How to Shorten Your Beauty Routine

Putting on your make up and fixing your hair shouldn't take more than 20 minutes. You can be ready for a night out on the town without spending hours to do it. All it takes planning and determination.

Haircut

Fixing your hair is where most beauty routines run into trouble. Something simple can look just as good as something complicated. I highly suggest a short cut, they're very simple. But, if you have straight hair, you can leave it long and it's just as easy.

A short, layered cut is perfect for anyone who doesn't want to spend a lot of time curling. You can just add a little styling mousse and let air dry for a tousled look. Or you can use a hair dryer for a more manicured look. A short cut is very easy to care for and extremely versatile.

Let it go long and straight. I'm extremely fond of this type of hairstyle. You can just brush it, blow dry it, and go. Then when you have a special occasion, you can throw in some curling.

Make up

Apply make up should be short and quick. There's no reason to spend and hour layering product after product on your face. It will just clog pores and cause problems later.

Begin with a freshly clean face. Your make up will last longer, cover better and look great. Think of it as drawing on a fresh, clean white sheet of paper.

Use only the make up products that work for you. If just a concealer and pressed powder works for you, then take full advantage of it. There is no rule that says you have to use anything. The make up police aren't going to throw you in the pokey for not using a foundation.

Find what works. Discover what look you like best. It's perfectly fine to have one look. You just need to make it adaptable between work and nightlife. Using muted colors for work and deeper, richer colors for going out easily does this.

Don't let your self get distracted. When it's your time to get ready, get ready. Don't start juggling 4 different tasks at the same time. Make your beauty routine time, your time. It will not only makes mornings run smoother, but also makes beauty time go faster and easier.

Don't fret over it. Once your make up is on, it won't need a touch up for hours. Don't let yourself get caught up in checking in the mirror every few minutes.

Waterproof mascara, use it. Waterproof mascara will withstand a lot of punishment and is less likely to smear when you first put it on. Just invest in eye make up remover to take it off.

Clothes

There is nothing wrong with laying out clothes a few days before hand. When given 20 choices, it takes a person longer to make a decision. So give yourself 2 choices at most.

Keep your closet and drawers as organized as possible. You don't want to spend a ton of time search for a specific shirt.

Cut back on the amount of clothes you have. A good wardrobe will consist of 3 pairs of dress slack, 3 pairs of blue jeans, 6 t-shirts, 6 regular tops, 6 dress tops, and 3 skirts. With that wardrobe, the combinations are endless. You don't have to have a closet that is busting at the seams. You want to make sure you have only what you will wear, and you'll wear what you have.

Using these guidelines, you can stop spending all you time getting ready to go out. It just takes a little organizing and determination.

My routine

I'm giving you this as an example.

In my make up bag I have a concealer, pressed powder, mascara, eyeliner and blush. In total, it takes me about 6 minutes to put on my make up, if I'm taking my time.

I have long wavy hair. Which is simple to care for. I just wash and blow dry it, I let it drip dry if I'm not in a hurry. For going out, I can add curls or put it up. In all, I can have my hair done in 4-8 minutes, depending on if I blow dry or not.

I have a small wardrobe consisting of 2 skirts, 4 pairs of jeans, 10 t-shirts, and about 15 regular tops. I always know what I'm going to wear before I go into my closet. It takes a lot of training not to get distracted, but it's well worth the effort. I can be dressed in about 5 minutes.

That's how I can be ready to walk out the door in less than 20 minutes. Anyone can do it also, it just takes some time to get use to.