Beauty Guide for Busy Women

Finding a few moments to ourselves proves quite the daunting task anymore. With places to go, people to see, presentations to make and happy hours to enjoy, getting dolled up sometimes becomes more of a hassle than it’s worthâÂ?¦or so it seems.

When you add up all the minutes it takes to select an outfit, accessorize with the right purse and appropriate jewelry, dry and style your hair, apply makeup and dash out the door, before you know it you’re running late again. The problem is this: You want to look great but you don’t want to spend a near-lifetime getting ready.

The solution? Pick and choose which elements of your appearance are most important to you. Once you’ve prioritized, you can really achieve the look you want in less time. For example, let’s say you care about clothes, hair, makeup, and jewelry, in that order.

How can you make the most of your time without leaving out a key element? Well, for starters, select your outfit the night before, even if it means trying things on at 10 or 11 o’clock at night. You want your hair to look nice, so try to have an idea of style – up or down – before you get out of the shower. Make it our goal to know exactly how you want to do your hair once you dry it.

Next, critically consider how much makeup you really need to wear. On days when I’m feeling especially lazy, I typically slap on some mascara and my favorite flavored lip-gloss and head out the door. If I have blemishes to hide, I definitely take care of those first. Finally, when it comes to jewelry, you can throw on something basic and simple that goes with anything, or you can forego the adornments altogether.

Here are some fast, last minute beauty tips:

DO:
– Carry a powder compact at all times. If you don’t have time for makeup, you’ll be happy to at least dust some powder on your cheeks and forehead. If your company throws a last minute photo shoot at you, your compact will save your tail.

– Keep a lip-gloss or Chap Stick handy at all times. Not only does it make you so much more kissable should your sweetheart pop into the office for a surprise visit, but you’ll be keeping your smackers safe from chapping, splitting and dryness associate with both hot and cold climates. Even without a true color lipstick, lip-gloss can make you feel sexy and so worth it.

– Invest in some hair accessories, especially claw clips, hairpins and other barrettes. Even if you don’t have the time to fashion a new look, twist your hair back and pin it to your head for a sweeping look. Some hair clips will allow you to pile all of your hair on top of your head effortlessly. This comes in very handy when you don’t have time to dry your hair completely.

– Make your manicures last longer by applying clear polish every so often. With such a busy schedule, it is amazing you have your nails done in the first place. To keep your pretty look alive as long as possible, apply a clear topcoat daily to prevent the nail polish from cracking and chipping.

– Select your outfit and accessories the night before. It saves serious time by preventing you from trying on six different outfits in the morning.

DON’T:
– Even think about doing your makeup “in the car.” Even if you are stopped at a red light, the minimal time you have between lights isn’t nearly enough to apply mascara, let alone foundation or anything else. Especially don’t try to paint your nails in the car!

– Go too heavy on the huesâÂ?¦If you’re doing a dark, intense look for your eyes, avoid going high-impact on your mouth.