Quick Beauty Tips for College Girls

Midterms season is one of the busiest times in many college students’ lives, packed with late-night study sessions, social events with classmates, work obligations, and extracurriculars. If you’re struggling to keep up with a jam-packed schedule, maintaining a fresh beauty routine probably isn’t high on your priority list. For that reason, we compiled a list of quick beauty tips for college girls, from makeup techniques that will give you a fresh-faced glow in under a minute, to skincare basics that will keep your complexion healthy and fresh all semester long.

BB Cream is Your On-the-Go Friend

The ultimate all-in-one product, BB cream is a time-saver and a beauty powerhouse. With SPF to protect your skin from UV light, moisturizer to keep your skin nourished, and a hint of sheer color to even out your complexion, it’s the perfect product for a fresh-faced look before class.

Fake a Full Night’s Sleep with White Eyeliner

If midterms leave you in a red-eyed haze, this simple trick can help you fake a full night’s sleep. Line your lower lashes with a swipe of white eyeliner on the inside of your water line, and your eyes will instantly look fresher and more awake.

Dewy Skin All Day

For a dewy, luminous look in under a minute, add a swipe of highlighter to the brow bones and blend it upward towards the outside of your eyes. Then add a gold or copper-toned eyeshadow to the lids, and a pop of gloss if you’re feeling it. The result is a fresh-faced, glowing look that highlights the eyes and cheeks.

Dry Shampoo Before Bed

When you’ve been hitting the library hard, even a shower can feel like too much work. On days when you need to head straight to bed, simply sprinkle a little dry shampoo onto your roots and work it into your hair. You’ll wake up with a fresh, non-greasy coiff, starting your day off right.

Take Your Daytime Look to Evening

If you’re meeting up with friends after a long day of classes or work, one quick way to upgrade your daytime makeup look is by adding a quick coat of lipstick. For ladies with olive complexions, it’s hard to go wrong with a plum color, or mix it up with a flattering terracotta, like the Glossier Generation G in Leo. For women with rosier undertones, opt for a classic poppy red lip like the Maybelline Red Revival. And for women with cool undertones, look for wine-colored lipstick or one in a cool red shade.

Switch to a Silk Pillowcase

One unexpected cause of acne is bacteria on your pillowcase. If you aren’t already, make sure to regularly change out and wash your pillowcases. This simple habit can help keep your skin clear. Another tip is to switch to silk pillowcases if possible. They’re gentler on your skin, less likely to leave creases on your face in the morning, and less likely to leave you with split ends, as the harsh cotton blends in many pillowcases can damage the strands of your hair while you sleep.

Wash and Moisturize Your Face

College is a great time to set beauty habits that will benefit your skin for decades. The most important bare-bones beauty routine involves washing and moisturizing your face. When you wake up in the morning, wash your face with a gentle cleanser, and add a layer of moisturizer to keep skin hydrated. One time-saving trick is to choose a moisturizer with SPF in it so that your skin will be protected and moisturized throughout the day.

Hydrate

One simple beauty tool to incorporate into your routine is making sure that you get enough water. Proper hydration is crucial for healthy skin and all-around health, especially if you’ve been pounding the espresso before finals or heading out on a Friday night. Proper hydration has a variety of benefits, including improved cardiovascular health, cooling down your body, keeping your skin moisturized, and cleansing your body to prevent disease, according to One Medical.

That’s especially important during flu season, when a virus can make it around the campus faster than you can pop an Emergen-C. Next time you notice dry, flakey skin or hear a cough down the hall, make sure to fill up your water bottle and bring it with you.

Take Off Your Makeup Before Bed

Make sure to wash your face before you go to bed, and remove any makeup with a cleanser or wipe. Sleeping in makeup can clog pores, triggering breakouts. Makeup also traps free radicals from the environment and keeps them on your skin, which can lead to fine lines down the road. 

Overall, it’s important to wash off any makeup before bed so that your skin has time to breath and replenish itself, according to Huffington Post. For nights when you’re extra exhausted, keep a box of portable makeup wipes near your bed.