4 Ways to Speed Up Your Morning Routine

Thanks to AVEENO for teaming up with me on this post! 

We've all been there... waking up to the sound of the alarm clock in a fuzzy state, too tired to focus. Or, maybe you pressed snooze a few times too many and now are rushing to get out the door. Whatever the case may be there are certain ways you can ensure you get it all done in the morning, and even save a bit of time to have a moment for yourself. If you're thinking how on earth can I have a moment for myself in my most rushed mornings I am here to tell you it is possible, people! And thanks to Aveeno I am going to fill you in. All you need to do is spend a little bit of extra time planning and I promise you can reward yourself with a few extra moments to spare! Who doesn't want a pre-work facial? Double hands up! Am I right? If you think you don't have the time you're wrong. Here are 4 ways you can speed up your morning routine and carve out a little bit of "me time" even on the most hectic of days. 

1. Pick out your clothes the night before. Sometimes you pull an outfit together in your head, it totally works and you’re thinking to yourself that was completely magical. Other times you go to actually put on the outfit you’ve concocted in your head and it’s a total mess. Just doesn’t work. This happens to all of us but if you plan and try on the outfit beforehand you know it will work and it will save you the dreaded “I have nothing to wear/nothing fits/I need a whole new wardrobe” debacle.
2. Brew a coffee at home. This can be a huge time saver! Skip the AM Starbucks run and make your own drip coffee at home. You never know how big the line-up will be or what other unforeseen circumstances may come about. In the summer months, I like to have a big batch of cold brew in the fridge for mornings on the go! So simple.
3. Start your routine the night before to make sure you get the maximum number of sleeping hours. There are little things you can do to ensure you get the best sleep possible. Make a sleepy time tea an hour prior to bedtime, take a tablespoon of magnesium (I love this one by Calm, it relaxes the body and even your digestive tract will thank you!), and diffuse an essential oil. Saje is my holy grail for essential oils. We always diffuse Unwind or Tranquillity before bed. Lately, I've been using the aromaGem, it purifies the air, acts as a humidifier, will help you rest, and its style is so on point. It just looks like a chic home decoration! Essential oils have such a healing effect on me, so to ensure I get a good night's sleep or to just put me in a positive frame of mind I have something diffusing. 
4. Facial while you shower. Now, for the moment you've been waiting for! I am here to answer your question regarding how the heck you can facial while you shower, and even while you sleep. AVEENO’s Positively Radiant 60 Second In-Shower Facial will not only refresh and reinvigorate your skin, but it will, in turn, save you loads of time. Some mornings my face could use a little more care, (when the effects of a late-night are clearly visible), but I don’t have 10+ minutes to do a face mask or facial. I love that this In-Shower Facial has no irritating scent, and you can actually feel the cleanser working together with the steam of the shower to leave you brighter, more radiant and rejuvenated. It deeply but gently exfoliates, cleans, and works hard to get you looking lovely! Bonus-- AVEENO also released their new Positively Radiant Overnight Hydrating Facial, which means you can get to working on your facial in the PM before bed as well.  It's a luxurious moisturizer that works in the night to get your skin looking soft, revived and nourished. Formulated with Total Soy Complex to fight dullness, redness, spots and imperfections, this moisturizer will save you that "extra step" on the most hectic of nights and days. 

Do you have any tips for carving out time for yourself in the morning? What do you do?!

Thank you to AVEENO for generously sponsoring this post. Like always, all thought and opinions are my own and I would not reccommend any products that I wouldn't use on myself. 

7 Espadrilles You Need This Summer

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 

I never thought I would need a pair of espadrilles in my life. I've always loved flat, simple sandals for the beach or fancier ones to dress up with. That was until I came across Soludos. I can't believe I never took note of all their fun, classic and embroidered styles! And how late am I to the espadrilles party! I am seriously lusting over number 3. The floral!! And, be warned now-- number 4 also comes in a watermelon patch, an avocado patch and a flamingo patch! Yup, you're welcome. I've linked a bunch of cute options below starting at just $25! 

S H O P  T H E  P O S T:

Summer Suspense Showdown

There is something about summertime reading that is so nostalgic for me. I feel like it takes me back to my childhood- staying up into the early hours of the morning reading the latest Harry Potter, or packing a few books for the trip to the beach. Either way, the summertime is always a prime time for new releases and I feel like this summer is all about the suspense and thrillers! I just finished Gone Without a Trace, and The Child. Both take place in England, both follow the intricate lives of complicated women and both are physiological thrillers. Let's get down to it...

Gone Without a Trace by Mary Toujussen
Hannah comes home one evening to find all traces of her boyfriend, Matt, gone. Every last image, possession and means of contact are missing. Like he never existed. Hannah becomes obsessed with finding Matt and the book takes you on a crazy journey to discover what exactly happened. There are moments of deceit, betrayal and downright absurdities but I kept reading. And I read it in 2 days, which is a bit of a surprise for me! Although I didn't love Hannah's character (drama, drama, drama), something told me the ending would be worth it. After hearing all the praise for the book I was expecting a few more twists and turns. I loved the fact that it factored in real life elements, for example, the presence of social media, but towards the end, I sort of had the conclusion predicted. Overall? A decent page-turner that had me hooked for a bit. I say a bit because overall I wasn't too enthralled by the ending. I forgot about it a few days later.

The Child by Fiona Barton
The story follows three (or four I guess?) women who are all interconnected by a crime that took place decades earlier. After a workman discovers a baby's remains on a job site, journalist Kate Waters makes it her mission to uncover the crime. Angela hears the news story and figures it's her baby that disappeared in the maternity ward in the 70's, Emma develops a strange case of anxiety and fear from the news story, and Jude, Emma's mom, is thrown into the mix as a self-absorbed absent mother. More lies, confusion and all surround the crime. It took me a bit longer to really get into the story and to, in turn, finish the novel. What I did like was that the chapters are short, it makes it flow nicely (and makes me feel less committed to reading it), and that each chapter follows a different women. I liked having an inside look into each character's thoughts and lives. By the third quatre of the book, I didn't want to put it down.

V E R D I C T
Without a Trace was an easier read, but overall The Child was way more engaging and interesting. The Child's storyline was more complex and although I kinda had the ending predicted it had way more exciting developments. If you had to pick one to read I'd go for The Child. It's more of a commitment but once you get into it, it's well worth the read.

Have you planned out your list of hot, new summer reads? What's on the list?

Both books were generously gifted by Penguin Random House Canada.