Does your morning beauty routine make you late, shorten your snooze session or abbreviate your workout? (Or, like me, does it suffer because you don't want to be late, sleep less or cut into your exercise time?) You've got company. A Self.com poll found that 23 percent of readers wished they could condense their A.M. prep-athon, and I agree. I'd rather spend time jogging with my dog, Jenny, having breakfast with my family or, a total indulgence, reading the newspaper cover to cover. Streamline your get-ready grind with these look-great-fast tricks.

-- Strengthen hair as you get strong: Before working out, wet hair and comb conditioner through strands, then put it in a ponytail or cover with a bandana. Body heat from exercise will help hair absorb product. Rinse it out post-workout.

-- Conceal imperfections flawlessly: To decake your concealer (and get a more flawless finish), mix a drop of moisturizer with concealer before applying. Then pat (don't rub) the combination into skin or dab it on with a brush.

-- For a natural, outdoorsy glow (even when you're stuck inside), combine a drop of cheek stain with a dime-sized amount of facial serum. Apply evenly on face and you'll look radiantly healthy.

-- Get thick, clump-free lashes: Apply one coat mascara to the underside of upper lashes, then brush a coat on the top side. The extra brush rids any goops and glops so you're good to go!

-- Go light on lips: Rather than saturating your whole mouth with lipstick, swipe color over your top lip only, then press lips together to blend evenly. By cutting the dose in half, you'll prevent color from migrating beyond the lip border. It also makes a brighter, night-out hue more daytime appropriate.

-- Shift your ponytail: Love to wear your hair up? Relocate the position of the elastic often, even if only by a half inch. This will prevent breakage, which leads to flatness and flyaways in the area where your holder always sits.

For even more look-great advice, check out the Beyond the Beauty Pages blog on Self.com or sign up for the weekly Quick Beauty Tip newsletter.