My Lazy Girl Guide to Surviving Early Mornings

Happy New Year, everyone! It’s been a while AGAIN since my last blog post, and I hope you can forgive me for my lack of updates. You see, if I’m not busy writing, editing, or overseeing content over at Calyxta, I’ve been going out of town a lot and hitting the beach! So in between work, catching up on sleep, and taking a quick break, it’s been a little hard for me to find time to take photos and write for Greta’s Junkyard. (Thank goodness for Instagram where it’s easy to do micro-blogging!)

A post shared by Gretchen Gatan (@gretchengatan) on Dec 16, 2017 at 7:49pm PST

But anyway, if you’ve stuck with me until now, I just want to say thank you as always. Everyday, I’m inspired to write and do better because I know I have the sweetest readers who show their utmost support even if I’m MIA. And to all the brands who have showed their love, trust, and support throughout 2017 as well, I cannot thank you enough.

For my first post this 2018, I wanted to write something that has been in my to-do list for a while now—and that’s how I survive my early mornings while still looking office-ready. Now, realistically speaking, I wish I could do a full hair, skin, and makeup routine before going to work—but I know that’s just not possible, especially when you live in Quezon City and work in Makati. Traffic already takes up two hours of my time! So here’s my quick guide on how I shortcut my beauty routine, especially on mornings where I have to wake up extra early to avoid getting stuck in standstill:

1. I do my eyebrows the night before.

Thanks to the genius invention that is K-Palette’s Lasting Eyebrow Tint, I no longer need to do my eyebrows in a moving car. I just apply the tint before going to sleep and let it sit overnight, before peeling it off the next morning. The tint usually stays for up to 3 days, after which, it makes it easier to retouch with K-Palette’s Lasting 2Way Eyebrow Powder and Pen. You can opt not to wear it overnight, if you think that’s too intense. Leave it on until it dries, and you’re sure to have foolproof brows until the end of the day (maybe even until the next!). In the photo below, I was using Shade 02 (which looks a little too warm on me), so nowadays, I use Shade 04.

A post shared by Gretchen Gatan (@gretchengatan) on Jun 15, 2017 at 6:06am PDT

2. Dry shampoo is my hair’s best friend.

I find comfort in the fact that most people say showering everyday is bad for our hair. So it’s usually an excuse for me to not shower—especially on lazy days! But because I was born with fine hair and an oily scalp (it’s the worst combo ever—I have a hard time maintaining volume, plus my hair ends up looking like Severus Snape’s at the end of the day on non-shower days), dry shampoo has become my best solution! To be honest, I don’t really know if it’s healthy since I’m still spraying on all these chemicals, but I’ve been using Dove’s Volume & Fullness Dry Shampoo. So far, of all the dry shampoo brands I’ve tried, this one helps my hair maintain as much volume as it can throughout the day, and keeps the grease out for at least six hours.

A post shared by Gretchen Gatan (@gretchengatan) on Dec 17, 2017 at 3:35pm PST

3. I use Glossier’s Cloud Paint in Haze to give my face a nice flush.

Prior to Glossier’s Cloud Paint, I was obsessed with Benefit’s Tints. But because of the convenience of Glossier’s tube, it’s so much easier to bring around. I like applying this on my cheeks inside the car, since it’s so easy. Sometimes, I use it as a lip tint as well! I just make sure my lips are extra moisturized by applying Glossier’s Flavored Balm Dotcom in Coconut (another product I’m currently in love with).

A post shared by Gretchen Gatan (@gretchengatan) on Dec 12, 2017 at 7:25am PST

4. I curl my eyelashes but don’t put mascara anymore.

Since I hate the feeling of wearing heavy mascara the whole day, I just curl my lashes (in the car as well) and leave them be. Thankfully, I was born with long eyelashes so curling them still adds life to my office look!

5. I’ve trimmed down my morning skincare routine to just four steps.

Cleanser. Toner. Eye Cream. Sunblock. Those are the four products I need to complete my morning skincare routine. I’m not a big fan of adding BB or CC creams, as I like to let my skin breathe. I just make sure to maintain good skin!

So that’s basically how my morning routine looks like, and it’s really a lazy beauty girl’s way of getting a little bit more shuteye. What are your hacks to cutting down your beauty routine in the morning?