How-To: Sleep In and Still Look Pretty!

I just have a quick announcement to share with you guys- sparkle & mine has joined the twitterverse! I'll be using Twitter to share blog updates and other randomness so be sure to follow s&m and say hi!

Aaand moving on, I don't know about you guys, but I love my sleep. And as much as I always plan to get up early the next morning to curl my hair or do a full make-up routine, I end up hitting the snooze button about 10 times. After doing that for years, I've finally mastered a routine that allows me to get a little extra rest on those early mornings and still look put together for the day. So here they are, my morning time-savers for hair and makeup!


Time Saver #1: Prep Your Hair the Night Before
On days where I know I will have no time or energy to do much of anything with my hair, I stick to my tried and true beachy waves. Before bed, I shower and let my hair dry about halfway. Then I put in some product to hold the waves in place (I use Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly Styling Cream), and braid my hair into one large center braid. And that's it! I wake up, take the braid out, and I have really natural looking waves with almost no time or effort.

Time Saver #2: When In Doubt, Go With A BB Cream
If I don't have time to start messing with a primer, foundation, concealer, etc., I just smooth on some BB Cream (Maybelline's Dream Fresh BB Cream is one of my favorites). Although my skin may not look completely flawless, it will give light coverage and SPF protection.

Time Saver #3: Multi-Purpose Products
One of the best time-savers I can suggest is to find a product that can be used in lots of different ways. Like a pigment eye shadow that can also be used as liner, or a lip stain that can also be used for cheeks. My go-to multi-purpose product when I'm tight on time is Benefit Posietint. It's definitely pricey, but it has beautiful color payoff on both lips and cheeks and really does last me all day. Plus, I can just throw it in my purse and put it on in seconds with no fuss or extra stuff needed.

Time Saver #4: Make Time for Mascara
If you only have time for one eye product, make it mascara. I can't even tell you what a difference it makes in a girl's face. One of my favorite everyday mascaras is Maybelline Full & Soft. With just a few waves of the mascara wand your eyes will look bright and wide awake!

I'd love to hear any other tips you guys have for getting ready in a hurry! ♥