Start with flawless skin

For many of us, there aren’t enough hours in the day, which often means mornings are particularly rushed and frantic. We jump out of bed, rush to the shower, slap on some moisturizer and go. But, there’s one important step you could be forgetting before you apply foundation (and after moisturizer): primer.

What’s so great about primer? For one, most primers are lightweight creams or gels that absorb quickly and leave the skin feeling silky smooth. They help makeup look and stay fresh all day long. Application is quick and easy. Plus, many are packed with beneficial ingredients, such as vitamins and antioxidants, further protecting the skin from environmental damage. Try Philosophy The Present Skin Perfector to smooth small imperfections on the surface of the skin, ensuring that foundation looks flawless and lasts all day.

Gentle acne care

When it comes to treating blemishes, many of us repeatedly use spot creams or drying potions throughout the day, in the hopes that the blemish will disappear quicker if we blitz it with treatment. And although it’s been said that too much of a good thing can be wonderful, in this case, too much of a good thing is merely too much.

Blemish treatments contain ingredients, such as salicylic or glycolic acid and benzoyl peroxide, which can over-dry the skin if used in excess. Resist the temptation to use these products more than two times a day.

Instead, try a two-pronged attack against blemishes. For particularly aggressive blemishes, go ahead and use the spot cream during the day. Then, at night, use a clay mask as a spot treatment, leaving it on overnight. The mask will work to purify the skin as you sleep, sparing you the aggravation of dry, flaky skin. Try Murad Clarifying Masque or Peter Thomas Roth Sulfur Cooling Masque.

Lather up lightly

As part of your makeover, also revisit your hair care. To stand under a warm spray of water and lather up with a rich shampoo is surely one of life’s simplest pleasures. But, lathering up too much doesn’t help your hair (or your budget). With shampoo, less is more.

For an extra-bubbly, time-saver wash, follow these simple steps. Saturate the hair thoroughly with water and then evenly distribute a dime-sized amount of shampoo between your palms before massaging into the hair. Using smaller amounts of shampoo will ensure that you aren’t stripping your hair of its natural oils, and it saves you money.

Smooth and sleek

Conditioner is another beauty product that’s often overused. Ideally, conditioner smoothes the cuticle and prevents tangles; however, many people use too-heavy a hand with conditioner, slathering a thick coating over the whole head — only to wonder why their hair is weighed down and limp.

Conditioner works best when applied to the lower portions of the hair: from mid-crown (around the ears) down to the ends. The ends often exhibit the worst damage, such as split ends, breakage or frizziness, which is mainly the result of heat damage from blow-dryers and irons.

Once you’ve applied conditioner, use a large-toothed comb to gently distribute the conditioner throughout the rest of the hair from roots to tips. By using a comb to distribute the conditioner, you’ll use less conditioner and prevent a build-up of product near the roots, which can leave the hair lifeless and drooping.

Shaping eyebrows

Many of us have a tendency to pluck a little here and there weekly or in-between our scheduled brow wax. Just remember, don’t go too wild with your tweezers, especially up close. Plucking your eyebrows with a magnifying mirror — where you focus on individual hairs, rather than your entire eyebrow — can leave you with gaps or thinness. To achieve an ideal brow shape and make sure it flatters your face, pluck no more than three hairs before stepping back from the mirror to view the entire result.

Fragrance smarts

A final routine refinement: Once you’re ready for your favorite fragrance, avoid spraying it on clothing. Fragrance molecules need to interact with the heat of the skin to release their full potential. Spraying clothing might seem like a nice way to incorporate scent into your outfit, but in reality, you’re wasting your perfume and may even damage your clothes — perfumes can stain. Apply perfume to pulse points: wrists, base of throat, behind the earlobes or even behind the knees for the best results.

See also:

When to Pitch Beauty Products

Coming Clean: 5 Skincare Myths