If you reside in Mumland, you’ll doubtless have first-hand experience at seeing your morning grooming regime take a dramatic downhill slide, as extensive make-up routines and experimental hair techniques are cast aside in favour of packing lunchboxes, finding missing shoes and wrangling toothbrushes into small and highly resistant mouths.
Don’t despair, it IS possible to get your family out the door and still look fabulous, with these five tried and tested techniques for making the most of the time available to look your best. Got five minutes? We’ve got you sorted.
1. Soothe your skin
Even trowelled-on make-up can only go so far if your skin is dull, lifeless and dehydrated underneath. The best way to achieve healthy, vibrant skin is to focus on your skin care routine the night before, so all the hard work is done by the time you wake up. Thoroughly remove your make-up and the impurities of the day with a cleanser, ideally using a polishing brush for the most thorough clean. Apply a rich nourishing serum all over your face and neck, followed by a night-time moisturiser that goes to work while you sleep. Then, in the morning, your skin prep routine can be as simple as a quick cleanse, before rinsing with cold water, which doesn’t just wake you up but revives tired skin by stimulating blood circulation. Secret mum tip: apply eye drops for red eyes before you shower – they’ll instantly whiten and brighten your eyes and disguise even the roughest night’s sleep!
2. A perfect face base
A smooth, even and glowing complexion means you’ll instantly look less tired and more polished. To achieve this in the quickest way possible, try using a multi-tasking product such as a BB or CC cream, which is basically a moisturiser, SPF and foundation all rolled into one. If needed, apply an extra dab of foundation or concealer over the top for problem areas. Then, for an instant face brightener, apply a dab of highlighter in three key places – your browbone, cheekbone and the inner corner of your eye. A quick dab of rosy pink blush in the apples of your cheeks, and you have a perfect skin base in just a minute or two.
3. Choose your focus – eyes or lips
If you’re focusing on your eyes, apply a taupe or mid-range shadow to just above your eyebrow crease, then line your top eyelid with a dark eyeliner, before applying two coats of mascara to your top lashes. Slick on some nude lipstick (a good guide is to choose a shade that matches your gums) and you’re all set.
4. Prep your hair
Achieving fabulous hair can be a time-consuming exercise and frantic mornings are not conducive to this. Secret mum tip: wash and blow-dry your hair the night before after the kids have gone to bed. You’ll be amazed how great you feel when you have the time and blissful, uninterrupted freedom to style your hair at your leisure. Then, when you wake up, all you’ll need to do is a quick comb through and perhaps some smoothing product or hairspray to polish it off .
Dry shampoo is also the best friend of any time-poor mama. Just spritz a little into your roots to soak up any oils or impurities and you’ve extended your blow dry for another day while giving your tresses some extra body.
If you’ve really pushed the hair washing as far as it can go, a stylish but simple up-do is the ultimate hair saviour. After applying your trusty dry shampoo, tease the section of hair right at the top of your forehead and roughly sweep it back into a high ponytail. Tease out your ponytail roughly, then twist your hair around a hair elastic and secure with pins. You’re going for messy-glam – think Nina Proudman from Offspring.
5. Scarf it up!
Never underestimate the power of a scarf to transform your look from average to outstanding in a matter of seconds. Choosing a bright shade that’s flattering to your skin tone will give your face and complexion an instant boost. It also adds style and polish to your outfit (not to mention covering up any of those pesky stains that have a habit of appearing down your front just seconds before you walk out the door). Â If scarves aren’t your thing, a bold pair of statement earrings can also do the trick, as long as your child is past the ‘grab and yank’ stage. Â (They can’t help disguise food stains, though. Just saying…)
