From easy makeup application ideas to simple hairstyle fixes, this must-read beauty guide shares 10 quick tips for looking great in just minutes.

When you’re short on time (and who isn’t?!), but still want to look your best, you need time-saving techniques and tools that will help you look polished, pulled-together, and pretty in a jiffy. Read on to learn how these simple, but effective, tips for looking great are easy to follow and a must for any busy gal.

10 Quick Tips for Looking Great in Just Minutes

1. Since most morning skincare regimes can be time-consuming, instead of washing your face with cleanser, wipe your face with a pre-moisturized cleansing cloth (like the POND’S Original Fresh Wet Cleansing Towelettes) instead. This will not only remove any traces of makeup or residue that might have been left-over from last night’s cleansing, it will also prep your skin for makeup application.

2. Next up, mix equal parts SPF moisturizer with foundation in your hand and apply it all over your face. Not only will this 2-in-1 step help to conceal any imperfections and even-out your skin-tone, it will also leave your face hydrated and silky soft all day, in addition to protecting it from harmful UV rays. A good moisturizer to try is Origins Mega-Bright SPF 30.

3. On those rushed mornings, instead of washing and drying your hair, simply spray the roots with a volume-boosting dry shampoo. The dry shampoo will absorb excess oil (making your hair look fresh and clean), in addition to adding fullness and volume. Allow the dry shampoo to soak up the oil for about a minute, then brush through with your fingers or a boar-bristle brush.

4. Don’t have time to style your hair? No problem! Simply pull your hair back in a tight, high ponytail (this is Kim Kardashian’s go-to look) using a pretty ponytail holder for a sophisticated, polished look. To smooth out the tail, quickly apply a hair oil (such as Josie Maran’s 100% Pure Argan Oil) through the ends.

5. Instead of filling-in your eyebrows with your usual brow pencil or powder, simply use an angled brush to fill-in sparse areas with a matte taupe eye shadow. Use the same eye shadow and brush to line eyes, for a softly enhanced, but natural look. A great matte taupe eye shadow that would work for both brows and as eyeliner is the Bobbi Brown Eye Shadow.

6. When taking a shower, skip the usual loofah exfoliation process (which can take too much time). Instead, opt for an exfoliating body wash, which contains either smoothing granules or AlphaHydroxy Acids (like the Mario Badescu A.H.A. Body Soap), to polish the skin while cleansing it.

7. Don’t want to spend time applying body lotion? Spray on a moisturizing lotion instead! Not only will using a spray lotion (such as the St. Ives Fresh Hydration Lotion Spray) cut-down on valuable time, it will dry quicker that dense creams, which means you can throw on your clothes even faster.

8. Ever spent time rummaging through your makeup bag looking for a particular beauty product? A quick fix to help you save time is to cut-down on clutter and organize your beauty products. Toss out old or unused cosmetics, sort your makeup by type (ex. lipsticks, eyeliners, blush) and put them away in separate storage containers or cosmetic bags. This will help you streamline your makeup application in the morning, since you won’t have to hunt down products that are jumbled together.

9. Do your nails look wretched? Fake a manicure by spraying on nail polish (yes, you read that right!). Launching this month, Nails Inc. has come out with a revolutionary new way to do your nails – with a spray can. Use their Paint Can to spray nail polish onto your fingertips (the polish adheres to a basecoat). To remove excess polish, quickly wash away from the skin with water or cleansing wipes. It’s that easy!

10. To finish your look, simply swipe on a colored lip balm that contains SPF. No need to line your lips first (which just requires extra time), applying the lip color directly from the tube is a fast and goof-proof way to enhance your pout, in addition to hydrating and protecting your delicate lips. A great one to try is Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment, as it comes in a wide variety of colors and contains SPF.

For more tips for looking great, check out the Health & Beauty Section on Inspirations & Celebrations.

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