Look, I need to be honest with you.

When people ask me about my morning routine, there's the version I tell them... and then there's what actually happens.

I'm a beauty editor. I test products for a living. People assume I wake up at 5am doing 47-step skincare routines with crystal rollers and meditation.

Reality? I hit snooze three times and splash water on my face.

So I asked my fellow beauty editors to spill the tea on their REAL morning routines. Not the aesthetic ones we post on Instagram. The chaotic, coffee-fueled, running-late ones that actually happen.

And wow. We're all frauds.

The 5-Minute Face (When You're Already Late)

Sarah, senior beauty editor at a major magazine, keeps it brutally simple.

"Honestly? I wash my face in the shower because I'm too lazy to do it at the sink," she admits. "Then it's moisturizer with SPF, concealer, mascara. Done. That's it."

Wait... that's it?

"Sometimes I skip the mascara if I'm really running behind. Nobody's checking my lashes at 9am meetings anyway."

She swears by the concealer dot technique she learned from a makeup artist. Three dots under each eye, blend with fingers while walking to the subway.

Efficiency queen.

The Product Hoarder's Dilemma

Here's the thing nobody tells you about working in beauty - you end up with SO. MANY. PRODUCTS.

My bathroom looks like a Sephora exploded.

But do I use them all? Absolutely not.

Jessica, who's been editing beauty content for 8 years, has a confession: "I probably use the same five products every single day. The rest just... sit there looking pretty."

Her actual routine? Cleanser, vitamin C serum, moisturizer, sunscreen that doesn't pill.

That's it.

"I test new stuff for work, obviously. But for my daily routine? I'm boring. I found what works and I stick to it."

Honestly? Same.

The Drugstore Reality Check

Okay this one's gonna shock you.

Most beauty editors I know use drugstore products. Like, regularly.

Not just for "budget content." For themselves.

"People think we only use luxury skincare," says Michelle, associate beauty editor. "But some of my favorite products are from Target. Why would I spend $80 on a cleanser when the $10 one works better?"

She keeps a stash of affordable beauty staples that she genuinely loves. Her morning mascara? Under $10. Her holy grail moisturizer? CVS brand.

"Expensive doesn't always mean better. That's the secret nobody wants to admit."

Real talk though.

The Skincare Minimalist Movement

Remember when 10-step routines were everywhere?

Yeah, we're over that.

"I used to do this elaborate morning routine," admits Rachel, digital beauty director. "Toner, essence, serum, eye cream, moisturizer, oil, SPF... it took forever."

Now? Three products max.

"My skin actually looks better now than when I was using 10 products. Turns out I was just irritating it."

She focuses on the basics - gentle cleanser, simple moisturizer, good sunscreen. That's her whole vibe.

The glass skin trend taught her that less really can be more. Sometimes your skin just needs to chill.

The Coffee > Everything Philosophy

Want to know the real first step of every beauty editor's morning?

Coffee.

Not skincare. Not makeup. Coffee.

"I literally cannot function until I have caffeine," says Emma, who's been in beauty journalism for 6 years. "My skincare routine happens AFTER I've had at least half a cup."

She keeps her products next to the coffee maker. Multitasking at its finest.

"I'll do my retinol recovery routine while my second cup brews. It's called time management."

Honestly iconic.

The Makeup Time Reality

Here's something wild - most beauty editors don't wear much makeup to work.

I know. Shocking.

"If I'm not filming or in a client meeting, I'm probably bare-faced," admits Sophie, senior editor. "Maybe some tinted moisturizer and lip balm. That's it."

The full face? Reserved for special occasions.

"I save my energy for testing products. I'm not doing a full beat just to sit at my desk writing about highlighter."

When she does do makeup, it's the minimal clean girl look. Five minutes tops.

"Concealer, cream blush, brow gel, done. If I'm feeling fancy, I'll add mascara."

The Shower Debate

Okay so this one's controversial.

Some beauty editors shower in the morning. Some at night. Some... don't shower every day.

"I wash my hair twice a week max," says Lauren, beauty director. "Daily washing destroyed my hair. Now I just use dry shampoo and call it a day."

She does her whole routine - skincare, makeup, everything - without getting her hair wet.

"Shower caps exist for a reason. I'm not messing up a good hair day for a morning shower."

The protein treatment routine she does weekly means her hair actually looks better with less washing.

Science is wild.

The Product Testing Truth

Here's the behind-the-scenes reality of beauty editing.

We test products constantly. Like, constantly.

But that doesn't mean we use them in our actual routines.

"I'll test something new for a review," explains Megan, associate editor. "But my personal routine? That stays consistent. I can't mess with what works just because a brand sent me something."

She keeps her testing separate from her daily life.

"Morning routine is my safe space. Testing happens at night or on weekends when I have time to deal with potential reactions."

Smart honestly.

The Lazy Girl Hacks

Want to know the real beauty editor secrets?

We're lazy. Like, impressively lazy.

"I keep micellar water and cotton pads next to my bed," admits Taylor, beauty writer. "If I'm too tired to go to the bathroom, I'll just wipe my face and call it skincare."

Is it ideal? No. Does it happen? Absolutely.

"Sometimes I'll just use facial wipes. I know, I know - they're not great for your skin. But neither is sleeping in makeup, so pick your battles."

She's also obsessed with multitasking products. Tinted moisturizer with SPF? Perfect. Lip and cheek tint? Genius.

"Anything that cuts down steps is my best friend."

The Viral Product Reality Check

You know those viral TikTok beauty trends everyone's obsessed with?

We try them. Obviously.

But do they make it into our actual routines? Rarely.

"I've tested probably 50 viral products this year," says Amanda, digital beauty editor. "Maybe three made it into my regular rotation."

The rest? Sitting in her overflowing product graveyard.

"Just because something goes viral doesn't mean it's actually good. Sometimes it's just... marketing."

Her actual morning favorites? Products she's been using for years. The boring, reliable ones that nobody makes TikToks about.

The Time Management Truth

Real talk - most of us spend less than 10 minutes on our morning routine.

Total.

"If my routine takes longer than 10 minutes, I'm doing too much," says Nicole, senior beauty editor. "I've got emails to answer and articles to write. I don't have time for a 30-minute skincare ritual."

Her strategy? Everything happens in the shower or while making breakfast.

"Cleanser in the shower. Moisturizer while coffee brews. Makeup while eating toast. It's called efficiency."

The professional makeup tricks she's learned make everything faster anyway.

The Expensive Product Confession

Okay but here's the thing.

We do splurge on some products. Just not the ones you'd expect.

"I'll spend $80 on a good serum," admits Kristin, beauty director. "But my cleanser? Drugstore. My body lotion? Target. You have to pick your battles."

She invests in active ingredients - retinol, vitamin C, acids. The stuff that actually makes a difference.

"Everything else? As long as it's not irritating my skin, I don't care if it costs $5 or $500."

Most editors agree - spend money where it matters. Save everywhere else.

The No-Makeup Days

Plot twist - we have a lot of them.

"Some weeks I don't wear makeup at all," says Olivia, associate beauty editor. "Just skincare and sunscreen. That's it."

She used to feel guilty about it. Like she should be wearing makeup because of her job.

"But honestly? My skin looks better when I give it breaks. And nobody at work cares."

Her no-makeup days taught her that skincare is way more important than coverage anyway.

"Good skin is the best makeup. Cliché but true."

The Real Morning Routine Formula

So what's the actual beauty editor morning routine?

Here's the honest breakdown:

Coffee first. Always.

Quick shower or face wash (maybe both, maybe neither).

Basic skincare - cleanser, moisturizer, SPF. Three products max.

Minimal makeup if any - concealer, mascara, done.

Out the door in 15 minutes.

"That's it," confirms Lisa, who's been editing beauty content for a decade. "Everything else is just... content creation."

The elaborate routines? Those are for photoshoots and articles.

Real life? Way more boring.

The Biggest Lesson

After talking to dozens of beauty editors, one thing became super clear.

We're all just winging it.

"Nobody has it figured out," says Sarah. "We're all just trying products, keeping what works, and pretending we know what we're doing."

The perfect morning routine doesn't exist.

"Your routine should work for YOUR life. Not some influencer's aesthetic Instagram version of life."

If that means three products and five minutes? Perfect.

If that means no makeup and just sunscreen? Also perfect.

"The best routine is the one you'll actually do. Everything else is just noise."

So yeah. That's the real tea.

Beauty editors aren't doing 10-step routines at 6am. We're hitting snooze, chugging coffee, and slapping on whatever gets us out the door.

And honestly? Our skin looks fine.

Maybe even better than when we were trying too hard.

What's your actual morning routine? Not the one you tell people - the real one. The chaotic, imperfect, running-late one that actually happens.

Because I'm betting it's way more relatable than you think.