Need an idea of realistic time frame for morning routine

[kerry1379]

Hi all!
For those women that "do" their hair and makeup each morning-how long does it take?

After many, many years of raising young kids and a special needs kid that required me being up most of the night to attend to his health issues, I realized that those kids are older now and my special needs kid's health issues have lessened. I stood in front of the mirror the other day and thought, "I have time to do my hair and makeup!" And...I realized that I no longer know how! When I try, it seems to take a very long time. I can't recall from my younger years if that is just due to my novice ability and it will improve with practice or if my expectations are not realistic. I figure with a shower (15 minutes) and blow drying my hair (10 minutes), everything should take about 45 minutes.

Thanks all!

 

[okeydokey]

I am in and out of the shower, makeup and hair (blow dry and straight iron) done in 30 minutes.

 

[fla4fun]

For an average workday morning, I allow an hour. Sometimes 45 minutes is enough and sometimes I need the whole hour. That has been one good thing about working from home - ten minutes in the shower and off to the computer.

 

[tvguy]

Depends on the hair style, and extent of makeup.

My wife needs about 15 minutes to brush teeth, do her hair and makeup. But she insists on a hair style and makeup that only take 10 minutes.

She showers the night before on Doctor's orders. She has allergies and washing all that pollen and mold off rather than lay in bed with it all night has made an amazing distance in her allergies.

Her indulgence is she insists on having 45 minutes each morning to wake up, eat breakfast and read. So she gets up 90 minutes before she has to be at work (20 minute drive, and she is still working in an office, no remote working). Make up and hair are the least time consuming part of her routine.

 

[sam_gordon]

Hi all!
For those women that "do" their hair and makeup each morning-how long does it take?

After many, many years of raising young kids and a special needs kid that required me being up most of the night to attend to his health issues, I realized that those kids are older now and my special needs kid's health issues have lessened. I stood in front of the mirror the other day and thought, "I have time to do my hair and makeup!" And...I realized that I no longer know how! When I try, it seems to take a very long time. I can't recall from my younger years if that is just due to my novice ability and it will improve with practice or if my expectations are not realistic. I figure with a shower (15 minutes) and blow drying my hair (10 minutes), everything should take about 45 minutes.

Thanks all!

If it's been a while since you've done it, yes, I would anticipate it taking longer than "normal". But, to start with, budget for how long it took you now. If it takes you 45 minutes, you budget 45 minutes, and if it ends up only taking you 15, you're ahead of the game. Adjust your budget as you get used to the routine and get faster.

 

[disneychrista]

I just can’t imagine taking up to an hour each morning to do hair and makeup. I’ve never really been a hair doer. My hair is straight and doesn’t hold a curl. So it is brush and go. I also don’t wear make up often and when I do it is only a bit of eye shadow and maybe liner.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Bathroom, shower, brush teeth, hair, makeup about an hour. I give myself an extra thirty minutes to diddle around. Maybe throw a load in the washer, pack lunch, clean something the kids messed up the night before. I do NOT like to feel rushed so I give myself extra leisurely time. If not my day is thrown off.

I have a lot of hair that’s curly/wavy. It’s not wash and go. Something needs to be done to it daily or I’ll just look homeless.

I get up at 5 am if I’m working out and 6 am if I’m not working out. I leave by 7:30.

 

[Southernmiss]

Up at 6:30. Out the door by 7:50. I work 10 minutes from home.

Takes me less than 30 minutes to shower, do make up, and blow dry my hair. Some days, I don't blow dry it. Just leave it wet while I make lunch, do last dishes in sink, make a green smoothie, throw a load in the wash, and set a meat out for dinner. I brush it right before leaving.

Secret is to find an easy for you hairstyle you like.

 

[CdnCarrie]

I spend maybe 30-40 minutes - showering, choose outfit, brushing teeth, putting in product and combing out long hair, using hair straightener, bit of makeup. Then another 30 minutes pouring coffee in travel mug, packing lunch and waking up. I get up (when working in office) 75 minutes before I left for work. Working at home I get up 45 minutes before work.

 

[disney212]

I'm up at 5, take out the dogs, shower, wash hair and do makeup, get second pot of coffee going and put the first out in the carafe, I drink decafe and DH drinks regular, dressed by 5:30. Drink coffee, feed dogs, watch news and check email until 6:15. Use the blow dryer on my bangs take dogs out again, put coffee cup in dishwasher and our on dress shoes, Give dogs a treat and out the door by 6:30. Actual hair and makeup is about 15 minutes but I do let my hair hair dry for almost an hour. I'm lucky to have wavy hair so I don't spend long on it. I've done the same routine my entire career so I've gotten fast it. I follow the same routine on the weekend and vacations. Never have I gone a day without hair and makeup. It makes me hapoy.

 

[easyas123]

Does time spent unloading the dishwasher or doing a load of laundry count?!?!

My hair is very kinky/curly. I shower, and hit my hair till half dry w/ a diffuser. Oil of Olay is the fanciest it gets, I don't (usually) wear makeup normally - workdays or weekends. So I guess I'd say I'm up and out of the house in 90 minutes? BUT I am also a up, poor a cup of coffee, watch the morning local news kinda gal. And I work 5 minutes from the office, so the pressure isn't exactly on.

 

[Christine]

I have a short hairstyle. Doesn't mean it's easy, but it does dry relatively quickly. Pre-pandemic, I was up at about 4:10AM and out the door at 5:10am. But this includes:
Shower (maybe 7 minutes)
Go down stairs to take thyroid meds and prescription eye drops
Feed dog
Back upstairs, put on clothes for work (at least my top)
Do makeup (I use Bare Minerals, eye liner, shadow, blush, mascara) 5 minutes
Put products in hair and then style (probably the longest process at about 15 minutes)
Put on hose and skirt or just pants.
Go back downstairs and get work bag ready and loaded up with breakfast/lunch items
Let dog out quickly, bring back in and put dog in crate.

All that takes me about 50 minutes, give or take.

 

[fly girl]

I give myself 1 hour and ten minutes from alarm to out the door. I don't always need that time, but some mornings I am a turtle and need every second.

 

[OneOftheB's]

I have curly hair, so my routine varies. If I am diffusing my hair, that's 20 minutes minimum to get it to the point where I can let it dry the rest of the way without being frizzy or flat. If I'm going with a pony tale (because I go to the gym or because I live in GA and it's hot or it's rainy) then I'm much quicker. Most mornings I give myself 50 minutes to shower, put on at least basic make up, get the kids going and packed for school and walk out the door. I don't include the time I take to eat breakfast and drink coffee, because I will linger given the opportunity.

 

[ronandannette]

Not counting that morning is when I have my quiet time, I need at least 45 minutes to get ready and out the door; I'm safer with an hour if I'm washing my hair. I only wash it 3 times a week, not every day and since I'm totally not a shower person, I bathe in the evenings because a morning bubble bath would just be weird.

I've got a short, textured haircut so I need to actually "do it" every day but it doesn't take long just to touch it up - 5 or 10 minutes. I do a full cleansing/skin-care routine in the mornings and use a little cream foundation. I always use a pencil liner and mascara but never eye shadow. By habit I do blush last and then fluff some setting powder over everything. There's 25 minutes gone and my biggest time-suck is figuring out something to wear and usually having to iron it.

OP - if you're not rushing for the door to go to work I'd actually spend as much time as you need to figure out the look you want, including the suggestion up-thread that you think about a new hairstyle. Once you know how you want to look you'll get quicker and more efficient with it the more often you do it.