My Favorite Beauty Shortcuts

Beauty shortcuts are my new favorite thing! With a 7-week old baby at home, the time I spend getting ready most days is very short and there are a handful of beauty shortcuts I realized I’ve been using that really seem to help cut down on time and make my routine easier and faster.

I don’t use all of them every day (you’ll easily be able to tell which ones are part of my everyday routine), but I thought a roundup of these beauty shortcuts might interest those of you out there who may be short on time or simply have little desire to dedicate a ton of time to your beauty routine.

I’d love to hear all about some of your beauty shortcuts in the comments section!

My Favorite Beauty Shortcuts

• Rosehip Seed Oil

Shortcut: Eye makeup remover + Moisturizer + Dark spot corrector in one

I briefly mentioned this oil in a previous Things I’m Loving Friday post, but I have fallen even more in love with it over the course of the past few months. After washing my face at night, I smear a thin layer of this oil all over my face and it works perfectly as both an eye makeup remover and a moisturizer. I swear my face sucks this stuff up every time! Rosehip Seed Oil is full of vitamins, antioxidants and essential fatty acids that are known to correct dark spots and hydrate dry, itchy skin, all while reducing scars and fine lines. (This article from the Huffington Post has more information about its benefits.) This is also the only stuff I’ve used that has made a difference in correcting the dark spots on my face. I’ve tried more expensive products to help with dark spots but this cheap-o oil is, without a doubt, the best and totally natural!

My favorite: Life Flo Rosehip Seed Oil (I buy it on Amazon for $5!)

• Nail Polish Remover Pen

Shortcut: Quickly removes excess nail polish without messing up your freshly painted nails

This pen is fantastic for those of you may be like me and paint your nails with the talent level of a third grader. For some reason, no matter how precise I try to be, whenever I paint my nails, I am inevitably left with polish all over my hands or toes. That’s where this pen comes in handy! It’s a nail polish remover pen and allows you to simply remove the polish around your fingers or toenails in a precise way that you just can’t seem to do with typical nail polish remover and cotton balls.

My favorite: Sally Hansen No More Mistakes Manicure Pen

• Wet Braid

Shortcut: Save time on blow drying and styling

Ever since Chase was born, the time I am able to spend getting ready has reduced significantly and styling my hair is usually the first thing I cut out of my routine when I am tight on time. I’ve started blow drying and straightening my bangs and pulling back the rest of my damp hair in a braid. Drying and styling the hair around my face makes me look slightly more pulled together and prevents my hair from air drying in a funky way around my face. As the wet braid dries, it creates a beachy wave that functions well as a laidback look and can easily be refined a bit with a curling iron later in the day if you have somewhere to go where you want to look a little more pulled together.

• Facial Cleansing Cloths

Shortcut: Allows you to freshen up a bit when a shower isn’t in the cards right away

I go through facial cleansing cloths like crazy. When I was teaching classes at the gym, they were the only way I was able to freshen up between classes and training sessions. Now that I have a baby who needs me at home, I use cleansing cloths to wipe away sweat and dirt after a naptime workout when I’m not able to grab a shower right away. (<—Um, always…) I feel like they do a good job of keeping my skin clean and preventing clogged pores until I’m able to shower. I use them on my face, chest and upper back and find them very refreshing.

My favorite: I really like the Burt’s Bees brand and find them at Target and most grocery stores.

• Rose Water Spray

Shortcut: Hydrates, tones and cools the skin with one spritz

I fell in love with this spray in the final weeks of my pregnancy and spritzed it on my face when I was feeling overheated (aka all the time). Rosewater spray can help restore the PH balance of your pores, minimize blackheads, hydrate and rejuvenate your skin in a totally natural way. I spray it on my face after applying rosehip seed oil at night and first thing in the morning. I’ll also randomly spray it on my face throughout the day when I feel like my skin needs a little pick-me-up. It’s also great to use over make up and doesn’t leave a residue on your face.

My favorite: Amaki Skincare Pure Rose Water Mist (I bought it on sale through Zulily, but it’s still super affordable on Amazon and has a 5-star rating, so I’m not alone in my love for this stuff!)

• Dry Shampoo

Shortcut: Allows hair to go longer between shampoos without looking greasy

Back in college, I’d use baby powder to freshen up greasy roots, but now that dry shampoo has become mainstream, I’ve left baby powder in the dust! I LOVE dry shampoo and swear by it. Dry shampoo allows me to go longer between shampoos without my hair looking incredibly limp, greasy and lifeless. It’s basically my hair’s BFF.

My favorites: Klorane dry shampoo, Amika Perk Up dry shampoo, Blow Pro dry shampoo

More Beauty Posts

• Simple Beauty Tips That Make A Big Difference
• My Favorite Hair Products

Question of the Day

• What are some of your favorite beauty shortcuts?