I’d love to wake up like Beyoncé, but I’ve accepted the fact that firstly, I will never wake up next to Jay-Z and nor will I ever be able to sing in tune; no matter how much of a survivor I think I am. Although there are certain things to assist you in waking up looking flawless. I’ll break it down for you:
Hair
Before I go to bed I gather my hair and twist it round into a bun. Secure with a bobble and sleep on it. The longer the hair the better for this one. If you have layers or shorter hair, try doing two Miley Cyrus style buns on either side of your head. When you wake up you should have a romantic style wave to your hair.
You can also leave your hair in a head towel overnight when it’s only slightly damp, this should give your hair lots more volume in the roots.
Hot oil treatments are great, especially the longer you leave them. Wash your hair on a night, condition your hair as normal, then put the oil on mid-lengths to ends and leave to dry off a bit. When your hair is still damp, wrap a towel round, give a blast over with your hair dryer to open the cuticles and rinse off in the morning. Sometimes requires two rinses with shampoo to take the residue off. If your hair still feels heavy after washing, give it another rinse.
Skin
This means night cream, if you haven’t already got one, get one! Night creams are specifically designed for overnight repair and care. Their requirements are different to day creams in that they aim to soothe the daily stresses which include pollution, cell damage and exposure to artificial heating/cooling systems.
Dry feet and hands? Rub a few layers of cream into your hands and feet and put socks on them. This works as a one-time rule, but I wouldn’t do it all the time as your skin does need to breathe.
Avocado is really nourishing: you can make a multi-purpose mask with just the fruit. Just mush it up and apply to your face and hair. It’s great for the under-eye area which suffers the most, as the skin is so thin. If you don’t fancy sleeping in this one, try and leave it for at least 30 minutes before washing off.
With the fleeting sunshine, it’s important to be prepared when it does show. If you’re like me and you go a bit alabaster/jaundiced in the winter, then you will need to tan. I have found a new favourite tanner and I am not one to tan too often, as it usually ends in disastrous results. I got some Fake Bake from TK Maxx and it is SO good. It doesn’t smell like biscuits or curry. Exfoliate beforehand, moisturise elbows and knees and you’re good to go!
Nails
It may be scientific fact, but who knows: waking up with polished and preened nails is guaranteed flawlessness. For an extra pamper and procrastination/revision break follow this guide. Soak your hands first and then exfoliate them either with body exfoliator, or you can just mix sugar into your soapy water. Dry your hands and get a cuticle stick – or similar – and push back your cuticle. Your cuticle is the fleshy white thing that grows onto the top of your nail. You might need to clip back the stray bits; that sounds brutal but it honestly doesn’t hurt. When painting nails make sure you take the varnish right to the end and underneath. This means that your varnish won’t chip so readily. TIP: Always apply an undercoat to protect the nail and a topcoat to guarantee its longevity for all your effort.
