To be perfectly honest, I always underestimate the amount of time that I’ll take to get ready. Whether I’m preparing for a day in the office or perfecting my look for a night out, I can never seem to be out the door in less than 20 minutes. I could blame my slow pace on being half-asleep, or on being indecisive about my outfit. The truth is that I move so painfully slowly in the morning sometimes, that my makeup routine can take forever.

There is only so much time to get ready in the morning, so you have to make the most of it! Just think about all the things you could do with an extra couple of minutes in your morning. Getting some extra sleep, reading the daily paper, preparing a healthy breakfast, or grabbing a quick coffee are all more appealing than standing in front of the mirror for half an hour, perfecting the perfect blend of eyeshadow. Of course we all want to look our prettiest before we step out the door, but looking great doesn’t have take forever. Take a look at these tips for some time-saving beauty techniques, and make every minute of your morning routine count by using this advice.

Would you Lovelies try any of these beauty tips?

Apply Tinted Moisturizer: Applying moisturizer and layers of foundation can be time-consuming, especially when it has to be perfectly blended in order to avoid streaking. Save a minute or two by using tinted moisturizer with SPF instead. For problem areas, such as blemishes, use a spot of concealer.


Brush on Blush: To figure out which color blush is right for you, use this trick: lightly pinch your cheek and observe the resulting color. This is the closest possible shade to the blush that you should be using. When applying, smile into the mirror and lightly brush the color onto the apples of your cheeks.

Invest in a Shimmer Stick: This sparkly must-have will give you radiant skin in no time at all. The product pictured above, called Nars The Multiple, is perfect. Simply dot a bit on the lids and inner area of your eyes, as well as on the lips and cheeks.


Camouflage Flaws with Lipstick: If your skin is looking less than radiant, draw attention away from your complexion by applying a warm pink lipstick. This draws people’s attention away from your skin and to your lips. Also, lipstick is much faster to apply than foundation.


Get Big, Beautiful Eyes: Refrain from lining the inside of your eyes, as this will make them appear to be smaller. The only part of the eye that needs eyeliner is the lash line. Blink and smudge the line a little; a perfect straight line looks more unnatural. For evening eyes, extend the liner just past the outer corners of the eyes.


Stay Pretty Late at Night: You know the feeling. It’s late at night, you’ve been out for a few hours, and your makeup has faded… a lot. Obviously there isn’t enough time to re-apply all of your makeup, but you have a couple of minutes for a quick fix. Dot some concealer under your bottom eyelashes, next to your nose, and on the inner corners of your eyes. Swipe some bronzer on your cheeks and you’ll look refreshed and ready to go!


Prepare Your Hair: Okay, so this won’t help you get ready if you just happen to wake up late, but it will definitely help if you prepare in advance! After showering and before falling asleep, twist your hair into a loose braid. This will protect the strands from breaking, and when you wake up in the morning your hair will have pretty, textured waves. Braids are also great for mornings when you wake up a few minutes too late and don’t have time to wash your hair. Make the look fun with a headband!

[Images: top photo, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]