I’m a busy mom with two toddlers and a newborn. I don’t have time to do much for myself in the morning between changing diapers, convincing everyone to actually eat breakfast, and making sure everyone is wearing a pair of shoes (bonus points if there is a right AND a left shoe and they actually match!) To say mornings are complete chaos is an understatement.
And now that kids are about to head back to school, mornings are about to get a whole lot more chaotic. It’s no wonder so many moms put themselves on the back burner- I did too for many years. And yet, I still wanted to feel confident and put together when I left the house instead of like the hot mess express I felt like 24/7.
That’s why I created this 10-minute morning routine for busy moms. This routine is all for YOU- I'm going to show you how you can feel like a million bucks when you leave the house without spending a million bucks… or spending more than 10 minutes on it.
When should I start this morning routine?
IF you can manage to get up before your kids do, this will be a great time to do the routine. If, on the other hand, you're like me and your toddler is your alarm clock (since you accidentally shut off the real one) and you're running late before you even get started, you can also do this between changing diapers and getting everyone else ready to go.
I'm a busy mom- I don't have time for an elaborate self-care routine.
Now, before we go any further, let's just get one thing clear. This isn't supposed to be a self-care routine necessarily, and as you'll see, it cuts some corners. If you have more time, feel free to add more to it. But this is my bare-bones, absolute minimum routine to help you leave the house and never have to hear someone say “gosh you look so tired” ever again.
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The Busy Mom's 10 Minute Morning Routine:
- Braid your hair the night before. Now I'm not a big “plan ahead” kind of person, but this is one thing I do at night to help pull off this quick morning routine in the morning. Wet or dry, clean or dirty (ahem, dry shampoo…), I throw my hair into a single, quick, imperfect French braid. Then, when I wake up in the morning, I undo the braid and instantly look like I spent more than 2 seconds on my hair. If I’m really feeling fancy, I may spritz it with a dash of hairspray and give it a quick scrunch, but that’s 2.0 level.
- Start your coffee. If you need coffee to function in the morning, do not skip this step! Get it brewing before you do anything else so you don't run out of time and end up having to skip out on your morning brew entirely (ask me how I know this…).
- Run a baby wipe over your face. I know I'm going to get flack for this one, but I'm just being honest. I don't have time for an elaborate skincare routine in the morning when I'm trying to get out the door, or even to wash my face most days. So instead of doing nothing at all for my skin, I cleanse it quickly with a baby wipe, which is in no short supply around my house these days. If you have more than 10 minutes to get yourself ready in the morning, you can totally replace this step with washing your face in an actual sink instead (you lucky duck!).
- Apply magnetic eyeliner + lashes. I'll be honest with you, this is the biggest contributor to looking and feeling put together, no matter what's actually going on. If you've never worn magnetic lashes and liner before, I recommend trying them out for the first time when you're NOT in a hurry, because sometimes you need to make a few tweaks to get the fit just right. But once you know what you're doing, it's super easy. Apply 2 coats of the liner, wait for it to dry for 2 minutes (do the next step while you wait), then pop the lashes on. Boom. INSTANT eye lift! (Need help choosing a style? I've got you covered! Send me a quick message or join my private lash Facebook group and I can help you out!)
- Dab on some eye cream and concealer. While you're waiting the 2 minutes for your magnetic eyeliner to dry, dab on your eye cream followed by concealer if you want/need it. The eye cream is playing the long game to help reduce puffiness, fine lines, and dark circles. I'm currently loving this one from Aloette Cosmetics. But let's be honest, as an over-tired, busy mom, you need the quick fix too. Enter concealer. My favorite is this one from Tori Belle Cosmetics.
- Undo your braid. I don't really need to explain this one further…
- Pour your coffee into a travel mug. Luckily you started making it in step 1, so once it's done, and you're done with your own routine and getting everyone else ready and out the door, don't forget to grab that coffee. You earned it!
This 10-minute morning routine is perfect for busy moms who want to look put together but don’t have the time or patience to do anything more than the bare minimum, especially when rushing around trying to get the kids to school on time. If you're still running out of the house with a messy bun, tired eyes, and no coffee, it's time to give this routine a try!
