Morning Beauty Routine

Chloe has asked me what is my beauty routine. To save time I will give my a.m. and p.m. routine. Mornings for me are all about making things easy. I workout in the mornings, (1) because I can get it over, (2) Once I get to my "day job," I don't know what time I will leave and (3) because once you get home, most people won't workout, including me. My workouts consists of yoga, running, elliptical machine, walking and weights. I perform different routines for different days so I won't get board. Once I get back home, I immediately hop in the shower. I towel dry and apply baby oil and then put on a terry cloth robe for everything to "soak in." I then fix a quick breakfast, such as oatmeal or egg whites, which I boil while in the shower. Next I moisturize with Nivea Enriched Lotion or Nivea Conditioning Oil. I have tried many lotions, but this one kicks the ash factor in the butt. I have been using this forever. I've tried every other kind and I think for dry skin, like mine, I need all the oils I can get. I like a heavy moisturizer, not the drip lotion that most brands make. I spray perfume which changes daily. (I really expound on perfumes next week). I sometimes use an oil I make using Sweet Almond Oil and various fragrance oils such as Honeysuckle, Vanilla or Jasmine. If you make your own oils make sure you read up on essential oils. Too much concentration can irritate the skin if too much is used and not enough of a carrier oil. I then do my hair, makeup and eat breakfast all in the bathroom. Some days I try to sit down at the table, but most days it's in the bathroom. I drink coffee at work or home, but I have been saved with the automatic timed coffee pot. I have been OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) since early on so I set things out at night. My makeup routine is easy. I apply eye cream, currently I use Caudalie's Eye Cream which I get from Sephora. I apply Oil of Olay''s Daily moisturizer with SPF 15. They have formulas for normal, oily and sensitive skin. I have tried the expensive brands for day, but I realize for me, I rather spend money on the good stuff for the p.m. I know it's going to be soaking up those laugh lines and making me more beautimous. I wait 5 minutes to apply makeup to make sure it's soaked in. I apply concealer. I normally use Bobbi Brown's concealer in Almond, but I have been using Prescriptives Camouflage Cream in Warm Extra Dark. They also have a new concealer which contains SPF 25. I haven't tried that one, but I plan to. I apply a tinted moisturizer. I mix it with the MAC iridescent powder or my new favorite ultra chic, ultra cheap Wet n' Wild MegaGlo Face Illuminator in Toasty. This is creamy and I rub the tinted moisturizer and this together. It's wonderful. I then apply a cream or powder blush. I am addicted to blush so I use two. I will use two powders or one powder and a cream. Next, I apply my Bobbi Brown Brick compacts over my cheek and face, or MAC's Skinfinisher. (WHICH THEY NEED TO BRING BACK, SO I DON'T HAVE TO BID FOR THEM ON EBAY). I apply mascara, which Estee Lauder's More Than Mascara is my current fave and then brush eyebrows, apply lip gloss and I'm off. I hope this helps. It seems like a lot, but I can even do eyes in all of 10 minutes. The secret is learning your face, what works and what doesn't. Through trial and error, I have finally figured it out. I am sure you are asking about clothing and when do I pick out what I am going to wear. Ladies, it may sound crazy, but I do not pick out clothes in the mornings. I get my entire weeks worth of clothes ready on Sunday nights. Yes, I am crazy. I understand, but I hate all that rushing around trying to find something to wear, then what if it needs ironing and figuring out which undergarments go with what. For me, I know what works. ORGANIZATION. My father made my brothers and I do this when we were little and it stuck. Therefore, most of my mornings are a breeze. This helps with the beauty factor because I can spend more time enjoying the process of applying my makeup. Tomorrow on Oprah, they are repeating the show "Oprah's Pros Reveal Their Secrets." This is mainly a show on makeup, decorating and entertaining. I will TIVO just so I can see Colin Cowie, the KING of entertaining well and fabulously. Being a beauty takes work and I absolutely love it. May your day be all about the pretty.