Modern Femme's Morning Must-Haves

My weekday mornings have become a bit of a blur.  In pre-Bebe days, I could take my time getting ready, rising early so that I could enjoy a leisurely bowl of yogurt with granola and fruit, then tidying up the house before getting dressed for the day.  In post-Bebe days, my morning routine has been paired down to the core essentials, aimed at getting me out the door in 30 minutes or less.

To that end, here are the top personal care products that I have to have nearby every morning, or woe to the world:

Hairdryer.  I will not leave the house with wet hair.  Wet hair is the professional woman's enemy.  It will ruin any effort put into assembling a tailored outfit, carefully applied makeup, and coordinating accessories - because if your hair is wet, that will be all I notice.  And the impression it leaves me with is that you either irresponsibly overslept and are running very late, or you simply don't care - neither of which are desirable impressions for a professional woman to make, n'est pas? 

Conair's Cord-Keeper.  Perfect for Chez MF's smaller bathroom.

Here is my suggestion for those modern femmes who find hair-dryers to be a nuisance:  instead of blow-drying every single strand, focus on drying the roots of your hair and those sections framing your face.  Once you've given those areas a concentrated blast, give the top layer of your hair a quick once-over with the dryer, then pull everything back into a bun or chignon. Presto!  You look pulled together, and no one will be the wiser that the undersides and ends of your hair are still damp.  (I can personally attest to this method, as it is one that I am known to employ myself.)

Concealer.  I am now facing the indignity of emerging wrinkles rubbing elbows with blemishes on my once-youthful face.  Is there no fairness in the world?

Bobbi Brown's foundation stick is MF's best friend.

Thank goodness for Bobbi Brown.  Time may not be on my side, but Bobbi is.

Eyelash curler.  Makeup gurus everywhere sing its praises, and for good reason.  Curled eyelashes make your eyes look bigger and therefore make you look more awake - a necessity for any overworked female (or male!) professional in the morning.  Two quick pumps to each set of lashes and a swipe of mascara, and you're done.

The trusty sidekick of any MF in the know.

Fan brush.  I only recently bought one of these brushes and now I wonder how I muddled along without it.

The fan brush is just as attractive to look at as it to use.

A quick dab into your blush and a feathery stroke across your cheekbone, and voila! The brush's shape helps to distribute the powder - concentrated in the center, diffuse at the ends - in a most flattering way.  I like to use blush with a bit of shimmer to it, for an extra glow.

Lip Balm.  I cannot abide dry lips.  I may be guilty of eschewing lipstick on in the morning, but the Chapstick goes on before anything else.

These are squirrelled away all around Chez MF.

Perfume.  I have fond schoolgirl memories of my mother hugging me goodbye each morning on her way to work.  Besides the lasting impression her smart suits and Ferragamo pumps left on me, I will always recall how her perfume - Caleche by Hermes - would envelope me in a comforting cloud. 

MF's signature fragrance.

My preferred fragrance is Coco Mademoiselle, followed closely by Ralph Lauren's Safari.  A lady should always leave an impression, no?

There are, of course, other products that I use in conjunction with the above in the morning, but these six are non-negotiable.  What about you, dear readers?  What are your weekday morning must-haves?

xoxo
MF