Friday, January 12, 2007

Bar Exam Beauty Ritual

Since I am still getting up at a horrific 10:00, I usually make it over to Border's at 11:00. I figured, since Border's opens at 10:00, it won't be TOO crowded by 11:00 and I can still get a good seat! And since I invested in this nifty new long term battery for my laptop, I don't even need to fight for the coveted seats next to the outlet! Yet, everyday, it seems that I barely get a seat. "Wow," I think, "These people must be lined up at the door at 10:00." After sharing a table with an older gentleman who kept asking me what I was studying, if I was married, etc. I happened to glance over and notice the hours of operation listed on the door. Border's opens at 9:00. WTF?! No wonder I can barely get a seat! I have to get here earlier!! Which leads me to the question...how can I speed up my morning getting-ready routine? Having worked these last months as an "associate," I used to wear suits, put on makeup, and use hair products every morning. I accessorized my bags, shoes, and jewelry meticulously. Granted, I enjoy my sleep so this took 30 minutes, tops, but it was still a concerted effort. In recent weeks, I've obviously downgraded this routine and cut this time in half. In chronological order:

1. Brush teeth with Sonicare toothbrush. Read fun romance novel while doing it because it takes 2 full minutes.
2. Haphazardly wash face with cleanser, focusing on T-zone because my cheeks are dry.
3. Apply moisturizer with SPF. Sometimes apply antioxidant serum.
4. Touch up eyebrows. This is a priority because they're very light and need to be darkened so I don't look weird.
5. Apply some Bare Escentuals mineral powder.
6. Put on some lip gloss and blush.
7. Shove hair into a ponytail.
8. Get dressed into sweats/yoga pants/sweatshirt/hoodie and go.

It takes about 15 minutes, give or take a few. I feel that I have pared down the getting-ready routine to a reasonable amount of time. Even if I cut it by 5 minutes or so, I think I need those 15 minutes of prep time to wake up, otherwise, I'm just stumbling into my car half asleep, thereby increasing my chances of getting into an accident and committing a tort.

What's your getting-ready routine like? What are the essentials? My fingernails are unpainted, I've barely shaved, and my hair gets washed every other day. The only item of jewelry I wear is my wedding ring, and all my high heels have dust on them. I hate socks, so all I wear are my Uggs. I rarely blow dry my hair. What else can I cut out of my routine? There's a fine line between wasting time on getting ready in the morning and performing some semblance of a ritual to look decent and feel better about yourself (Let's face it, we really need the confidence boost these days). Then again, why obsess over 15 minutes in a day when I waste hours reading novels at Borders?

1 comment:

Blonde Blogger said...

Oh my God, I am lucky if I get in the shower!! It has been so cold here, I haven't even been making to the library to study, I have been at my kitchen table. So, here it is, 12:30 Monday afternoon and I have not even showered yet!! You are way ahead of the game, my friend!