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One thing about me is that if I can find a way to cut my timings uncomfortably fine, you best believe I will. No matter how hard I try — or how good my intentions are — I always seem to be in a chaotic rush. It’s a personality flaw that I’ve really been working on this year, and so far, it’s been paying off, meaning I’m your go-to gal for time-saving tips and tricks.
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From hair styling tools and multitasking cosmetic products that have really helped me whizz through my morning routine, to handy gadgets and home appliances that feel like they’ve been designed with chaotic people like me in mind, here are some of my most trusted time-saving buys...
1
Attach a nifty Tile Mate to your keys so you can always quickly track them down
Whether they’re at the bottom of your bag, or across the other side of the city, you’ll always be able to find out exactly where your keys are with this handy bluetooth tracker.
2
Wear a heatless curler while you sleep, and you’ll wake up with gorgeous waves
Crafted from 100% mulberry silk, this innovative curling rod will give you smooth and silky curls — all while you get your beauty sleep! Before you go to bed, simply wrap your slightly damp hair around the roller and secure it on each end with a scrunchie, and you’ll wake up with bouncy locks.
3
For achieving a bouncy blowout in half the time, I always use a hot air styling brush
My hair has absolutely no body to it, so I like to make sure it’s been properly blow dried and styled with a round brush before I go out. But this can be a really time consuming process — so I often use a hot air styler like this when I’m in a rush.
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4
And this volumising foam makes my limp hair far better at holding its shape
Particularly at my roots, my hair really likes to make me work for any volume. But since I started applying this cult-favourite mousse to my damp tresses before using any heat, my hair has been so much easier to work with.
5
Hydrate your body in a hurry with this gorgeous in-shower moisturiser
When I’m already running behind on time, making the time to moisturise my body after I’ve showered can be really tricky. A great solution, this moisturiser just needs to be applied to wet skin immediately after you’ve showered, and then you towel dry as normal. It’s genius!
6
Avoid the chaos of evening cooking by making your meals in the mornings
If you’re no stranger to the odd exercise class after work, then you’ll know how rubbish it is when you get home afterwards, and have to start cooking a whole meal from scratch. Therefore, so I don’t spend the whole evening rushing around, I often slow cook my meals throughout the day.
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7
To relieve redness and even out your skin tone in an instant, try this treatment
A real game changer for redness, irritation, and uneven complexions, this nourishing and neutralising cream boasts an innovative colour-changing capsule that adapts to your skin tone, transforming from a light green tone to a neutral beige. The best colour corrector I’ve found, it gives me just enough coverage on those days where I don’t have time for foundation.
8
This spray will quickly get the creases out of that shirt you don’t have time to iron
Just realised the shirt you want to wear is creased or wrinkled? Simply spray it with this clever spray until its slightly damp, pull and straighten out the fabric, and hang it up to dry while you finish getting ready.
9
Make greasy hair look good-as-new with this amazing dry shampoo
Forgo the faff of doing a full-on hair wash by refreshing your tresses with this dreamy stuff instead. Unlike other dry shampoos, this advanced one actually removes oil, sweat, and odour so it’ll both look and feel clean.
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10
For a quick breakfast to enjoy on-the-go, get this personal smoothie maker
There is nothing quite like a fresh smoothie first thing in the morning, and so long as you have all the ingredients in the fridge beforehand, they are ideal for brekkie on the go. This smoothie maker also saves you on the washing up by using the portable bottle as the mixing compartment.
11
If you’re always oversleeping, then a sunrise alarm clock will make waking up easier
Sick of your alarm clock waking you with an obnoxiously loud sound? Me too. However, this sunrise alarm clock mimics the sun coming up in the morning to gently wake you from your slumbers feeling refreshed, meaning you're less likely to hit snooze.
12
This blendable and buildable cream blush is so quick and easy to apply
If you’re always in a rush, then this cream blusher will make a worthwhile addition to your make-up routine. It’s got a really buildable and blendable formula that’s easy to apply on-the-go, and it just melts seamlessly into the skin.
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13
Get a daily planner that’s also got space for writing out your schedule
In this undated day-per-page planner, you can make a note of your schedule, write out any urgent priorities, and even keep track of your meals. I don’t know about you, but I find that physically writing down my schedule makes me far more likely to stick to it.
14
Make Alexa into your personal assistant by purchasing an Amazon device
Far more special than your average smart speaker, this one comes with amazing Alexa, too. Perfect for helping you stick to your schedule, you can ask Alexa to check the weather, set alarmed reminders, and start timers – all by just speaking to her.
15
To speed up the drying time, wear a microfibre hair towel after washing your hair
As well as keeping my hair fully out of my face while I’m doing my skincare and make-up, this nifty microfibre towel has been made with super fine and soft fibres that absorb water really quickly, and leave my hair far less frizzy.
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16
Save time in the mornings by getting a coffee machine you can set up the night before
Take making a coffee off of your morning to-do list with this affordable machine. It has a 24-hour programmable timer, and will brew your coffee straight into a stainless steel travel mug that you can take with you.
17
Or use a SwitchBot to turn the machine you’ve got into a more programmable one
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – but that doesn’t mean you can’t modernise it! Rather than swapping out my precious coffee machine for one with a timer, I’ve stuck this clever button pusher right next to the ‘On’ button, and use the app to set it up to turn my machine on at a certain time every morning.
18
Have claw clips on hand for those days where you don’t have time to style your hair
With their oversized style, and gorgeous butterfly shape, these gorgeous claw clips will ensure you look put-together even when you haven’t had the time to properly style your hair. You get four in a pack, and they come in light pink, jade green, brown, and grey.
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19
A handheld fan is essential for cooling yourself down if you’re always rushing around
Whether you’re trying to set your make-up in a rush, or simply need to cool down after sprinting for the tube, this mini portable fan will definitely come in handy.