How to Wake up Beautiful – PART 2

How to Wake up Beautiful – PART 2

As much as we all wish we could wake up from a slumber looking Sleeping Beauty-flawless, the reality isn’t always as pretty (read: not even close). After all, it seems like even the most effortless beauty looks involve some dedication and time spent in front of the mirror (or a talent with the blow dryer, at best). This works on the mornings when we miraculously avoid hitting snooze, but let’s be real – between all of our late nights and early mornings, the snooze button has become a close friend we’d rather not ditch. So what’s a busy girl to do? The answer is simple: Prep the night before. Your nightly routine can easily – and quickly – help you avoid looking less than your bright-eyed self. Follow these 15 rules to get gorgeous overnight.

Rule #7: Add in a PM, Reparative Hair Product

If you’re going to step into the shower in the morning, use an overnight treatment on strands to repair damage, and hydrate the cuticle, such as L’Oreal Professional Serie Expert Nutrifier Leave-In Overnight Masque. Formulated with coconut oil and glycerol, just a golfball-sized amount brushed through strands at night leaves hair silky, smooth, and shiny in the morning.

Rule #8: Apply Tomorrow’s Dry Shampoo Now

The best time to use dry shampoo is before bedtime. An oil-absorbing formula, like L’Oreal Paris Hair Expert Extraordinary Clay Dry Shampoo, will soak up grime while you’re snoozing. Come morning, you’ll have fresh  strands, and only need to do a bit of touch-up styling, if anything at all.

Rule #9: Braid Freshly Washed Strands

For soft, beachy waves in the AM, employ the ultimate low maintenance beauty tactic—braids. Before you snooze, apply a dime-sized amount of soft-hold smoothing serum, such as Kerastase Aura Botanic Concentre Essentiel Hair Oil,  through wet or damp hair, then divide into sections and braid from root to ends. In the morning, undo and gently comb through with your fingers, then finish with a spritz or two of a texturizing spray. Garnier Fructis Style Frizz Guard Anti-Frizz Dry Spray helps control any bedhead frizz without taking away the slept-in sexiness of the style.

RULE #10: Give Hands and Feet Some Well-Deserved TLC

Your hands and feet do so much work, but get so little love. As one of the last steps before bed, slather specific balms and creams onto extremities, such as Lancome Absolue Hand - Body Moisturizer and The Body Shop Peppermint Intensive Cooling Foot Rescue.  Your hands and feet do so much work, but get so little love. As one of the last step before bed, slather specific balms and creams onto extremities, such as Lancome Absolue Hand - Body Moisturizer and  The Body Shop Peppermint Intensive Cooling Foot Rescue.

RULE #11: don't forget about some lip love, too

Give your lips some major TLC before bed and you’ll wake up with a plumper, smoother pout. Start by exfoliating with an unused toothbrush, using gentle strokes to remove any flakes. Follow up with an extra-rich lip balm—Urban Decay Meltdown Makeup Remover Lip Oil Stick is actually brilliant for overnight hydration thanks to moisture-locking humectants—in addition to ensuring any of your liquid lipstick isn’t left on, drying out your pout overnight.

Rule #12: Turn on a Humidifier

The ultimate in lazy girl beauty, a humidifier gives your skin an extra dose of moisture at the simple switch of a button. By evaporating water into the air, humidifiers soothe and hydrate dry, itchy skin. Just make sure you’re replacing the water daily so bacteria and mold won't grow—no one should be that lazy!

Rule #13: Sleep on Your Back

Stomach-sleepers, we’ve got bad news: it may be time to re-evaluate your snooze. According to Dr. Gohara, “Sleeping on your stomach and side lead to fluid build-up around the eyes, leaving you with an unwelcome puffy look.” We’ll leave puffiness to marshmallows and fluffy animals, thankyouverymuch! To avoid the swollen-eye look the next morning, pile on the pillows and sleep on your back – the elevation will help drain the fluids around your eyes. If you can’t control how you snooze (don’t worry, it’s kinda hard, ya know?!), try a pillow which cradles the face to keep sleep marks or wrinkles from forming.

Rule #14: Toss an Extra Pillow Under Your Head

Give eyes a chance to not totally bag it by propping your head up a little: When you lie flat, fluid can gather around your eyes, leaving you with some excess baggage in the AM. Reach for a second pillow to prop your head up, allowing that same fluid to circulate and drain instead.

Rule #15: Use Silk or Satin Pillowcase

Time to indulge your inner princess--for maximum PM beautification, invest in a silk or satin pillowcase. Hooper says satin pillow cases can lessen wrinkle-inducing pressure on your skin, while Gohara recommends using a silk pillowcase to avoid hair breakage. Sorry, cotton--you're just not cutting it. SLIP satin pillowcase works, or you can alternatively tie a silk or satin scarf around your strands after pulling up into a loose, high bun atop head, secured with a non-creasing hair tie.