Make your morning routine more than mediocre

20 Jul 2010 05:00 AM | Posted by bh'sOlivia

I believe that no beauty ritual should be viewed as a chore - especially those that have to be done once a day or more. Which is why the moment I looked at my cleanser and toner bottles and sighed, I knew something had to be done.

Now, I’m sure you’ll agree that every time you lay down for a facial or treatment, you’re automatically on an express train to cloud nine. Is it the candlelit surroundings and soothing ocean music? Or is it simply the care that the therapist takes with your face (even though she’s essentially just cleansing, toning, moisturising for the majority of the treatment)?

Either way, I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve to ensure that your morning routine is far from tedious:

-    Take your time. This means not just slathering a pad with cleanser and smooshing it over your face. My trick  is to fill up your sink with warm water, add a few drops of a nice essential oil and take in the scent as you begin your beauty routine.
-    Make it comfortable. Don’t rub your eyes with a make-up wipe. Rather, dip your pads into warm water before adding cleanser and pressing the pads over your eyes to remove stubborn makeup.
-    Swipe, don’t tug. Your complexion is delicate – you wouldn’t see beauty therapists tugging at that delicate skin – so make sure you swipe your cleanser over your eyes and face in long, graceful motions so you feel as though you’re being seen to by a professional.

Olivia x

What is your trick to feeling salon-quality at home?