7 skincare essentials for speeding up your morning beauty routine.

Confession: I suck at complicated skincare.  

The ingredients confuse me and I never know what order they are meant to go in... it's like a language I can't quite master. (Please tell me I'm not alone?)

As a result, I'm all about a simple routine. Especially in the mornings. 

There's just so much to DO when you have to get ready for the world but there never seems like enough time to do it.

Luckily over the years, I've gathered a few simple tips from our You Beauty podcast and I THINK I've managed to strike the balance for the perfect, quick and glowy morning routine.

These are my ride or die staples:

Start with a clean slate

The first thing I do when I wake up is always wash my face... but don't be fooled, I don't use any fancy cleansers. I simply use water. 

Ever since I read this article where Amy Clark road tested not washing her face in the morning... I couldn't help but try it.

And I've never turned back.

At night I use a cleanser, but in the morning I find a splash of water on my face is all I need to wake up and prep my skin for the day. Then I pat it dry with a towel.

Yep... that's it. 

Trust me — it's changed my life when I need to get ready quickly in the mornings. 

Fresh faced to start the morning! Image: Supplied. 

Lip Balm

Next, before I do anything else I pop on a lip balm. 

My lips are always so dry, I wake up in the morning craving some hydration. There's nothing like the feeling of moisturised lips.

My absolute favourite is Blistex Ultra Lip Balm SPF 50+. 

My ride or die lip balm. Image: supplied.

Full disclosure, I've been addicted to Blistex lip balms for as long as I can remember. I honestly just love the feeling of it on my lips. It's infused with hydrating conditioners and antioxidants which makes it super moisturising.

Like heaven for dry, chapped lips.

This one is great as it provides protection from the sun, dryness and the cold — so you can literally use it all year round. 

It has SPF 50+ protection which is great because I find I often forget about protecting my lips from the sun, making SPF in my lip balm essential. It's also paraben and PABA-free which is another thing that's super important to me.

This small stick of goodness is one of the best lip balms I've used, and trust me, I've tried a lot. 

It glides on like an absolute dream and makes me feel instantly better in the mornings. I keep it in my bag to reapply throughout the day so I always have moisturised and protected lips.

It's non-negotiable. 

Happy & hydrated. Image: Supplied.

 Vitamin C

If you pay any vague attention to the beauty world, then you would have heard of Vitamin C. A lot of beauty experts swear by it. 

Beauty writer Hannah Rabbitt from our You Beauty Collective describes it like this:

"Vitamin C – often found in skincare as ‘L-ascorbic acid’ – is an antioxidant. Basically, it works against nasties like pollution and UV damage by neutralising free radicals, helping to protect our precious skin cells."

Sounds pretty great, huh? 

Anything that helps me protect my face from damage sounds like a win. It's become one of my morning routines that I swear by. 

I pop a little bit of serum on a fresh face and wait for it to dry. I've found its helped brighten my complexion, reduce pigmentation and gives me brighter skin. 

Jojoba Oil

I mentioned I always want to be glowy... and jojoba oil is my secret weapon. 

Pop a little bit into the palm of your hand, and pat onto your face and across your neck to give you that 'I drink 3 litres of water a day and do yoga' glow... but with much less effort. 

It's great for keeping dry and acne prone skin hydrated as its antibacterial and an antioxidant. 

I find it helps me look glowing and awake, even when I am struggling to get it together in the morning. What I love most is that it's a light oil, so it doesn't sit heavily on your face. 

Jojoba oil simply = lots of glow and hydration. 

If you're not using it, then you need to.

Moisturiser 

One of the final steps in my routine is a simple moisturiser. 

I don't bother with anything fancy, instead I use whatever I have on hand - usually a simple fragrance free one for sensitive skin. 

I find it helps lock in all the goodness that the Vitamin C and Jojoba Oil provide without feeling heavy or clogging my pores. 

(Don't forget to rub it in all the way down your neck — it needs hydration too!)

Glowy and ready for the day. Image: supplied.

Sunscreen

Finally, and most importantly, my final step is sunscreen. 

If I only have time for two things - then it would always be Blistex Ultra Lip Balm SPF 50+ and sunscreen to ensure protection. They are by far the most important. 

I like to use a sunscreen made for your face, so it doesn't feel too heavy or thick on the skin. 

Don't be stingy here, I always make sure I use the recommended amount to cover my entire face and neck.

That's my routine complete. Hydrated, glowy and ready to face the day.

Always read the label. Follow the directions for use. Reapply frequently. Avoid prolonged sun exposure and wear protective clothing, hats and eyewear when exposed to the sun.

Blistex lip balms are specially formulated to deliver superb moisturisation and care to lips, giving them the very best care. Get your hands on the Blistex Ultra Lip Balm SPF 50+. at your local chemist, Woolworths or Coles.

Image: Supplied.