As a mother and business owner, I have a very hectic schedule! Looking after my family and my business takes up a great deal of my time, and I find it difficult to dedicate time to myself for regular pampering. More often than not, even when I have the time, I would rather read a book or do some knitting (how rock-n-roll am I???). However, I have a few tricks up my sleeve to make myself look and feel put together even when time is short .
1. UV Gel Nail Varnish!!! This product is absolutely perfect for the woman who wants to look fab even if she hasn’t got the time or the inclination. Neatly painted nails always look nice. As my hands are regularly photographed while I am making up brides, my nails need to look presentable. Chipped polish is an absolute no no! I do shellac on myself every 2-3 weeks. I opt for pale nude shades, it is less noticeable as it grows out so I get more wear out of my manicure. I do my toes about once every 4-6 weeks, I like having cute tootsies when I am doing yoga! It makes me feel happy!
2. Facial on the Go! Another favourite short cut of mine is to treat myself to an at home facial on the go. This means I do the facial steps while I am doing the housework! I start by applying a facial oil or cold cream (Noxzema is a cult favourite of mine that I have loved since my teens!) and let that sink in for 5 minutes while I tidy round. I wipe it off with a hot face cloth or muslin, then apply my favourite mask of the moment, currently I am using the Aldi Glamglow dupe mask which exfoliates and deep cleanses. Two steps in one! I leave the mask on for 20 minutes or so whilst I do some more cleaning. Finally I remove it and apply serum or facial oil (I love squalane oil!), eye cream, and moisturiser. Skin looks like you just stepped out of a spa!
3. Exfoliate in the shower! It is an often overlooked bit of grooming, but absolutely necessary in the dry winter months that are just around the corner. It takes seconds, and I promise you will feel better for it. I love Lush’s Buffy the Backslide Slayer, which is an exfoliating massage bar that is rich in oils. It both exfoliates and moisturises your skin, a great multi-tasker that will save you even more time!
4. Get your brows done! The eyes are the windows to the soul, and your brows are the window frames! Getting a wax and tint about once a month will ultimately save you time with filling them in and plucking every day. It takes about 15 minutes, and they will make you look younger and more awake. It is quick, easy, and relatively painless. You don’t even have to visit the salon, as I am mobile and come to your home!
5. Dry shampoo before bed! We all hate washing and blow drying our hair, so here is my top tip for making your blow out last longer. Spray your dry shampoo on your roots BEFORE you go to bed. Work it in with your fingers, but don’t brush it out until the morning. Your roots will be grease free and volumised, and won’t have that powdery dry shampoo look. My favourite dry shampoo is Batiste XXL Volume, my hair is pretty much 95% this product on any given day!
6. Love your lashes! So if the eyes are the windows, the brows are the window frames, then the lashes are the curtains for sure. And we all like pretty curtains! There are a few options to having beautiful low maintenance lashes, and it just depends on what suits you best (if at all, let’s face it). A simple lash tint will make your lashes look more defined, and it is a great add on to your that regular brow wax and tint you will be having. You can step it up by having a treatment that is very popular at the moment, the lash lift and tint. This take a bit longer but lasts for about 6-8 weeks before you need a top up. Lashes are lifted with a perming solution (yes it smells like a granny salon!) and then tinted. They look longer, thicker, and lifted. No need to apply mascara! If you want to take it further, you can have semi-permanent eye lash extensions, which involves having a single lash extension glued to every single natural lash on your eyes. The result can be natural volume or full on glam, it is up to you! It takes 1.5 hours to have a full set applied, but top ups every 2 weeks only take 30-40 minutes. You will wake up feeling made up every morning!
Lash tint – £10
Lash lift and tint – £35
Full set semi-permanent lashes – £50
Which of my top low-maintenance tips are you likely to try? Do you have any fave tips for beauty in a hurry? Comment below and let’s discuss!
