Whip Face Cleanser which is a polishing creme face cleanser. It is formulated with Vitamin B3 and Carob Seed Extract and uses micropolishers plus hydrators to deep clean without damaging or over-drying skin.
If you use active treatments on your skin in the morning like vitamin C, you can use products that combine vitamin C with a moisturizer.
One of my favorite skincare two-for-one’s is Paula’s Choice RESIST Super-Light Daily Wrinkle Defense SPF 30 Matte Tinted Face Moisturizer. While the tint only cancels out the whitening effect of mineral sunscreen on pale complexions, this is the perfect combination of SPF and moisturizer for lighter skin tones. Plus it targets anti-aging concerns with antioxidants and resveratrol.
Use Self-Tanner In The Evenings
If you self-tan, you may want to consider using facial self-tanner in the evening. This may seem like another step at night, but with the glow it can bring to your skin, you may not need to wear as much makeup the next morning!
While my all-time favorite facial self-tanner is Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning for Face and Décolleté, for the past several weeks I’ve been adding a drop or two or three, depending on the shade desired, of Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster to my night-time moisturizer.
It only takes a few seconds and it leaves your skin with a bronze glow the next morning. The 99.8% natural formula combines natural DHA and erythrulose with aloe vera extract to keep your skin soft without being too drying.
Related: Isle of Paradise Self Tanning Review
Skip The Eye Cream
A topic that is up for debate is whether or not you need a separate eye cream or if you can just use your moisturizer. I actually dedicated an entire post to the topic of whether or not you need a separate eye cream.
So, do you need an eye cream? Maybe or maybe not. If you are running short on time and want to streamline your morning beauty routine, apply your moisturizer in place of your eye cream. This will work as long is it isn’t too heavy or irritating to your delicate under-eye area.
If you don’t have specific concerns around your eyes like dark circles, puffiness, and fine lines and wrinkles, then you may not need a separate eye cream at all. It depends on the type of moisturizer that will take its place and your specific skin concerns.
Use Multitasking Makeup
When it’s time to apply makeup, one of the easiest and fastest ways to speed up your morning makeup routine is to use multi-tasking makeup products.
Starting with your base, if you’re in a supreme time crunch, simply mix your foundation and lightweight moisturizer together. Or go straight to a tinted moisturizer to accomplish hydration and foundation coverage in one step. Better yet, go with a CC cream that works as a light foundation and moisturizer and often includes sun protection.
There are many color products marketed as multi-tasking for both lips and cheeks. One of my favorites is from the clean beauty brand ILIA. Their Multi-Stick is just gorgeous. I use the color At Last which is a dusty rose shade.
The Multi-Stick comes in eight shades including nudes, berries, and pinks. A quick swipe across your lips and cheeks makes morning makeup application a breeze. The color is dewy, not dry like a powder. It is ideal for a quick hit of color on-to-go, during travel or post-gym.
Don’t forget a tinted lip balm, such as Physicians Formula Organic Wear Tinted Lip Treatment. It contains organic shea butter, organic coconut oil, organic jojoba oil, and antioxidant vitamin E, yet is surprisingly pigmented. I have the shade Tickled Pink which is a pretty rose/pink shade.
Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15 provides the benefits of a lip balm and color lip product plus SPF protection. I love the shimmery neutral shade Nude.
Related: ILIA Clean Color Makeup Review
Use Makeup Palettes
Having your makeup all in one super palette is as good as gold. You don’t have to hunt for an eyeshadow, lip color, blush or bronzer because they are all there in one easy to use palette.
I recently purchased a makeup palette that is so impressive and it’s from the drugstore: Physicians Formula Limited Edition Ultimate Murumuru Butter Collection. Products in the collection contain a blend of Murumuru Butter, Cupuaçu Butter, and Tucuma Butter from the Amazon.
The limited-edition palette contains the following 58 (!) shades:
- 8 Murumuru Butter Bronzers
- 7 Murumuru Butter Blushes
- 12 Murumuru Butter Lip Creams
- 7 Murumuru Butter Highlighters
- 24 Murumuru Butter Eyeshadows
- Flip-up Mirror with Tray
The palette is housed in a plastic case, but it is so affordable it doesn’t really matter! This is such a gorgeous all-in-one palette and smells amazing too! If you’ve tried Physicians Formula best-selling Murumuru Butter Bronzers, you know what I mean. Smells like a tropical vacation!
The ease of use of this palette really sets it apart and will save you time. You have the ability to choose from several shades and several different product types without having to find and open many different smaller palettes or individual products. When you are finished, just close it up and fold it in half. Also, it takes up very little space for a whopping 58 products!
Tips on Drying and Styling Your Hair Quickly
When it comes to hair, how quickly you can get a hairstyle together depends on your hair and the type of cut that you have. For me, on days that I don’t wash my hair, I run the hairdryer over my hair quickly to get any kinks out or simply put it in a ponytail. If all else fails, grab the dry shampoo!
One time-saver that I swear by is Aquis Lisse Luxe Rapid Hair Towel and Aquis Lisse Luxe Rapid Dry Long Hair Towel. I have both – the long hair towel is longer to wrap longer hair better. The material wicks water away and hair dries so much quicker!!
When it comes to curling my hair, it takes me forever! If I want curled hair in the morning and I’m short on time, my best bet is to curl it the night before and set it with hairspray. In the morning I will have loose curls, which works for me.
Related: A Hair Towel That Cuts Drying Time by up to 50%
Final Thoughts on Streamlining Your Morning Beauty Routine
When it comes down to it, we all have the same number of minutes in a day. Getting organized goes a long way in helping to streamline your morning routine saving you precious minutes along the way.
Remember you can choose where you spend your time. If you love skincare, you may want to minimize time spent on makeup. If you are a makeup lover, minimize the steps of your skincare routine to give yourself a few extra minutes for choosing and applying your makeup shades for the day.
By being conscientious of how long each step of your morning routine takes and making an effort to maximize the time you do have with some prep work suggested above, before you know it you’ll be finished with your morning beauty routine, and who knows, maybe you’ll even have a few minutes to spare!
Do you have any tips or tricks that streamline your morning beauty routine? I’d love to know! If so, leave me a comment!
Sarah Roberts is the founder, writer, and photographer behind A Beauty Edit. With over 10 years of experience in the beauty industry, Sarah is an avid skincare and beauty enthusiast who shares the best beauty finds to help you save time and money!