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 the hungover zombie look the next morning, leaving more time for all that late night uh, studying you’ve been up to. Follow these six steps to give your AM hair, skin and eyes a boost.

Before Bed: Clean your face

Time: 2 minutes

This seems like a given, but a recent study found that only 50% of women wash their face regularly. According to Assistant Professor at Yale Department of Dermatology Mona Gohara, “leaving makeup, sunscreen or smog residue on your face can lead to unwanted acne and even wrinkles.” Get it together, ladies! She recommends using a mild non-soap cleanser with a neutral pH before hitting the hay. On nights when washing your face just takes too much effort (hey, we’ve all been there), try makeup-removing wipes like Maybelline Clean Express Facial Towelettes or Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes instead.

Simplify your products

Time: 1 minute

Did you know that the term “beauty sleep” comes from the fact that your skin cells actually regenerate at night? Gohara recommends helping your skin’s recovery process by choosing a night cream that has retinol as an active ingredient. We’re fans of SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0 and La Roche-Posay Redermic [R] for an overnight skin boost.

Hyaluronic acid is another ingredient to look for in your nighttime regime. “Hyaluronic acid is a potent humectant, drawing water into the skin for a smoother, more reflective glow,” advises dermatologist Deirdre Hooper. Apply a moisturizer like L’Oréal RevitaLift Triple Power Deep-Acting Moisturizer or Stila Face the Day Moisturizing Gel Cream at night to wake up with fresh, dewy, princess-like skin.

Braid it

Time: 5-7 minutes

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 styling cream (try Garnier Fructis Calm Down Anti-Frizz Cream or Living Proof Nourishing Styling Cream) 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—we love Kérastase Spray À Porter Beach Texture Spray. Whoever said bed head was a bad thing?

 

While You Sleep: Use 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 don’t grow—no one should be that lazy!

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.

Choose satin or silk

Time to indulge your inner princess—for maximum PM beautification, invest in a silk or satin pillowcase. Dr. Hooper says satin pillowcases can lessen wrinkle-inducing pressure on your skin, while Dr. Gohara recommends using a silk pillowcase to avoid hair breakage. Sorry, cotton – you’re just not cutting it.

What’s your go-to nighttime routine? Do you have any PM tricks and tips that make waking up easier? Tell us in the comments!

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