You’ve already pressed the snooze button on your alarm clock seven times, and you happen to glance at the clock in a daze, realizing you’ve overslept by 35 minutes. Normally, the rest of this scene would unfold with you shoving a bagel in your mouth, hair in a mess and shirt on backwards. We have all been there, but there is no need to stress. You can still look clean, fresh and alive with a few tricks in under 10 minutes.
Assume that you don’t have time to take a shower, but your hair is greasy from the night before. Don’t fret. Sprinkle a small amount of baby powder on your roots and then take your brush and brush out the powder. Baby powder absorbs the oil and drags it through each of the hair strands when you brush your hair.
Once you’ve succeeded brushing out all the remains of the baby powder, the oil will be completely out of your hair. However, one thing to keep in mind is to avoid sprinkling too much on the scalp because it will stick. It will eventually come out the more you brush, but we only have 10 minutes right? In my experience, I find this works better than dry shampoo. Dry shampoo only masks the oily hair with a powdery substance. This is an issue because by mid-day your hair will appear oily.
Maybe your nails are dingy, and dull and you haven’t had time to get a mani-pedi in a while. A quick fix is to take a white eyeliner pencil and color underneath your nails. This gives an illusion of a French manicure. Start by washing your hands thoroughly with hand soap, then take a toothbrush a scrub the ends of your nails to get out any excess dirt that may be hidden. Once your hands and nails are clean, fill in the inside of each nail with a basic white eyeliner pencil. This is great if you have a presentation or a special occasion that may have slipped your mind, and you need to look polished.
There are three cosmetic products that are essential to looking fresh and ready for the day. They each take less than 30 seconds to apply. Mascara is the number one must-have in my book. Add one coat quickly before you’re on way out the door sprinting to class. You can easily reapply it throughout the day for those of you who are constantly on the go, and can fit it practically anywhere with its small, compact size. Mascara lengthens your eyelashes, making your eyes look brighter and bigger.
Another must-have is something most people don’t even consider: iridescent, white or cream eye shadow or highlighter. Swipe the shadow onto your pinky finger and dab it on the tear duct of both eyes. The tear duct is the inner corner of your eyes closest to the bridge of your nose. This makes a huge impact even though it seems so simple, it brightens your eyes and creates the illusion that you are alert and alive, even if you have been up all night studying.
The last product I feel is necessary is a tinted lip stain balm. Lip stain balms are great because they are quick and easy to apply and last for a very long time. You only need to reapply on your lips after lunch or sooner if you have a habit of licking your lips a lot. However, there is a secret identity that these crayon-like stains possess. Your lip stain balm can double as a cheek stain, or blush. After using on your lips, wipe the tip with a tissue, then glide a small amount on the apples of your cheeks and blend with your fingertips. Now your lips and cheeks are synchronized in creating an overall lively, fresh appearance.
Now when you’re running late, you can face the mirror with confidence. Don’t let time be your enemy; show your alarm clock who’s boss. These simple last minute tips will help you feel less like a disheveled mess in the morning and more like the gleaming individual that you are.
