I’ve always considered myself a busy gal, but since becoming a mom things have reached a whole new level. Can I get an amen?! As I’ve gotten busier, I’ve learned to be more time efficient and find hacks that help me look put together quickly – since time is something I don’t have a lot of these days. Whether you’re a busy college girl, a mom, or just a babe who would rather catch a few extra Z’s than spend the time getting ready, these tricks will help you look put together with minimal time and effort.
Always have a mani
Admittedly, I’m terrible at this, but I’m planning to get better. You know…new year, new me and all that stuff! This doesn’t mean you have to go get a manicure, because let’s be real…mama ain’t got time for that these days! Too busy to spend two hours at the salon? That’s fine, do it at home. I’ve done many at home manicures over the years, and can totally do a post on this if you want, let me know in the comments. There is just something about having a manicure that makes you look more put together.
Blow out the front only
Blow out just the front of your hair and tie the rest up into a bun. This is one of my favorite little tricks! It gives the illusion that you did your hair, when really you only spent a few minutes making the front look polished. I definitely recommend doing this with a round brush to achieve the smoothest look, while still getting some legit volume.
BYOB blowout tip: pull your hair up and away to create the most body! Keep going until your hair is as smooth as you want. Don’t forget a heat spray! This one and this one are my two favorites.
Double up
This may be my favorite hack of all time. If you’ve been a long time BYOB reader, then you will definitely know this tip! When I’m in a pinch for time, I like to minimize my products and try and each product more than one way. For example, I use bronzer on my cheeks and in the crease of my eye for a little eye definition. The same can be done with highlighter. You can of course use it on your cheekbones, but you can also use it on your eyelid or the inner to brighten tired eyes.
Speaking of bronzer, I have gotten a bunch of requests to share all of my favorites, so I plan on doing a whole post with reviews. Until then, if you’re looking for something more affordable than the Tom Ford one, I also love this one in “Luminous Bronze Light” and this one in “Bronzed Bondi”. They have other shade options in both if you aren’t my skin tone.
Apply lipstick
Even if all you can manage for the day is a little concealer, some mascara, and a great lipstick – that will be enough. Lipstick just instantly makes it look like you tried harder than you actually did. Are we seeing a pattern here? If you really want to cut down here and apply the ‘double up’ rule, you can use your lip liner to outline your lips and also fill them in. I love doing that with this one in the color “Soar”.
These are a few tricks that help me look put together when I’m short on time (which seems to be always these days!). What are you’re favorite tips! Share them in the comments and help each other out.
