Quick and Easy Beauty Tips for College Students

Between hours spent in class, the demands of a job, and the time required for studying and homework, you may not have much wiggle room in your schedule to work in a beauty regimen.  But with a few simple tips under your belt you can easily find ways to look and feel your best, despite your lack of time to devote to the topic.  Here are some quick and easy ideas that will last throughout your tenure in college.

1. Practice good hygiene.  This is a must for any college student, and you should consider it a preventive measure.  When you’re showering daily, washing your face before bed, and brushing your teeth regularly you’re going to create a palette that is squeaky clean and ready to receive any beauty treatments you have time to slather on.  Plus, you’ll smell good, which your roommates and peers will no doubt appreciate.
2. Master the five-minute face.  Even if you don’t have time for full makeup (and who does when they’re waking at the crack of dawn to rush to class?) you can make yourself presentable with a couple of key items and a few minutes of devotion to the cause.  Generally, you’ll want to go for a lightweight, 2-in-1, powder finish foundation (to even out texture), a barely-there blush (to make you look alive, even after a night of studying), a nude or slightly tinted gloss, and a swipe of mascara.  But if you’re really in a rush, just use the blush and gloss to get the most bang for your buck, so to speak.
3. Wear sunscreen.  This phrase was comically used as part of a spoof commencement speech (supposedly delivered by Kurt Vonnegut to MIT students) that started by urging graduates to wear sunscreen.  But even if it was nothing more than a gag, the advice is still sound.  It takes just moments to put on a tinted moisturizer that includes sunblock as part of a daily beauty regimen, and the result is that your skin will stay youthful longer.  So start now if you want to stave off fine lines, wrinkles, and pigmentation spots for years to come, preserving the young-looking skin that you currently take for granted.
4. Ditch the heat treatments.  Not only can daily blowouts and flat-ironing damage your hair, they also require a huge time commitment to carry out.  Instead, simply work a shine serum through your hair after showering to get rid of frizz, and then braid it or twist it into a bun to stave off fly-aways.  Save the heat treatments for special occasions.
5. Eat right and exercise. Whether you’re living on campus or attending one of the top online colleges while staying at home, you can find ways to work in a workout and keep up a good diet.  College rankings may not clue you in to which schools come with the best cafeteria and gym facilities, but you can practice good health habits on your own.  Take a daily walk or jog with roommates or friends and make sure to have fresh fruits and veggies, nuts, and water on hand when you’re feeling peckish (instead of sodas or sodium- and sugar-laden farefrom the vending machines).  If you are what you eat, then most college students resemble pizza and beer.  Don’t let that be you.

(Guest Post by Carol Montrose)