Skip to main contentSkip to footer
Beauty Collective
Cream, moisturizer and facial black woman in skincare, beauty or cosmetics promotion on white wall background. Face, calm and gen z people or model lotion, essential oil or moisturizer for skin care© Getty Images

How I cut my beauty routine down to 2 minutes

HELLO!'s Beauty Collective shares how they speed up their morning routines

Melanie Macleod
Wellness Editor
January 27, 2025
Share this:

In our busy lives, anything that saves us a little time is appreciated. While we'd love to lavish time on our beauty routine in the morning, the reality is, the quicker the better.

This week, HELLO!'s Beauty Collective shares their biggest beauty time savers for a speedy morning routine – take notes!

Donna Francis: The speedy hair smoother

woman smiling with dark brown hair and a floral dress

"I'll do anything to save time when it comes to drying my hair, which is why I've used Aquis hair turbans for years.

"The genius water-wicking fabric absorbs so much moisture that even after wearing it for a few minutes, my blow-drying time goes down to around 10 minutes. Plus, it cuts out frizz so if I want to finish by air drying, my natural waves are smooth and shiny."

Glynis Barber: The two-minute hair reviver

woman smiling for a selfie in a cream top

"For me, a bad hair day is a bad day full stop. No matter what I wear or what makeup I put on, if my hair isn't right, I'm not going to feel right.

"So, when I'm in a hurry, my priority is always my hair. I'm not talking perfectly tidy or styled or anything fancy here. It just has to be flattering. What it boils down to is a good haircut and an easy-to-use gadget.

MORE FROM GLYNIS: I look 10 years younger thanks to this one trick 

"My hair has a slight wave in it. As I'm no good at blow drying, when I wash my hair, I twist it in strands to help accentuate the curl and then scrunch it with a towel. I then blow hot air on it to dry. This is quick and fuss-free and leaves me with a natural beachy wave. But only for a day.

"The next day it looks flat with hardly any wave and often a little frizzy. This used to mean washing it all over again or going out with an unflattering mop (I once went like this to an audition and the casting director said, "That's very brave of you.").

Woman taking a selfie in a denim shirt
Glynis keeps her hair routine simple

"My hair styling routine changed when I discovered a funny-looking, bobbled curling wand. I was scrolling through Instagram and saw it on my feed and it looked foolproof. I'm no good with traditional curling tongs but this one is super easy. It's by Lee Stafford and it has bobbles all the way down.

Woman with dark nails holding a pink bobbled hair curler
Glynis's bobble curler is easy to use

"You just wrap your hair round each bobble for a few seconds and you get a loose wave. It's so easy that even I can do it. This gadget has been life-changing. It means I can revive my curls for many days after washing it. Even by doing just a few strands of hair, it gives my hair a lovely curl and revives the style. Two minutes and I'm ready to go."

GLYNIS' ADVICE: I totally changed my skincare routine when I turned 60 – see 10 products I swear by 

Ateh Jewel: The beauty multi-tasker

woman smiling in pink

"I love makeup - the ritual of it, the playfulness and creativity.

"Back in the day, I used to spend hours creating looks just for fun but now I'm a hardworking single mum of 13-year-old twin daughters, I want the same fun but don't have the time.

"Enter celebrity makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes' Hyper Shine Serum. I love to use this non-sticky and very chic serum mixed with my Ateh Jewel Blush of Dreams to create a glossy editorial eyeshadow in next to no time.

"I also pop it on top of matte lipstick to give a great glossy finish and on the top of cheekbones to highlight. I even mix it with glitter dust for my décolletage when it's party time.

"On days I have zero time I use the serum solo on eyelids, and cheekbones with my blush on cheeks and lips with some mascara and I feel pulled together and polished. The Hyper Shine Serum juggles just as hard as me!"

Melanie Macleod: The post-shower trick

Melanie rates 111 Haley St.'s Glass Skin treament

"I pride myself on moisturing my body twice daily - once post-shower in the morning, and before bed too. I've been doing this for 20 years, so it's more a habit than anything else.

"However, sometimes in the morning I'm in a rush and I curse myself for this extra step which I don't want to skip but also don't have time for. Enter Sanctuary Spa's Wet Skin Miracle Moisturiser. You apply it to dripping wet skin, before towelling off, then dry yourself as normal and get dressed - ideal for time-pressed mornings. The scent lingers all day, and my skin is silky soft - plus I'm ready faster.

"If I run out of Sanctuary's product, I use a body oil applied to wet skin for the same speedy moisturising effect - though it doesn't allow me to get dressed as fast, hence why Sanctuary is such a winner."

Vanese Maddix: For extra time in bed

Beautiful woman smiling

"As someone who lives for being cosy, if I find a time-saving beauty trick that helps me secure a few extra minutes in bed, I'm all over it. One thing I swear by in my beauty routine is an SPF, not only for protection but also one that doubles up as my moisturiser and primer, essentially a 3-in-1.

"My only requirement is that any SPF I use has to leave me glowy. Some of my favourites include COSRX Aloe Soothing Sunscreen SPF50 PA+++, Coco & Eve Daily Watergel SPF50 and The Inkey List Polyglutamic Acid Dewy Sunscreen SPF30.

"I apply my SPF as directed, as the last step in my skincare routine but before makeup. Once I apply my makeup, it truly glides on with a nice illuminating glow from my SPF. It's especially nice for early morning looks when it's too early for highlighter, but I still want the light to reflect on the high points of my face."

Lydia Mormen: The curl refresher

Lydia debuted her new look at London Fashion Week

"My biggest time-saving beauty hack may sound simple, but getting a misting bottle for my hair completely revolutionised my routine. I used to wet my hair every day in the shower and either let it air dry or diffuse it to refresh my curls.

"If this sounds like you, you need a hair mister. I mix a tiny bit of conditioner with water in mine and spritz it onto my curls to give them a refresh in the mornings without having to drench my whole head and it saves so much time."

Sidra Imtiaz: For fast drying

sidra selfie

"I'm always looking for ways to save time when it comes to beauty - I love the getting ready process but other than special occasions, I'm not one to wake up early and dedicate an hour.

"On my wedding day, I was gifted the Dyson Supersonic Hairdryer by my parents and three years later it remains one of the biggest game changers to my routine.

"It's shaved off around a third of the time it used to take to blow dry my hair, and gives a shiny, sleek finish which means I can often skip other tools. It comes with a steep price tag but is an investment, the time saved really adds up and you’ll find yourself hard-pushed to go back to other hairdryers!"

Beatriz Colon: The in-shower tanner

headshot of a young woman in a white shite and a tweed waistcoat

"Jergens' Wet Skin Natural Glow In Shower Lotion is the low-thought, low-effort beauty buy that speeds up my routine the most. It's the easiest way to maintain a bronzed look in the dreary winter months when I'm pale as a ghost. 

"It truly is self-tanning for dummies, as it's a gradual product that you can use straight out of the shower, you pat yourself dry after using and in a few hours, without having thought of it or putting barely any effort, your glow is back."

Transform your routine with expert advice from our beauty and wellness team

By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User Data Protection Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information, please click here.

More Beauty

See more