How much time and effort does everyone put into their appearance? I work 50-60 hours and I'm usually exhausted, so in the mornings, I usually toss my hair in a bun and go. But other women in leadership roles I come across always have hair and make-up done, who has time for this?

I blow out my hair and wear makeup each day. I have streamlined this and I can get ready in under an hour. IMO the no makeup and air dried hair look is ok in your 20s as long as you are neat, well dressed and put together. But I think it is hard to make that work in your 40s or older and can come across as disheveled.

Funny how some people say they used to put more effort in when they were younger. It's the opposite for me. When I was younger, I didn't really need to fix myself up as much. I wore very little makeup and just went with the natural look with my hair. Now that I'm aging, I've been trying to put more effort into the way I look. Anti-aging skincare and makeup products, taking the time to style my hair, wearing age and body-shape appropriate clothing. All of this makes me feel more confident about myself.

I make sure I look professional and that I feel pretty! 😍

I’m also in the throw my hair in a bun club, but I’ve mastered a 5 minute makeup routine. Check out the Ogee contouring sticks. I also use the Thrive Cosmetics eyeshadow sticks, mascara, and eyebrow brush.

5 minutes for makeup, 10 minutes for straightening hair twice a week. If I’m not straightening it or blowing it out, I put it up. I do a skincare routine each night, paint my own nails once a week (no time to get them done), cut and color 3x a year, and buy a few new pieces/donate clothes 2x a year. I think what I do is the absolute bare minimum to be presentable as a professional. Completely unfair as a woman but ingrained in me from my grandma, who at 93 still colors her hair regularly and puts on her full face daily.

When I’m remote (ie. on video) I do tinted spf/moisturizer, Ogee contouring sticks, Thrive eye shadow sticks. My hair luckily air dries decently well. Takes about 10 minutes. If I’m in person I add mascara, eyeliner and blow dry my hair, takes like 20 minutes. I have 2 kids so mornings are already chaos, this is the best I can manage. I do have a religious skin care routine in the evenings though, it helps me wind down after the littles are in bed.

Ok tell me more about these ogee sticks. I might need them. Same with Thrive

No more Clinique :) (kidding not kidding I’ve gotten back into them because lipsticks cheaper so I don’t feel bad having one in every pocket…)

I am high maintenance to be low maintenance- lots of skincare and treatments but very little makeup that takes 10 mins or less. I shower and blow dry at night and curl/ or straighten style in the AM. The whole morning routine is under 25 min and if I sleep particularly well and can skip hair styling only 10. I also hate mornings and need sleep… and the meetings start by 7am… so this is my best solution.

Heatless curls; 5-10 min of make-up; bi-weekly gel mani and monthly gel pedi; Rent the Runway; nice earrings. I find this combo to be time-efficient with two kids and gets me to 80% put-together 😂

For work from home days I have a couple of like old navy dresses I wear to feel dressed but also not be spending in cloths no one sees. Necklaces make you look and feel all dressed up even with a t shirt

Also on zoom. Bright lipstick like I’d never wear in real life. Makes you look super out together.

I’ll admit, my skincare routine takes longer than my makeup. I learned from a French fashion exec/formal model that if the hair is on point, the makeup can be minimal- and that was a game changer for me. Straighten the hair every day (takes 2 min). Skincare takes 15 min or so. Makeup consists of: Tinted sunscreen, mascara, colored gloss, brows, blush. Done in 5.

Makeup can be done in about 5 minutes: moisturizer, concealer, swipe of shadow and blush, eyeliner, and mascara on top only. Microblading my eyebrows cut makeup time in half. Wash hair 3 times per week max, wash at night if you’ll be in a hurry the next morning. Curl with Nume curling wand ~ 12 minutes. Or dry straight with Revlon One Step: under 10 minutes. No product necessary. This is for long hair (and I get compliments). Bun sometimes. Would help if I’d plan outfit the night before. Had a junior colleague who planned all outfits on Sundays; she was the best dressed person I’ve worked with.

I take really good care of my skin so I don’t need to wear makeup most days. I spend two minutes on eyeliner and if needed, throw on some blush. I only wash and blow out my hair every few days, and I plan for those so I schedule later calls, don’t have to get my kids out early, etc. it’s hard - there’s a lot of pressure on us as women to be everything and look perfect while doing it all.

When I was younger, I used to put much more time into how I looked every morning. When I had my first child, that all changed. I think I just figured out how to get ready faster. Now, most days, I can get ready in about 20 minutes and still look presentable.

My super-fine and straight hair is barely shoulder length so no bun for me. It doesn’t hold a curl no matter what, so I keep it brushed and neat, that’s as good as it will ever get. Cut and color every 7 weeks.

Nails done like clockwork every two weeks - it’s the only thing that keeps me from chewing them.

Barely ever wear makeup other than eyeliner, mascara and lip gloss although I admire those who can wear it well without being overdone. Just not my thing.

I put on eyeliner and that’s it.

I get my hair blown once a week (it lasts all week and I work while they do it) and then it’s just make up and getting dressed in the am.

It takes me ~45 min to shower and get ready for work, but I can do it in 30 min if I have to. I’m not showing up for work without doing my hair and make-up. I don’t do or wear a lot, but my hair is so fine that I have to blow it dry daily to have any lift at all.

What is your budget for it? A lot of it depends on that!
My "secret" is to care for my skin and hair. Every 3 weeks I spend a day coloring and straightening my hair, get my nails done, and have a facial. This makes for my daily routine and beauty budget lower than it could be. Hair takes me 10 seconds (literally) after my shower as opposed to an hour. Makeup takes me 3 minutes at most - I use a moisturizing cc cream, mascara, and lipstick most days - powder and eyeliner at times.

I also like crown affair, the powder based dry shampoo.