If there is one thing to know about me; I am, at my core, a lazy gal.
I love to sleep in, nap, exert minimal energy, that is my jam. But I also thrive off the feeling I get when I look and feel my very best. Which is exactly how I developed my lazy girl beauty routine.
WATCH: High maintenance TikTok hacks
Now I must confess that I do love the process of getting ready so I don’t want to cut it out completely. And whilst I love maximising my sleep in in the morning, the kick I get out of someone complimenting my hair and makeup truly makes my day.
I have the credentials! I’ve lived a high maintenance life; I got my nails done fortnightly, had regular hair appointments and in the mean time would heat style my locks almost daily, wore a full face of makeup (including lashes at a point) and had a 15 step skincare routine that would make dermatologists roll their eyes.
But honestly I’m getting older and lazier as each day passes. Luckily a lot of brands have caught up to people’s waning desire to spend hours getting ready and there are endless products and treatments on the market that make your beauty routine just that little bit easier.
On TikTok the hashtag #lazygirl has over 280.7 million views across videos consisting of beauty routines, workouts, recipes and shopping recommendations.
Recently the trend “high maintenance things I do to be low maintenance”, in which women listed their tips and tricks to ensure they look and feel their best, took the social media platform by storm.
How can I look more high maintenance?
The key to looking ‘high maintenance’ and put together is to ensure each part of your appearance looks intentional, whatever that may look like or your style may be.
Things like ensuring your clothes are well maintained, your hair is healthy and styled, your nails are clean and trimmed, your skin is glowing and your makeup (if you choose to wear it) suits your face will help you feel more put together in your day to day.
The good news is there are ways to achieve this look that won’t cost you a pay check, can be done at home and will allow you to hit snooze one, two or even three more times.
I will preface that I believe the key to creating a low maintenance beauty routine, is often taking the time in the first place to learn what works for you. Once you have the basic skills and knowledge down, it will cut your routine in half.
But to give you a hand on your lazy girl / high maintenance journey, below I have compiled the best tips and tricks I’ve learnt over the years that I wish I had learnt years ago. Including some products that are actual game changers for us lazy girls.
The best hacks for a low maintenance beauty routine 2023
Low maintenance skin care
The key to a low maintenance skin care routine is one that uses minimal products that deliver maximum pay off. It needs to be something that takes under 10 minutes to ensure you can actually commit to completing it everyday.
According to THE ICONIC’s Beauty Editor, Sophie Howe, ‘skinimalism’ is the key to a lasting lazy girl friendly routine.
“With a focus on quality over quantity, you can achieve optimal skin health by using a combination of multitasking products and targeted formulas to treat your complexion. For example, find a cleanser that works for your skin type, one hard-working serum that addresses multiple concerns and a hydrating moisturiser that can also be used as an eye cream”, Sophie tells Who.
“When in doubt, keep it simple and your skin will thank you.”
Now everybody’s skin is different, so tweak and try out different products to suit your needs. But for this lazy girl who has ultra-dry skin, the odd pimple and texture, this is the key to my skincare routine.
Innisfree Green Tea cleansing oil, $32, Sephora
A cleanser is a non-negotiable, in fact if you’re going to do anything in terms of skincare you need to cleanse. An oil cleanser will get all of the dirt and grime off your face in no time and leave you feeling clean but not stripped.
If you’re feeling extra dedicated, follow with a gel or milk for a double cleanse.
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CORSX Advanced snail mucin, $27.95, iHerb
Wait – hear me out… You may have read snail mucin and gone to close this article but I promise the difference this made in my skin made the weirdness of it all, worth it. Nothing makes you look more glowing and put together than hydrated happy skin.
Apply this onto damp skin and it will help to repair damaged, dehydrated skin gently and leave you feel fresh and well moisturised. It’s kind of a wonder product that will hydrate, smooth, improve skin elasticity, work to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, dullness, texture and more.
The brand is cruelty free so rest assured no snails harmed in the making of this product!
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Ultra Violette Queen Screen SPF50+, $47, Adore Beauty
The other non-negotiable for your skincare is sunscreen. We all love to be bronzed, but let’s leave it to the tanner because it’s not worth sacrificing your skin and leaving it damaged.
“A hydrating sunscreen that works as a moisturiser, SPF and makeup primer in one … is a must”, says Sophie.
Another amazing option is the Airyday Pretty In Zinc Dreamscreen, that provides a slight glow and blurring effect.
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Skin Control Pimple Patch PM, $5.39, Amazon
All hail the pimple patch, these cleanse and protect pimples from dirt and grime and absorb whiteheads which helps to prevent picking at your skin. Plus they work over night, so by morning that angry-looking whitehead that was threatening to ruin your day has been successfully subdued. Also how adorable is this party pack.
You can even wear them during the day and they will blend in with your skin and hide your zit whilst it extracts from it.
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Low maintenance hair
Hair can truly make or break a look, so the journey to find an easy to do style is essential for the lazy/high maintenance girl.
Firstly; healthy, well-looked after hair makes such a difference. So regular trims (very lazy-girl friendly, you just have to sit there) and the occasional treatment is step number one.
When it comes to styling, we are thankfully in an era where low-effort hairstyles are the trend du jour. I’m leaning into the indie sleaze of it all and going for a model off duty, “messy but it’s supposed to be” look. In fact a little dirt while only help at some texture and hold to the ‘do.
Christophe Robin Night Recovery Monoi Oil, $52, Sephora
This is the ultimate hair treatment for lazy girls. Simply drench your hair in this overnight (wrap your hair to prevent a mess on your sheets) and wash it out in the morning to reveal deeply nourished and smooth locks. I’ve even used this during the day and thrown my hair in a ultra slick bun, washing it out at the end of the day.
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Ouai Texturising spray, $43, Sephora
Emphasise your natural hair texture and lean into the grunginess by adding some texturising spray to your locks when you wake up. Considering that indie sleaze is back en vogue this year, this is a great way to get away with bed hair. You could even throw in the odd curl to add some extra dimension if you have the time.
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Mermade Hair Heatless curls kit, $49, THE ICONIC
Discovering heatless curls actually blew my mind when I first stumbled upon them. Simply wrap your hair around this easy to use contraption before bed and wake up with gorgeous, lasting curls sans heat damage! This is great if you want a more polished look, without the added effort.
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Bread Beauty Supply Hair-Gel Curl Capturing Gloss, $48, Sephora
On days where you just don’t want to deal with styling your hair, or perhaps have gone too long without a wash, opt for the slick bun. Once mastered, this stylish hair style can take mere minutes and will instantly make you look put together.
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Low maintenance makeup tips
In my humble opinion, the key to an easy makeup look that saves time, yet looks like you spent hours doing it, is taking the time to learn a signature look that works for your face and doing it until it become second nature.
You may be tempted to throw on some mascara and call it a day, but we are wanting to look like we made more effort than we did.
A wash of colour across the lids will instantly take your makeup looks to the next level, add a dab of sparkle with your finger or even brave a winged liner to elevate it even further.
Sephora Collection Colourful Eyeshadow Mono in Twinkle Twinkle, $14, Sephora
Perhaps the easiest of beauty hacks. Invest in a shimmer or glitter eyeshadow similar to your skin colour and pat across the eye before blending out with your bronzer on a fluffy brush. When I started doing this it changed my makeup game to an under 5 minute affair.
If you’re feeling brave you can do the same technique with bolder colours across the eye for a bold pop.
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Isle of Paradise Self tanning drops, $44, ASOS
If I was stuck on a deserted island and could only take three things with me, this would be one of them. And I don’t care how dramatic that sounds. Mix a couple of drops of this into your moisturiser at night and wake up with glowing, gorgeous skin that honestly can go without foundation. The Three Warriors Aqua Mist is also great for touch ups.
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Miracle hyaluronic tinted serum, $35, MCoBeauty
Kill two birds with one stone! This lightweight serum blends like a dream and offers a light to medium wash of coverage, yet still looks like skin. Not to mention it’s packed with hyaluronic acid and ginseng root so it nourishes your skin while you wear it!
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Low maintenance nail tips
Now it is very lazy girl friendly to go to a nail salon, but the effort of leaving the house…
However, it is still possible to achieve a stand out nail job done yourself in the comfort of your very own home.
TAVKE Rhinestones, $8.49, Amazon
This is a hack so good, I almost wanted to gatekeep…
I was inspired by all of the stunning gem adorned nail looks I have been spotting on socials, and wanted to see if I could do it for myself. With the use of some nail glue, tweezers and gems, I have found my go to nails – and they take me less than 10 minutes!
A little fiddly at first but once you get the hang of it, you will have everyone asking “who did your nails!?”.
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Nail sticker pack, $6.99, Cotton On
Shop some nail stickers and instantly have the cutest nail art with zero fuss. Simply pop them in the placements you want and top with a clear top coat for under 5 minute nails. There are so many adorable nail sticker packs on the market, Cotton On and Kester Black are my top picks.
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essie Gel Couture nail polish, $17.99, Adore Beauty
If you’re going to be painting your nails at home you’re going to want a long lasting polish that won’t leave you with chipped or peeled nails. The essie Gel Couture line promises extremely long-wearing polish that can last for up to 12 days without even a chip.
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Glowie First Date nails, $45, Glowie
Want all the glam with no work? Stick on nails are the answer. Simply file them into the shape of your choice and use either nail glue or nail stickers to pop them on. The best news is they can be used again and again.
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Nail clippers, Callus File and Chiropody Pliers, Manicare
There’s no excuse for your feet to feel neglected because these Manicare pedicure products are the at-home essentials you’ll use again and again.
CHIROPODY PLIERS, 100MM, WITH SIDE SPRING, $25.39, SHOP NOW
TRAVEL ROTARY NAIL CLIPPER WITH FILE, $21.19, SHOP NOW
PEDIPRO CALLUS FILE, $26.49, SHOP NOW
LEAD IMAGE: Instagram /@haileesteinfeld
