No matter how crazy life gets, your beauty routine should not suffer from a time crunch. Even if you only have a few minutes each day to indulge yourself, you will look and feel better if you take the time to maintain five important beauty habits every day and week. Studies have shown that by taking the time to look your best, you will feel more confident and perform better on daily tasks. So what are you waiting for? Get started on the basics – time is of the essence, after all!

Skin Care for the Overscheduled

When you are under stress, your skin often suffers first. Take care of this most important part of your body with a few key basics. First, wear sunscreen everyday. Yes, you are probably thinking that you have heard this mantra before, but are you making sunscreen a daily habit? Besides the obvious benefit of reducing your skin cancer risk, you are also prolonging the effects of aging that the sun’s rays can accelerate. Get a bottle of sun protection, keep it on your bathroom counter, and get in the habit of applying it every morning.

Another important step that you can take for your skin is to exfoliate and moisturize regularly. Exfoliation only needs to be done once or twice a week, to remove the dead cells that can dull the skin. Moisture should be added to your skin daily, with special attention paid to the problem areas like the hands, feet and lips. Keep a bottle of moisturizer next to your sunscreen for daily use, and add a tube to your purse and next to every sink in the house for fast and frequent treatments.

Finally, one of the best beauty habits to benefit your complexion is removing your makeup every night before bed. Taking off this daily coating has many benefits, including reducing breakouts and preventing eye infections. For most makeup, a good cleansing with a product formulated for your skin type will do the trick, but waterproof makeup will require special removers to truly get your face clean.

Nurture your Smile

Oral care is about more than getting a clean bill of health at the dentist’s office; it also results in a prettier smile and fresher breath. No matter how busy you get, don’t let your teeth feel the heat. Brush two or three times a day, and floss every night. For a brighter smile, you can use a whitening product overnight as well. A healthy mouth will lead to a prettier and healthier you.

Give Yourself a Hand

Well manicured nails say a lot about how well you care for yourself, so make sure yours are giving the right impression. No time for a full manicure? A quick shaping with an emery board and a coat of clear polish can do the trick. Make sure that you keep all of your nails at the same length and keep a file in your purse for quick touch-ups.

Beauty doesn’t have to be a full-time job. With a few key habits in your daily routine, you will always be ready to put your prettiest foot forward.

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