Let's face it: We all have the best intentions when it comes to our beauty routines—washing our faces before bed (every night), blowing out our hair, and keeping up with weekly manicures—but life, work, and, well, sheer laziness present some serious roadblocks. With that in mind, we've rounded up the latest and greatest products that help save precious minutes, not to mention tidy up the clutter below your bathroom sink.
HAIR ALL-IN-ONES
Style: If you love the idea of a full-on blowout every morning but end up running out the door with a damp ponytail on most days, it's time to rethink your tools. "This is the ultimate multitasker," says River Lloyd, stylist for the Serge Normant at John Frieda Salon in NYC, of the John Frieda Styling Tools by Conair Salon Shape Hot Air Brush, $40, a round brush/blowdryer/curling-iron hybrid that can be used on wet hair. "It works for every texture; the heated barrel gives both thick and fine hair just the right amount of movement."
Wash: If you have flakes—or even something as common as a tight scalp—know that the days of medicinal dandruff shampoos are over. Clear Scalp Hair Beauty Therapy Complete Care for Dandruff Prone Scalps Hair, $6, has pyrithione zinc, clinically proven to banish flakes, plus the vitamins and moisturizers you usually demand in a shampoo to keep hair strong and healthy. Bonus: It actually smells good!
Color: Stretch out time-sucking (and pricey) salon appointments with TouchBack Plus Color Shampoo, $30, which acts as a color-correcting glaze. "The product penetrates the hair follicle to deposit color back into your hair, adding depth and shine," claims Kristina Barricelli, co-owner of NYC's Gemini 14 salon. Use it to resuscitate faded color and balance brassiness.
Polish: The best way to save time at something is by not doing it at all. Stop the laborious daily wash-dry-style cycle by extending your blowout for three days. L'Oreal Paris Advanced Haircare Smooth Intense Frizz Taming Serum, $7, provides an invisible humidity barrier to keep your style smooth and shiny for 72 hours.
BODY WORK
Exfoliate: Combine three steps that tend to get cut when the clock is ticking: scrub, moisturize, perfume. Tocca Esfoliante da Corpo in Cleopatra, $32, is a hydrating body polish that softens skin with olive, safflower, and grape-seed oils, while leaving behind a delicate scent of grapefruit and cucumber.
Condition: Lotion is a necessary evil that so many women skip because putting it on is such a drag. "While it may seem cumbersome or messy, moisturizing every single day helps replenish the natural hydrating elements that impart a smooth texture and healthy appear-ance to the skin," says New York City dermatologist Dr. Hilary Reich. Check out Vaseline Aloe Fresh Spray Go Moisturizer, $6, a spray-on lotion and skin-softening miracle that takes 10 seconds to apply and soaks right in.
THE FIVE-MINUTE FACE
Perfect: Maybelline New York Instant Age Rewind: Eraser Dark Spot Concealer + Treatment, $10, has a sponge-tipped applicator that seemingly airbrushes uneven areas in seconds while vitamin C works to decrease the darkness over time, which means one day you'll be able to skip this step. Like!
Glow: Streamline your makeup routine with Pacifica Radiant Shimmer Coconut Multiples, $12, a foolproof, all-skin-tones-flattering palette. "Softly brush the bronze around the rims of the eyes," suggests bicoastal makeup artist Emily Kate Warren. "Blend the rosy hue onto cheeks and dab the pale pink shimmer on cheekbones and brow bones to highlight." Pat the coral or bronze onto lips and you're good to go.
Pout: Love the look of bold lipcolor but not stoked by the thought of having to reapply all day long? Enter Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro in 400, $32. "It's genius for busy women," explains makeup artist Tim Quinn. "One application wears all day, and by 7 p.m. the color is still even, though it's worn down to a stain." The moisturizing formula even nixes the need for lip balm.
SPOT TREAT
Brighten: The wait-for-10-minutes-while-drooling situation that is teeth whitening leaves little to be desired. Wouldn't it be easier to toss the Prime Time Smile Fast Easy Teeth Whitening Pen, $22, into your handbag and take five seconds to slick it on twice daily? It claims to whiten six shades in 10 days.
Decorate: We heart cool nail art, but it takes so long! Essie Sleek Stick stickers, $10, in jewel, lace, and animal prints, are easy to apply and look totally professional.
Shield: "When we think about protecting our skin from harmful UV rays and signs of aging, we often neglect our hands," says Short Hills, New Jersey, dermatologist Dr. Richie Lin. "We use hand creams to replenish moisture, so why not kill two birds with one stone and use a moisturizer with built-in SPF?" Hand Perfection Nourishing Day Cream SPF 15, $15, also has vitamin A, peptides, and hyaluronic acid to pack an antiaging punch.
Quick-Dry: Julep's Freedom Polymer Top Coat, $18, prevents chipping longer than traditional formulas, thanks to an innovative natural-light-activated polymer. It's not quite as enduring as a gel manicure, but you can take it off with regular remover instead of needing to soak your fingers in harsh acetone for 30 minutes.
SKINCARE 2.0
Cleanse: After a long day, it's easy to flop into bed without washing your face. But do you really want pore-clogging gunk sitting on your mug all night? Simple Exfoliating Facial Wipes, $6, gently cleanse and scrub all skin types in one swipe.
Treat: "Don't complicate your life with too many products," says Boca Raton dermatologist Dr. Marta Rendon. She recommends condensing the high-maintenance nighttime regimen into one does-it-all product. Goldfaden MD Wake Up Call, $80, is an ultra-creamy moisturizer that delivers antioxidant-rich red tea, retinol, skin-firming CoQ10, and hydrating grape-seed oil while you sleep.
Protect: Getting out the door in the morning is hard enough without having to slather on a separate moisturizer, sunscreen, and foundation. Peter Thomas Roth CC Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30, $48, contains brightening vitamin C, SPF 30, and a tint to even out your skin tone.
Target: We love roller balls, especially when they can help prevent lines around the two areas that show crinkles first. Airelle Berrimatrix Eye Lip Treatment, $68, plumps skin with hyaluronic acid and concentrated blueberry extract to help repair sun damage.
Moisturize: Loaded with fatty acids and vitamin E, Marula The Leakey Collection, $78, is a hydrating oil that you can use with a moisturizer, on cuticles, or to tame flyaways.