From The Straits Times    |

Mornings can be tough, we feel you. Personally I’m not a morning person, I’d love to be able to swan into the office every morning, half an hour early with my make-up fully done and having already worked out for an hour at the gym, but alas, that’s not me. If you’re also not quite at superwoman levels yet (or even if you are) here are simple ways to streamline your morning routine so you can get out of the house faster every single day!

Image: Showbit.com, Nicole Warne at Paris Fashion Week SS16

#1 Take your coffee to go (and not just when you’re at Starbucks) 

Even if you’re making your coffee at home, invest in a thermos cup (there are some pretty ones in our festive gift guide) so you can make it to go, or buy yummy cold brews in advance from Oriole or supermarket Starbucks frappuccinos so you don’t have to spend precious minutes queuing for your morning brew! 

#2 Make your breakfast as powerful as can be
Smoothies are excellent breakfast plans when you’re in a hurry. They’re yummy and can be made in 5 minutes, just make sure to pick up the ingredients the night before or a couple of days in advance so you can bang it all in and blend to go! If you’re super organised, wash cut and freeze your fruit and veg the weekend before so you can just pop it in and go! See our recommendations for super yummy and nutritious smoothies here. 

#3 Focus on your skincare, not your make-up
You’ll know that our resident beauty experts, Alyssa and Eugene, are skincare gurus. If you take the time once a week to use a purifying mask and keep a good skincare regime (especially in the evening as your skin regenerates yourself overnight as you sleep) you’ll spend a lot less time covering up blemishes and applying makeup in the morning, hey, maybe you can forgo it altogether (if you’re that blessed, lucky you)! 

#5 Make your make-up work extra hard for you
So many beauty products can be used for more than what they’re intended for, case in point, Jessica Alba often speaks about how she uses her cream blush as a dab-on lipstick as well, the matching flush is super pretty too! If you just add a slick of mascara, you’ll look fresh and polished as can be. 

#6 Invest in a steamer 
Hand or standing steamers are amazing, there’s a reason why they’re fashion’s secret weapon. No need to pull out your ironing board and they get out creases in an instant, they’re actually a better investment than an iron and board full stop!

#7 Buy a purse organiser
Purse organisers are amazing inventions which sit inside any bag with your essentials (e.g keys, wallet, phone, lipstick) and can be easily lifted in and out of any bag you use! This is an essential if you’re a serial bag changer and don’t use the same bag for everyday! A roomy makeup bag  also works beautifully. These are essentials for those of you who don’t want to end up locked out of your apartment or without your phone due to your serial bag-changing habits …

If you’re looking for more life hacks, see our how to guide on unwrinkling your clothes without an iron!