Anyone who tells you they have morning routine figured out is probably lying. If you have kids, mornings are usually a tornado of getting them dressed, gathering school supplies and getting them out the door on time. If you don’t, you’re still likely trying to fit in an early-morning fitness class, a moment of meditation or other self-care. Needless to say, almost everyone can use some streamlining of their morning routines.
To make that possible, we asked professional women to share the straightforward hair and make-up routines that have made their mornings easier. Here’s what they had to say.
Lean in to the Air Dry
Michelle Meredith, the founder of Bright Color Mom, balances her passion project with a full-time job in retail financing, which means she doesn’t have much extra time to dedicate to her morning routine.
“I spend every free moment before my kids wake up working on my own business, so my routine has to be quick,” she says.
Because of that, she specifically seeks out low-maintenance styles that look great.
“I recently asked for a cut that would ‘air-dry beautifully’ based on my natural hair. It has the slightest of waves, so the stylist cut it about an inch above my shoulders with lots of layering to help it bounce on its own,” Meredith explains.
Plan Ahead
Liz Jeneault, vice president of marketing at Faveable, honed her hair and makeup routine when she was a local news anchor who had to be camera-ready.
“I like to always look as if I’ve put more time into my hair and makeup than I actually have,” she says. To make that happen, Jeneault showers at night and puts her hair in a low braid. The next morning with a simple brush through and some smoothing cream she has effortless waves and plenty of body.
For makeup, Jeneault lets fake eyelashes do the heavy lifting.
“I feel it helps significantly improve my overall makeup look, even if I’m not wearing that much eye shadow or other makeup products,” she says.
Products to the Rescue
Emily Polner, a beauty and lifestyle blogger at No Repeats or Hesitations, makes sure that she has the products on hand that keeps her routine simple but effective. For hair, that means using Color Wow’s Dream Coat spray. Combined with a wet brush, that gives Polner’s hair a healthy shine. For a quick and easy make-up routine, Polner uses NudeStix’s eyeshadow sticks, which are simple to apply on the go. For Sharon Mills a good setting spray is the key to a simple makeup look that lasts all day.
Confidence Always Wears Well
Style blogger Joanna Faith Williams knows that some days her beautify routine is going to get disrupted.
“I love taking time to get ready and do a full face of makeup and spend time getting my hair to look just so, but in reality, that doesn’t always happen,” she says. During those time, she reminds herself that her overall impression — not just her hair and makeup — is what really matters. “I take daily pride in how I present myself,” she says. “It’s not just about how I look, but how I presentmyself, including everything from posture, to my inner confidence, and even my handshake.”
