With Pinterest, Instagram and other platforms you can find tens of thousands of absolutely beautiful and stunning makeup looks. I can spend hours looking at these and even longer emulating them or creating my own. I am in awe of videos on YouTube demonstrating how to get the “Kim Kardashian Contour” and love seeing the before and afters on these videos. But, let’s get real…unless you are an enthusiast or work in a job that requires this perfection everyday, all of this is simply too much. The average person has to get their face done and out the door in time, and many people I know will skip it altogether to meet the needs of others first.
I used to spend close to an hour applying my makeup and doing my hair each day. Then I had kids… Makeup application has become something that I have to sneak in during a nap or an episode of Dora and my hair is however it looks after I run a hairbrush through it. Or I have to do the unthinkable – wake up earlier than they do so I can shower and put on my face.
Luckily, I have found a few shortcuts along the way, and I am so thrilled with the result that I don’t think I will return to my old ways. It’s actually been quite eye-opening, and I have learned to like my face a lot more with less or even no makeup at all. I would’ve never fathomed this pre-children! Now that I really give it some thought, I was probably wearing makeup the equivalent of a ballroom gown to gym class most of the time. Maybe just a little overdone. (This is where my friends will hide their giggles and “told you so’s”!)
Please note: All beauty products pictured are my own and they are used regularly so they are not perfect stock photos.
Back to the topic of a speedy makeup application. Here are the steps I take to get my face on in about 10 minutes or less:
- Moisturize – I used to apply eye cream but have eliminated this step during the day and only use it at night (if I remember). When I was new to the beauty industry I would advocate complicated 5 – 6 step skin care regimes and preach them to the eyes – glazed over moms in my store looking for a routine that would suit their lifestyle. I was a naive and out of touch salesperson when I was young, with little understanding of how little time a mom actually gets to herself. Also, not everyone is going to put that much time in to a regime (kids or no kids). Now, I look for something in a moisturizer that does it all.
- La Roche Posay Hydraphase UV SPF 30 is perfect for summers as it is lightweight hydration with a hefty sun protection factor (SPF)
- If it is really humid and I don’t need the SPF I love Neostrata Oil Free Matifying Fluid. This magical concoction allows me to apply powder over top immediately afterwards without any tugging or pilling
- Biotherm Aquasource is a winter fave and I may add a serum if especially dry
- Lips – Bite Beauty Lip Mask as I raved on and on about it here
- Eyes – I start with my eyes and then work my way back to them – there are not any rules so do it in whatever order you like.
- Gosh Forever Eye Shadow Metallic Stick in 02 (Beige) drawn on each eyelid (one swipe) and use the warmth of my finger to spread over eye lid
- A touch of Urban Decay Walk Of Shame (WOS) eye shadow in my crease (applied with a contour brush)
- Urban Decay Glide-On Pencil in Bourbon is a nice day eye liner and I just make a line close to my lashes and a flick at the end for a subtle cat eye
- Gosh Forever Eye Shadow Metallic Stick in 02 (Beige) drawn on each eyelid (one swipe) and use the warmth of my finger to spread over eye lid
- Face – Once my eyes are done I like to conceal and even out my skin
- Bobbi Brown Cream Concealer applied under each eye with a large concealer brush. I draw it in the darkest hollows and use a combination of the brush and my fingers to tap it in and work all around the area (NEVER rubbing as this will irritate the eye area and remove product)
- My routine used to consist of liquid foundation and a powder over top (a heavy coverage powder). While I adore the look that this produced (perfection) it was time-consuming and perhaps a wee bit much for everyday. Now I use Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup and apply with their chisel brush. I can cover my face and blend this in under a minute easily
- Add some contour and colour with Shiseido Bronzer – I dip my large fluffy brush and quickly swipe it on one side of fame, dip brush and do the other side
- For blush I dab brush into powder by Benefit (Coralista) and apply to apples of my cheeks
- Bobbi Brown Cream Concealer applied under each eye with a large concealer brush. I draw it in the darkest hollows and use a combination of the brush and my fingers to tap it in and work all around the area (NEVER rubbing as this will irritate the eye area and remove product)
- Eyes Again – Now I return to the eyes.
- Define my brows with Benefit Gimme Brow – see this post for full details
- Mascara the heck out of my lashes! At this time I am not super loyal to any one brand and I like to experiment or use different ones each day
- Lips – This is where my creativity and mood will strike. When in a hurry I like something simple and familiar. In this case it was NYC Cityproof Twistable Intense Lip Color in Ballroom Blush – this is a really fast and easy methods to apply colour on lips!
As far as hair goes, I do attempt to get away with washing it as little as possible (I went a record 5 days in a row once- to work!). Check out this post for some hair time-saving tips, and also consider using heat appliances from time to time to get some longevity in between washes, as well as creativity with bobby pins, elastics and other hair accessories.
And that’s all Foxes! Now this is NOT the makeup look I would be posting about on Pinterest or Instagram bragging about a special skill or an outstanding eye makeup, but this is a look that is super achievable by every busy person. And that, my Foxy friends, is most of us.
On the topic of time Foxes, how much time do you spend on your face in the morning? Do you skip hair washing too sometimes?
On of the most popular questions I get asked is, “How do I find a red lipstick that works for me?” This is not an easy question to answer as many people are really asking me to make them change their perception about red lipstick and who should be wearing it, and to make them see themselves in a different light in which they are glamorous and bold.
Once liner is applied, it’s time to put on the lipstick. There are several application methods – direct from the tube, applying with your finger, applying with a lip brush. Direct from the tube is fastest, but for ultimate precision a lip brush will allow you best control. You can either use the brush to get lipstick from the tube and then out onto your lips, or put some on directly from the tube and then use the brush to precisely fill in the countours. If you would like a hint of the colour rather than wearing it full blast, smudge a tiny amount onto centre of your lips and then spread out over rest of your lips with your finger.