UrbanUpdate

Even if you’re getting the recommended eight hours of sleep—and, let’s face it, you’re probably not—swinging your legs out of the warm embrace of bed and into the cold morning air might just be the most agonizing moment of your day. And don’t even start with that “I’m actually more of a morning person” garbage; deny it all you want, but we know full well that you’d welcome a few more moments of precious shut-eye if given the chance. Which, coincidentally, is exactly why we’re here.

You see, while some aspects of your regular grooming routine are best reserved for the morning, there are some tasks that can (and even should) be done the night prior. Sure, they’ll add a few minutes to your pre-sleep ritual, but wouldn’t you rather spend the time then, over when you’re already rushing to get out the door? Here, we present a head-to-toe guide to all the things you should be doing before you hit the hay, so that you can wake up as already prepped to face the day as possible.

Your Hair

Now, we understand the allure of morning showers: They wake you up, wash the sleep out of your eyes, and leave you smelling fresh for the day ahead. All good things. But if you want to get up looking your best, you might want to leave shampoo and conditioner for after dark. Besides shaving time off your pre-work regimen, cleansing your locks at night gives the follicles a couple of hours to regain their natural oils by the time you wake up. Plus, with only clean hair hitting your pillowcase, it will stay pristine for longer, helping to prevent breakouts, blackheads, and a whole host of other skincare issues from popping up on your face overnight.

Your Face

First off, before bed is actually the most important time of day for your face, because after a full day facing the elements, the skin on your visage is at its most vulnerable. Thus, it’s imperative that you thoroughly cleanse every day before going to sleep. On top of that, though, pre-sleep is also the best moment for doing anything that might leave your face red and irritated, since it’ll then have the whole night to clear up. (And, yes, that includes shaving—trust us, there’s almost no chance you’ll grow enough hair by the morning that anyone will notice.) Finally, you might want to try out an overnight treatment. Whether it’s deep moisture, anti-aging, or acne care you’re looking for, there’s a nighttime solution for it out there. Just apply it before bed and wake up with visibly better skin.

Your HandsRead MoreThe Grooming Issue Your Partner Would Like You to Fix AlreadyBy Megan Gustashaw

With everything your hands go through, coming in contact with any number of surfaces and substances, they deserve a little TLC to get them back to 100 percent. Now, you could wait until the morning, quickly rubbing on some lotion before you head out the door, but then you run the risk of leaving greasy residue on everything you touch for the next half hour. Instead, treat your mitts to a liberal dose of heavy-duty hand cream, like Buckler’s Chapped Skin Remedy, right before slipping under the covers. That way, they’ll have the night to absorb the moisture, and you can follow up with a less intense moisturizer when the sun rises.

Your Pits

Do you tend to get more than a little moist, despite applying antiperspirant on the regular? Well, the issue might just be when you’re slathering it on. That’s because, the way most sweat-reducing sticks work, they actually need a bit of time to activate. So instead of swiping on your Speed Stick pre-work as usual, go ahead and apply it right before bedtime for maximum results.

Your Feet

Chances are, unless you’ve got stink issues, you don’t pay all that much attention to your feet—probably because they don’t see the light of day all that often. But trust us, a little care goes a long way when it comes to what’s in your shoes. Which is why we recommend treating your hooves more like your hands and rubbing them down with lotion (see: Buckler’s, above) before bed. Besides fixing dry skin and healing calloused heels quick, this will also help to control odor.

You know, just in case.

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