I have reached the point in my life where between the constant household chores, my work, my kids and getting enough sleep, I rarely have time for me. However, I still want to look and feel my best which I try to accomplish in about 5 minutes a day. Inspired by countless conversations with women who, just like you and me, still want to look good but have very little time. I have put together a list of the beauty secrets that stand the test of time.
Lotion in the shower
Have you ever noticed your skin feels dry after a shower? That is because there is nothing locking in the moisture. After a shower, your skin is covered in water so pat dry and lock in the water with a body lotion. My go to in shower lotion is Nivea Cocoa Butter In Shower Lotion. If you don’t have time to apply a body lotion, then I highly recommend a spray like the Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Dry Body Oil Mist.
The face lotion I keep in the shower is my favorite Hydro Boost Moisturizer. Once I turn off the water, I dry myself and put them on in the shower before I get out. Seriously game changing and also habit forming because you will get addicted to how wonderful your skin feels!
Keep Micellar Water and Cotton Pads in your gym bag
Great way to remove makeup, dirt, oil and sweat from your skin. I simply wipe my face after working out in the bathroom before heading home to shower. This has been a game changer in terms of avoiding zits. I can get most of the sweat off before it has time to sit on my skin.
Never skip SPF, use Sunblock stick throughout the day!
I apologize now for my rant; this is just the most important thing you can do for awesome skin! I know you have heard by now how important sunblock is since over 90% of aging is caused by sun damage over the years. However, here are two important things to know. You need to reapply every two hours as it wears off and your makeup doesn’t have enough sunblock to be very effective. Therefore, I carry around a sunblock stick in my bag and always reapply throughout the day.
Another thing to remember is you don’t need a sunburn for there to be damage. The sunlight is still aging your skin. Lastly, most windows let UV light through. This is the type of light from the sun that is damaging your skin so even if you are inside all day you should wear sunblock. Lastly, if you start this you are not only protecting your skin from future damage, you are letting your body start to repair some of the damage because it isn’t having to keep up with the new damage.
Morning/evening must haves
My favorite way to wash my face is to use micellar water with a cotton pad. If I don’t do that, then I use La Roch- Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Face Cleaner. I am very picky about my face wash, I have been through so many that all cause my skin to feel super dry and break out and the La Rose Posay is the only one so far that I love. I follow up with Hydro Boost Moisturizer gives that plump, dewy finish. In the morning I also use sunblock. The sunblock I love is Blue Lizard (it is also what every dermatologist I have ever seen has recommended as well) since it is lightweight and effective. I always look for zinc oxide based sunblocks because zinc has other benefits such as reducing redness of the skin, wound healing and reduce breakouts (seriously one of my favorite reasons to wear it).
Dashing Diva Nail Stickers
I really like having my nails done but that is not in my budget nor do I have the time. I wasn’t a fan of doing my own nails because they would always chip. Recently I discovered Dashing Diva Nail stickers and wow they are amazing. They last as long as salon nails, about two weeks or more. They have amazing colors and designs and they are less than $10. I would watch a Youtube video but really you just stick them on your nail and file off the excess and you are done.
My quick fix to get to sleep
We all know how much sleep can make a difference since it is the time your skin repairs! The issue is getting that sleep! I am always not sure how to feel about supplements but on nights when my anxiety is high or to get back on a better sleep schedule, I find the 1 mg kid melatonin gummies are game changing. I don’t truly understand why they work so well but they work so much better than the 10 mg adult melatonin supplements.
Wash your towels after every use
Everyone is always talking about how much bacteria is in makeup brushes or makeup in general but really they should be talking about the towels you use to dry your body and face. Bacteria love the mesh structure of towels and grow abundantly where there is water present (like your towel). I now wash bath towels after every use I now only use Clean Skin Club Clean Towels for my face. This has helped with acne so much. And a new study shows that bacteria play a role in aging and lines!
My go-to makeup products
Simplicity is key for an easy morning. I love the NARS multi-stick that can add color to cheeks, lips, and even eyelids, embodying efficiency and elegance. Other go to makeup products are the tinted moisturizer with SPF, like Laura Mercier’s. For eyes, a reliable mascara (L’Oréal Paris Voluminous) and a smudge-proof eyeliner (Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner).
Soak hair and lotion body before swimming
This tip is for all pool swimmers. Chlorine can wreak havoc on your hair and skin. By saturating your hair with water and creating a barrier on your skin with lotion, you are going to avoid a lot of the damage. There are also special products out there like Aqua Guard Pre Swim Hair Defense and Pre and Post Swim Lotion if you are a big swimmer.
Invest in some cute accessories
The difference between clothing vs a put together outfit is really all in the accessories. Take a simple white tee shirt and blue jeans. Now add a cute scarf, or a few bracelets and a necklace. What about a cute hat. Now it’s an outfit. I love simple comfortable clothing but never felt put together until I started investing in accessories. It can really elevate an outfit. I suck at shopping for accessories, so I actually use Stitch Fix and Amazon Personal Shopper mainly for accessories instead of clothing!
Alternate retinol and vitamin c at night
These do not mix so switch between the two every night. But never forget sunblock in the morning after retinol! Retinol makes your skin more sensitive to the sun which means skin damage. I love the La Roche Posay products: Vitamin C Serum and Retinol Serum. They are not super expensive, last, and work well.
My new favorite find
I have found that I am very picky on my shampoo/conditioner. I don’t want any parabens or sulfates in the products. However all of the more “natural” products I have tried never really clean my hair. I always find that after a few washes, my hair feels greasy and dirty. I recently discovered Raw Sugar brand because my kids wanted their kid monster shaped shampoo and love it! It does a better job than my expensive fancy products and it smells so wonderful.
Invest in a shower filter
The water you shower in is full of so many chemicals. Having a shower filter on my shower has made a big difference in my hair! I was using clarifying shampoos before but now that we have a filter, I don’t need to. I love the aqua bliss filter. The other big reason is that chemicals used to treat water are terrible for your skin. They can cause acne, dry skin as well as aging.
Upgrade to Silk pillowcases and new sheets
One big improvement was switching out my sheets and comforter to more breathable materials so I wouldn’t overheat, making it so much easier to fall asleep. I also switched to silk pillowcases as they are supposed to cause less hair breakage and face creases. Maybe silk pillowcases help, all I know is they are comfy!
Get creative to improve your diet
We all know eating fruits and vegetables is great for your health and also your skin. This isn’t something I find easy to improve so I have had to get creative. We join a farm share every summer to challenge us to cook new foods. Our kids also love going to the farm. I always grab a few salad kits from the store since I hate making salads from scratch.
Buy a vacuum robot (seriously)
I know what you are thinking how a robot vacuum ends up on a beauty tip guide. Well, skincare products are expensive and a lot of them don’t do anything. So I realized that sometimes I will splurge money on skincare products, other times I will use that money and save up for something that could help free up my time, energy or decrease my stress which also helps me to look and feel my best.
An example is my new Roborock robot vacuum that can sweep, mop and vacuum. It cleans all the floors every evening, freeing up my time to relax, take a bath, get a workout in or get other chores off my list leading to less stress. Thus, removing a lot of my stress because we have pets (I’m constantly sweeping up fur), it is one thing off my chore list and I love having a clean floor (it also does a better job than I could do).
Quick and Effortless Beauty Tips
While I keep dreaming of having endless time in my days to get ready and take bubble baths, my 5-minute morning routine will have to do for now. At the end of the day, what is important is that you look and feel your best, not how much time or money it took! I hope my experience in finding out what skincare tips and products work for me will also help you.
Also if you have any tips, please include them in the comments for other readers!
If you found this post helpful, please share it on Pinterest or Facebook
I am a wife, teacher, and mother to two awesome girls. I write about what I am passionate about, which includes being a mom, house projects, beauty and skincare. I love to share my experiences, failures, and successes with my readers. Let this space be a resource for you to pursue your very best day.