It has been more than a decade since I’ve had good sleep (#momlife). There are lots of things about parenting that are an exaggeration, but this no-sleep business is as real as it gets. I’ve been in the thick of it with three kids for a long time and, out of necessity, I have learned some tricks of the trade along the way (how not to look completely exhausted, for example). For the record, these tips are not just for moms, but also for anyone who knows they’re not getting enough Zs and wants to look rested and refreshed in the morning.
My 10-Minute Routine for Looking Well-Rested
Two Minutes Before Bed
After a long, busy day, you barely have enough energy to change out of your clothes. It’s rough. No judgement. Here is a trick that makes a huge difference and doesn’t take a lot of time: Wash your face with your daily cleanser, and then slather on this Overnight Mask from Origins. This mask will quench your skin’s thirst while you sleep, and you’ll wake up with hydrated skin.
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Eight Minutes In the Morning
I have a friend who gets up at 4:30 a.m. for Crossfit regardless of how many times her toddler got up in the middle of the night. If you have the stamina for that, then high five! I’m not a morning person, so exercising in the a.m. — especially after a short night of sleep — is out of the question. However, I have recently discovered a way to get a burst of energy in the morning without having to hit the gym. It’s called dry brushing.
At first I thought it was a silly fad, but once I started doing it I became a convert. It’s an easy way to get circulation going and feel more awake and alert when all you want to do is crawl back in bed. I dry brush and oleate my face with this Aveda kit, which takes only about two minutes. While the oil is on my face, I dry brush the rest of my body with a bamboo bristle brush for about three minutes. If you have never dry brushed before, you can find a lot of tutorials online.
After I dry brush, I take a minute to hydrate my skin with Plant Therapy peppermint body cream. The peppermint is cooling to the body and helps wake me up. After that, I go back to my face to remove the oil and give it a good, clean pampering. On rough nights when I don’t get a lot of sleep, I bust out the good stuff — Lancôme to the rescue! This Lancôme Visionnaire Starter Kit fits my budget and has all the essentials I need to finish off my routine so I can look well-rested for the rest of the day.
If I can’t treat myself to a good night’s sleep, I treat myself to 10 minutes of self-care so I can look and feel refreshed in the morning before tackling another busy day.
