It is said that “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” But we think it’s actually in the eye of the woman who gets the most sleep, drinks the most water and follows this daily regimen.
WAKE UP CALL
1. Slough and soak to soften.
During your morning shower, exfoliate dead skin cells before using your favorite body wash. Keep showers quick and the temp not too hot to minimize oil loss. Pat your body dry with a soft towel, and, for the finishing touch, apply your favorite fragrant lotion, heated with a hairdryer. Let your skin drink up as much as it can for the ultimate in smooth skin… and while you are at it, drink a glass of water, too. The more hydrated you are on the inside, the more you will radiate on the outside.
2. Befriend concealer.
Brighten up your entire face with dabs of concealer. Use it on the inner and outer corners of eyes to mask dark circles, the outer sides of nostrils to cover deep pores and redness, and the sides of lips to fill in lines. Follow it up with a light blend of foundation plus moisturizer (both oil free with sun protection) to achieve a smooth, even skin tone. And always use clean makeup brushes!
3. Tame your brows.
Well-groomed brows are the key to a polished look. Regularly wax, thread or tweeze and perform maintenance as needed. If you are tweezer shy and only trust the pros, conceal stray hairs with a swipe of bronzer on your browbone in between appointments.
4. Experiment.
Seasonally (or more if you dare), replace your favorite color product, be it lip gloss, eye liner or shadow, with something new to feel re-energized.
DAYTIME DUTIES
5. Become a survivor.
Assemble your “can’t live without it” kit consisting of three must-have beauty items such as lip gloss, mascara, blotting papers, concealer or a hairbrush. Create a few kits to stash in key places — your desk drawer, your glove compartment and your purse for touch-ups.
6. A pinch goes a long way.
Pinch your cheeks and your lips just before you want to make a great impression. This teeny moment of pain will yield huge payoffs as both areas will fill with a natural rosy color guaranteed to make you glow.
7. Let your inner beauty shine outward.
All day long, be mindful of your stature. Stand up straight with your shoulders back. Walk tall and think positive thoughts. Offer up your happiest smile, complete with whitened teeth (skip the dark beverages or use a straw) and lips moisturized with lip balm and glistening with your favorite gloss.
SWEET DREAMS
8. Come clean.
No matter how tired you are or how close the sun is to rising, wash and moisturize your face before you hit the pillow to detox your precious pores of all of the dirt that has accumulated during the day. At the very least, start with baby steps: Tuck a pack of makeup remover wipes in your nightstand.
9. Preserve your perfect manicure.
Apply a clear topcoat every other night post-manicure to help your fabulous color polish stay chip free for as long as possible. Also, when doing dishes, using gloves will save your polish too… not to mention help you avoid the curse of dry, dishpan hands.
10. Bye bye, bedhead.
Rule #1: Don’t go to bed with wet hair — it increases the risk of hair breakage. Rule #2: Brush your hair before bed with a clean hairbrush (give it a soapy water bath once a week). Rule #3: Add a few drops of your favorite serum to fight morning frizz.
