Once upon a time, it was makeup! 🤪 But these days, my hair takes up the biggest chunk of time in my beauty/getting-ready routine.
There are just A LOT of steps involved. It drives me nuts! The most involved part is the washing and conditioning, because I work out pretty much every day now, so my scalp gets super sweaty and oily and requires…attention. Plus, on top of that, I have pretty bad seasonal allergies, so when I go outside, my hair absorbs pollen, dust, ash from local wildfires, or whatever other allergens are floating around outside on any given day. I absolutely have to wash my hair before I go to bed; otherwise, I hit the hay with hella allergens all up in my business, which consequently get all over my pillow and the bedding, and bothers me all night long.
Funny thing is…I don’t spend nearly as much time styling my hair as I spend cleaning it. It only takes me about five minutes to do a semi-decent hairstyle with a large-barrel curling iron, or to do a messy braid or bun. In fact, it takes way less time to get my hair ready to go “out into the world” than it did when I was in my 20s and 30s because I’ve long since embraced my natural waves and no longer go to battle with them (go figure).
The next most time-consuming part of my routine is the skin care, and basically it’s keeping track of all the layers, then waiting for them to dry. Man! Ever since I decided to wage the good fight against hyperpigmentation, time it takes me to do my skin care routine has increased exponentially. Mind you, I’m OK with that because it does seem to be helping…
Oh, and putting on sunscreen multiple times a day takes up a lot of time, too.
The least most time-consuming (least most?) part of my routine is any actual makeup, when I wear it, followed by panting my nails.
How about you? What’s the most time-consuming part of your beauty routine?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Happy Tuesday! 😺
Hmmm, I guess applying color cosmetics? If I have my way I’ll take 25 minutes and enjoy myself in front of the mirror.
Hair for sure, even though I have a pretty short lob and it’s thinning, it still takes forever to dry and if I go to bed with it damp, I wake up damp.
Putting on moisturiser (Dr Haushka’s Rose Day cream), then sunscreen, (Boots Soltan SPF50), then Smashbox colour correcting primer, then powder (Laura Mercier) THEN Lancome Teint Idole foundation… and that’s just the start! I do powder before foundation because of the fab video by Wayne Goss explaining that it’s a game-changer, especially in hot weather – and it is!
i would say applying eyeshadow and eyeliner . however my skincare regimen is quite long when i add sheet mask and serums and eye cream into the mix.
Way to go to embrace your hair texture & grays 👏
I let my natural gray shine five years ago and I haven’t looked back. I let my hair air dry.
I keep things simple; eye makeup would be the most time consuming or when adding some loose waves to my hair.
I’m serious about sunscreen too, but don’t bother applying more than once, I hope I’m protecting my skin enough?!
Do you ever watch a show called Glow Up on Netflix? It’s really fun.
Skincare is definitely the most time consuming for me because I layer things and always wait a couple minutes between products. Makeup application comes in at second place, not because I do anything terribly elaborate or complicated, but because I just love taking my time. My long grey hair is strictly wash and wear. I like to apply a bit of hair oil on the ends when I brush it out in the morning, but that’s about it other than routine shampoo and condition.
What are you using for hyperpigmentation? I’ve tried things that don’t work.
I was going to ask the same! I remember Karen saying she had good luck with Vitamin C?
Hi gals!
So the big things for me have been 1) being diligent about sun protection (it really does make a difference), and 2) using SkinCeuticals Vitamin C regularly.
Thanks! Agreed 100% on the sunscreen, of course. I actually have hyperpigmentation on the side of my nose (ugh) where I’d accidentally scratched and didn’t think to reapply sunscreen immediately. Even with SPF 70 sunscreen, I’m starting to feel like a Dalmatian (but with brown spots!). I really need to start wearing a big sun hat everywhere.
Ooh, keep an eye out for hats by the San Diego Hat Company. I got one at Nordstrom Rack and I LOVE IT! I think having an adjustable band on the inside is key!
You are smart to embrace the wave. I have loose curls. I blew it straight with products for YEARS. Now I let it air dry (free-range hair) with just a little gel for curls from Aveda in it. The biggest part of my routine is skincare. But I’m usually taken for my early 40’s (I’m 63) so I think it’s been worth it, even all the touch up’s of sunscreen.
Hair, probably. I’m usually a nighttime hair washer because I am a very sweaty person who works out in the evenings and honestly I just feel gross if I go to bed without showering, especially this time of year when I’m covered in sunscreen and bug spray. But washing, conditioning, and then I do a little bit of plopping and scrunching with gel or mousse to make my wave pattern not crazy. My hair would probably look better if I did it in the morning, but morning showers just do not work for me.
I also have to wait in between some of my skincare layers, especially with my rosacea topical, so that can take a bit.
If I do wash and style my hair, this will take up the most time as well, but as I only do it every other day, my skincare routine surely is the most time consuming part.