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We all have those days when we feel like we could be the new face of a #StressDrilon or #HaggardoVersoza meme. The struggle is real and it’s something most of us experience every day: we breathe in polluted air, fight through traffic, then brave a challenging day at work or at school.

Sure, you can use beauty hacks to cop a fresh look or pull up makeup tricks to look more rested but it’s unhealthy to ignore the root of the problem. As busy as your calendar may be, it’s important to unwind and make time for yourself! We all turn to different things to relieve stress though, so here are a few more ideas from ten busy women on how they cope and give themselves the chance to refresh.

Gretchen Gatan, marketing manager at Glamourbox, makeup artist and blogger

One quick way for me to unwind after a long, tiring week at work is to apply my favorite mask from GLAMGLOW, which is the YouthMud Mask. Lately, I’ve also been trying their other masks like the FlashMud. I would sometimes alternate it with sheet masks from Kracie. I just put on a mask, pour myself a glass of red wine, and lie down a few minutes - instant mood lifter! I also try to get a diamond peel facial once a month, just to maintain a healthy and radiant-looking complexion (I’m obsessed about having clear and smooth skin). Lastly, I always indulge myself with massages - I get it once or twice a month to completely de-stress. I know it can be a little expensive but I consider these rituals as investments to make sure I have a sound mind, body, and soul.

Trisha Lopez, Information Security AVP and entrepreneur

Being a working and hands-on mother to my 3-year-old daughter can get stressful but I try my best to find time for myself and for the things I love to do. I usually have my "me-time" at night when my daughter is already in bed. To de-stress, I like taking a hot shower and I use bath and body products that I personally make! My favorites are my all-natural goat milk soap with lavender and peppermint essential oil then my home-made body oil (it's a blend of golden jojoba, sweet almond oil, lavender, vetiver and frankincense essential oils) to keep my skin moisturized. The essential oil blend I use for my soap and body oil are great for relaxing and for getting a good night's sleep. For my face, I use a mild non-scented moisturizing cream with a drop of geranium therapeutic grade essential oil because geranium is great for your skin and it also promotes emotional wellness. I love putting pure essential oils in the all-natural products I use and personally make because it helps refresh, relax, and rejuvenate my body and mind.

Kate Reyes, marketing executive at Clinique

My day usually starts really early. I set my alarm at around 4:00 am and make sure to leave the house by 5:30 am to avoid the morning rush. When I get to work, I waste no time and take advantage of working while the office is still nice and quiet. Days at work are more often than not full of meetings, fast-paced, and can get stressful.

Since everyday feels rushed, I de-stress and slow things down on weekends. I make sure to wake up early to enjoy the morning sun and eat my breakfast! Eating cereal with my favorite fruit in milk starts my day just right and I feel like it shows in my skin, too, when I have a proper diet cause it looks more supple and rosy! I also de-stress by dolling up on weekends and pair my clothes with the right skincare and makeup to complete the look. When I get ready to go out, I include watery lotions and treatment oil into my regimen like Clinique's Even Better Essence Lotion and Turnaround Oil so my skin looks dewy and luminous. I use Clinique Even Better Foundation and the Water Veil Powder because it sets like a clear veil of light water on your face, creates an illusion of looking like you had the best beauty rest! To look more youthful, I apply just the right amount of blush with Clinique Cheek Pop in Rosy and create a tinted lip with Clinique Lip Pop Matte in Peony Pop and Lip Pop in Punch Pop. The combination is too pretty!

On weekdays, I also take mid-week breaks by hitting the gym and sweating the bad stuff out. Boxing allows me to release stress and brush off setbacks and frustrations. Exercise releases endorphins, too! And because it also tones and strengthens my body, I feel ten times better! At home, I make time to read the Bible and pray because that is the most peaceful and restful time for me.

On days I can splurge a little, I do some retail therapy and get my hair and nails done! It's good to treat yourself once in a while and reward yourself for working hard.

Pam Abuan, full-time mom, makeup artist and cake artist

To keep my face youthful and glowing, in the morning I wash my face with placenta soap and I keep it moisturized with Embryolisse Lait-Creme (edition gold). I seldom use makeup when I leave the house but I never forget to put on Mary Kay's Time-wise Matte-wear foundation and Lucas Papaw Lip Ointment. It's also important to have a positive and happy disposition, plus keep yourself updated with the latest trend in fashion, makeup and technology.

Kriska Ramos, marketing manager at Benefit Cosmetics

My de-stressing beauty ritual includes visiting the Benefit Brow Bar to get my brows and upper lip waxed. The process takes about 15-20 minutes and it gives me time to relax after a long day at work. The best part of the service is when they apply a moisturizing eye mask plus a soothing cold compress that just refreshes the look and feel of my whole face.

Chrizie Leynes, lawyer and entrepreneur

I find painting my nails a great de-stressing beauty ritual! It feels great knowing that I have a couple of minutes that forces me to give up everything that I'm doing. I find it really relaxing just sitting on our sofa while the nail polish dries. To top it off, I simultaneously use my favorite face mask and just close my eyes, pondering on the meaning of my life.

Donna Gonzales Lim, fashion/event stylist and store owner

I rarely get to make trips to the salon or the spa but this does not mean I skimp on de-stressing and my beauty rituals. I often get massages at home with my kids running around me but it gets the job done. I also make sure to allot at least half an hour to put on makeup in the mornings. It does not matter if I am just off to my kids’ school or a shoot; I make an effort to still look my best to conquer the day! It always gives me a boost knowing that I look presentable.

Liee Lozano, artist

I have always had problematic skin and it doesn’t help that everything I like doing just happen to involve long nights and lots of pollution. My skin has considerably calmed down over the past years but sometimes I get stressed and I get breakouts. Art takes a long time to create and I haven’t really gotten past my habit of staying up late so unfortunately it shows up on my face. The only difference is that, unlike in my younger years, I now make it a point to de-stress. I used to be iffy about calling this a beauty ritual, but what the heck.

I start with Etude House Baking Powder Pore Cleansing Foam, which I like because it makes my face clean but not tight and dry. I do this twice because when I’m stressed I feel like everything is on my face and one wash just won’t cut it. After that I dry my face, neck, and hands, and apply Etude House Berry AHA Bright Peel Mild Gel. Etude House recommends that you do this about twice a week which is fine, but on a stressful week, I do this every day. I then follow that up with a face-sweeping of Bioderma Sensibio H2O. I understand this is just another cleanser but I don’t really like toners as they dry my face out too much. I like sheet masks a lot, so both good and bad days require a sheet mask of some sort. I’m quite partial to Etude House because my skin likes their products but I also use The Face Shop sheet masks from time to time. Which sheet mask I use depends on what I need but my favorites would be lemon, green tea, and honey.

While the mask is on, I try to pay attention to my hands. It’s nothing fancy and it’s usually either sunflower oil, virgin coconut oil, or grape seed oil. Sometimes I bring it down to my legs and feet. I need to take care of my hands because without my hands, I can’t create anything.

Last but not the least, I find that a lot of my stressed and burned out feelings come from not being hydrated enough. I try to finish at least 2 liters of water a day.

Diana Agbi, team lead and professional makeup artist

Being a single mom, balancing a full-time job, freelance work, and trading is exhausting. Although I find it difficult to find time for myself, staying prepped is a must. Some makeup hacks save me precious time on my beauty rituals. At night I load up on oil-absorbing masks like the Queen Helene mud mask and wake up oil-free. I wash my long, rebonded hair only every three days to keep it thick and healthy. Every time I wash my hair, I shampoo three times to make sure it's clean then I deep-condition using super thick concealers. I don't regularly use hot tools to avoid split ends. For makeup, I pre-mix foundation, face primer and concealer in a jar so I can use them all in one go. I love Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation, Hard Candy primer and Dermablend concealer. I usually go neutral for my eye looks by using the same brown eyeshadow and brown gel liner for my brows and eyes. I stick to old-school tricks like using matte lipstick as blush (I like the ones from Wet n Wild). I prefer matte pink-coral tones, as that shade is universally flattering. I finish the look with a good thickening and lengthening mascara.

Nikki Tiu, HR consultant, makeup artist, brand consultant and blogger

I don’t have much time to de-stress. The only thing I really do to unwind is to use face masks!

When my favorite mask sheet brand Leaders Insolution came out with an eye mask called Hydrogel Eye Therapy Patch, I picked it up right away! With all the late night work and random "toddler waking up moments", I knew I had to do something about my undereye circles and puffiness. Whenever my hormones start to act up and my skin turns from dry to combination, I use a Leaders AC-Dressing mask before I go to bed and wake up with less redness! An added point is that, my skin looks hydrated and healthier.

How about you, what do you do to de-stress? How often do you get your “me” time?

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