Time Saving Beauty Hacks For the Boss Babe on the Go

I have always been a fan of cosmetics and love being able to try new products and trends. At one point in my retail career, I actually worked as a Beauty Advisor/Makeup Artist for Estee Lauder and Lancôme. Now total disclaimer: I am no professional when it comes to makeup. My style and routine constantly changes and I am completely self-taught, with some help from YouTube of course.

I am the first to admit, however, that I am a walking conundrum. As much as I love makeup and have a very 'girly' side, I also have a 'low-maintenance' side. I'll elaborate. I am the type of girl that goes fresh-faced 99% of the time outside of work. I am also the type of girl that absolutely hates the process of getting ready and spending hours doing so. During a normal work week I can wake up and be out of the door in less than an hour, meaning my every day makeup routine is probably all of 10 minutes. Because of this, once I find a worthwhile product that helps me cut time out of my daily routine, I will use it until it's discontinued.

So if you're anything like me, a lazy makeup connoisseur we can call it, I have put together a list of my top favorite time saving beauty products for the Boss Babe on the go.

1. Eyeliner Stamp

I can honestly say this product was the biggest surprise of my life. Having almond shaped eyes, thanks to my Korean side, I have almost always done a winged eyeliner. I know that most people say that eyebrows are sisters not twins and I'm sure that the same could apply for eyeliner, but I am a perfectionist and it was a serious cause for concern when I couldn't get my wings matching just right. Typically with stamps of any kind, you run into some pretty comical makeup fails.

However, these eyeliner stamps I got from Amazon are amazing. There is one stamp for each eye (they're even labeled) for the wing. All you have to do is stamp the wing and then draw in however much liner you want from there. There is a reason I named this first on the list. I am obsessed. For reference, I purchased the 8mm.

Shop the Eyeliner Stamp:

Eyeliner Stamp

2. Color Street Nails

I am typically not someone who purchases from these types of 'pyramid' companies and probably would've never even thought about it, until I was given a set of Color Street nails just to try. The minute I opened the package, I knew that the quality of this product was above par. It was extremely easy to do my own nails, including on my non-dominant hand, and they legitimately lasted two weeks without even chipping. The only reason I had to take it off was because of my nail growth.

For those of you who have never heard of Color Street, they create nail polish strips that consist of a base, color/pattern and top coat. It is actual nail polish and not some kind of sticker as I've had bad experiences with in the past. There is zero drying time as the strips just adhere to your nail. Each package comes with everything that you need; pre-polish cleansing cloth, nail file and 16 strips. I use the extra 6 strips to double up on my thumbs, pointer fingers and pinkies since those are typically the ones that chip first. Price varies on pattern and color as well as any promotions they are running. But typically they are between $11-$13 per package.

I never have much time to run to the nail salon nor do I like spending $35+ for one manicure. It only takes me about 10 minutes to do my own nails and for the same price as in the salon, I can get 3 manicures with Color Street. I am not sure how you can acquire and purchase outside of knowing someone who sells, so if you are interested let me know and I can hook you up with the girl I buy from. For reference, the photo is of me in the color Manchester Mauve.

3. Sally Hansen InstaDri Nail Polish

While we are on the subject of nail polish, I definitely wanted to include the polish I typically use when doing my own pedicure. Sally Hansen InstaDri polish really does dry extremely quickly. I usually like to do 3 coats and then a top coat for my pedicure because I find that it lasts much longer that way. A 4 step process with normal polish would consume so much of my time. With this product, it only takes me 15 minutes at most. It makes it easy to just put a movie on TV and do my pedicure quickly.

The only reason I don't use InstaDri polish for my finger nails is because regardless of the fast drying time, I still always managed to chip or dent the polish. I am always on the move and use my hands a lot. For someone that can be more sedentary than me, this nail polish would work just fine.

My recommendation would be to purchase this product from your local Walmart or CVS.

4. Easy Self Tanner

I'll never forget the first time I heard the saying "If you can't tone it, tan it." It's comical but also a valid statement. I don't know about you but I just always feel better when I'm tan. As a working adult, I obviously don't have as much time to layout in the sun as I did when I was younger. I also swore off tanning beds in my early 20's. Because of this, I love to get my natural looking glow from self tanner. My two favorite self tanning products are easy to apply as well as quick drying. You can apply at night after your shower or while you are getting ready for work in the morning. You can also layer if you want a darker look as well as apply more than once throughout the week to keep your glow going. It saves so much time and also money as both of these products you can use multiple times for multiple 'tans'.

NuSkin Insta Glow - This comes on like a gel and is extremely natural looking. It doesn't have a weird smell and dries very quickly. I'm not sure where you can get this unless you know someone who is selling NuSkin products, so if you are interested I will hook you up with my girl!

b. tan - This is a foam and I apply it with a tanning mit. I usually have to exfoliate before using this product. It is a little more cost efficient than the NuSkin Insta Glow, but it does have that self tanner smell so I don't like to use it in the mornings before work.

5. Color Removal Sponge

Though I don't use eye shadow every day, this color removal sponge really cuts time and helps me when I do. It is literally just a sponge inside of a small, circular tin can. It's purpose is so you can use the same brush during your makeup routine without having to wash it or worry about color blending. You simply rub your eyeshadow brush over the sponge and it takes away all of the color that was there in seconds. Then you are good to go with your next shadow color.

Shop the Color Removal Sponge:

Color Removal Sponge

6. Luxe Makeup Brush Cleaner

I will be the first to admit that I purchased this product after seeing an advertisement on Instagram. Those social media ads will get you, huh? Regardless, it is the best way to clean your makeup brushes. The Luxe Makeup Brush Cleaner is an electric, USB charged, spinning brush. The kit comes with the brush spinner, charging station, 8 rubber collars for different brush sizes, glass bowl and cleaning solution. All you do is put some solution and water in the bottom of the bowl, attach your brush to the spinner, dip the brush inside the bowl, spin it around and then lift the brush out of the solution and spin it until it is dry. The first time I used this product, I was disgusted about how much makeup was still inside of my brushes even after I thought I had been cleaning them thoroughly. The best part about this product is that you don't have to wait for your brush to dry. The spinning mechanism dries it almost instantly. I highly recommend this product.

Shop the Brush Cleaner:

Luxe Makeup Brush Cleaner

7. Batiste Dry Shampoo

I am extremely picky when it comes to my dry shampoo. In the last few years, I stopped washing my hair daily so obviously dry shampoo is an absolute necessity in my beauty routine. However, I have really dark, fine hair so it can get greasy quickly and most dry shampoos show up due to my hair color. The Batiste Dry Shampoo does the job. It doesn't break the bank as far as price and it smells amazing. I get instant volume and my hair feels like I just washed it. It comes in many different fragrances but right now, seeing as it is summer, I have been purchasing the Tropical. Love this dry shampoo so much.

Shop Batiste Dry Shampoo:

Batiste Dry Shampoo

8. OSiS Dust It - Styling Powder

Now living in the South, many would say things like "The bigger the hair, the closer to God" when it comes to describing hair volume. Unfortunately for me, I was not blessed in the natural hair volume department. I have very thick hair but it is fine. Instead of spending time teasing my hair on a daily basis, I have added this powder into my beauty routine. You just dump a little onto your roots and shake your hair. It is just enough volume without looking like you belong in an 80's hair band. For reference, I use this product after I've styled my hair.

Shop OSiS Dust It:

OSiS Dust It

I hope that you were able to find something useful to add to your daily routine and save you some time. If you purchase any of these items, please let me know! I would love to hear your feedback. xoxo