I have to admit that I had a really hard time paring down my product list for this post! I restricted myself to a few product categories, and there are a few options for some of them, though my fave product made the picture. I’ve found that multi-tasking products are wonderful, and that the “fast” products, which promise results in a fraction of the normal amount of time, can be both good and bad. I’m also a fan of just multi-tasking myself. So, I wear a face mask, a deep conditioning hair mask, and tooth whitening strips while I’m doing my at home pedicure. Look at the hours saved!
1. BB/CC Cream
Chanel CC Cream: This is my favorite BB Cream, though there are other great ones out there! I love that it has my moisturizer, sunscreen and some light foundation coverage all in one step. This is a lighter coverage than my “other” favorite, the IT Cosmetics CC cream, and it has a semi-matte finish.
Other Options:
IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50+
Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream
2. Multi-Purpose Styling Product
Living Proof Perfect Hair Day (PhD) 5-in-1 Styling Treatment: these creams do a ton of things to your hair all at once! It’s like a leave in conditioner, smoothing serum, frizz fighter, shine serum, etc… all rolled into one.
Other Options:
Alterna CC Cream for Hair 10-in-1 Complete Correction
AG Hair BB Cream
3. Concealer and Corrector
If you have dark under eye circles like I do, a pink/peach toned under eye corrector can go a long way towards making you look more awake! You can learn more about how to use under eye corrector here. I love to use a light layer of corrector, but most of them require a layer of concealer over the top to restore everything to a natural skintone color.
There are a few products out there that do both of these in one step, really they are skin toned and then only slightly tinted. You don’t want to use them elsewhere on your face, only on the actual dark circles as a one step and done. They’re perfect for keeping in your makeup bag for mid-day touch ups!
Try:
Bobbi Brown Corrector
Trish McEvoy Jumbo Instant Eye Lift
Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear Camouflage Concealer
4. Microfiber Towel
DevaCurl Deva Towel: It’s true, gently squeezing the water out of your hair with a microfiber towel will dramatically cut down on drying time.
5. Cuticle Remover
Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover: This stuff takes 30 seconds and gives you absolutely perfect cuticles! It’s a professional manicure in a (much) cheaper bottle.
6. Exfoliating Treatment
Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment: I put this on in the shower (when I can, it isn’t pregnancy safe so that isn’t for another 3 months), and it is a super powered exfoliating treatment, but still gentle enough for my sensitive rosacea skin.
7. Dry Shampoo
Klorane Dry Shampoo with Nettle: Every woman should own a dry shampoo. Period. End of story. It is perfect for soaking up greasies on days you don’t have time to wash your hair (let’s face it, we should all be skipping days anyways, it isn’t great to wash your hair every day), it also adds some much needed texture and volume.
Other Options:
Dry Bar Detox Dry Shampoo
Batiste Hint of Color Dry Shampoo
8. Eye Shadow Pencil
Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick: It’s shadow and eye liner rolled into one, creating the fastest and easiest smoky eye ever! Apply around your eye, then blend it out with a smudge brush.
Other Options:
NARS Velvet Shadow Stick
Maybelline Eyestudio Color Tattoo Concentrated Crayon
9. Face Wash and Makeup Remover
IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Makeup 3-in-1 Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm: Yes, even I hate removing my makeup at night! But, I hate going to sleep with eye liner around my eyes. This face wash is gentle enough to use around your eyes, but also actually removes eye makeup. (Ok, it really only removes regular eye makeup, and about 90% of waterproof eye liner off.) I call that pretty amazing. 1 step instead of 2 (I get to skip eye makeup remover) and I’m that much closer to bed! I love it so much that I stockpile it in my beauty closet. Read my review here.
I’m a doctor, a mommy and a bit of a beauty addict. If you let me, I can take 2 hours to get ready in the morning. Really. I'm on a quest for faster beauty that works!