1. Add Some Glam

Time: 90 seconds
It’ll only take a minute and a half to get your office ensemble ready for a date. Take off your tame cardigan and add a cropped blazer, trade your fetching flats for heels, and swap your neutral accessories for something bolder. Wardrobe complete! Let’s move on…

2. Freshen Your Face

Time: 90 seconds
You don’t have to do a complete face wash and moisturize routine if you have a face spritzer or wipes, like Evian’s mineral water strap (available at Sephora; keep one in your desk!). Simple spray, blot, and go! Next, let’s work on the makeup portion of how to get ready for a date.

3. Emphasize Your Eyes

Time: 90 seconds
Your demure, subtle office eyes won’t quite be dramatic enough for a dinner date, so break out the liquid eyeliner and your favorite shadow palette for a quick smokey eye or a heavy cat’s eye liner look. If you have some handy, use a primer to make sure everything stays put. This is one of my favorite 'how to get ready for a date in 10 minutes' tips!

4. Touch up Your Make up

Time: 60 seconds
Now it’s time for powder and bronzer. Apply powder with a light hand, then finish with a golden-hued or pink-cheek blush or bronzer on the apples of your cheeks. You’ll look fresher instantly. You’re almost ready to go! It’s time for the hair section of how to get ready for a date, and there’s plenty of time left!

5. Add Volume

Time: 60 seconds
Take down your modest office updo, and flip upside down at the waist. Spritz your hair lightly with a light-hold spray at the roots, tousle a bit with your fingers, and allow to dry for 30 seconds. When you flip back up, your hair will have oodles of volume, and is ready for style.

6. Finish Your Hair

Time: 90 seconds
What to do with all that volume? You have so many choices! A chic, sleek updo? A messy top-knot? An over-the-shoulder braid? Or a simple beachy-waves boho look? Style your hair, then spritz again with a medium-hold spray. Next up? It’s time for the finishing details of how to get ready for a date.

7. Brush Your Teeth

Time: 90 seconds
This step in how to get ready for a date is important, so don’t skip it! Give yourself the full 90-second scrub. If you have a little mouth rinse, feel free to use that too. You’ll want to have the freshest breath and the pearliest whites, right?

8. Re-apply Lippie

Time: 30 seconds
Once you’ve done brushing your teeth, take the time to carefully apply your lipstick or gloss. Don’t choose something sticky or overdone; a nude high-shine lip color or a subtle gloss will look smashing with your smoky eye, won’t it?

9. Catch Your Breath

Time: 60 seconds
We’re almost done, and you’re nearly an expert on how to get ready for a date in just a few minutes! It’s time to admire your handiwork and take a few seconds to catch your breath, re-confirm the meeting time and place, and pluck a few stray eyebrows, if you want. Wash your hands when you’re done, and spray on a quick mist of your favorite perfume. Whew!

10. Put on a Smile!

Time: 10 seconds
Last but not least, take the time to put on a smile… you’ve done it! You’ve gotten ready for a big date in less time than it normally takes you to choose your shoes in the morning. You have a marvelously fun date ahead of you, with a total hottie, someone you really like! Enjoy!

Can you believe how put-together and fantastic you look after just 10 minutes? Amazing! Now that you know how to get ready for a date so fast, you might never want to agonize over the before-date details again… or at least not nearly as often! I hope you’ve found these tips helpful, and at least as much fun to read and I had writing them! How do you get ready for a date in a hurry? What would you add or subtract from my list? Do tell!