I love makeup, but I admit there are days when I’m too tired or busy to go through a complicated makeup routine. But since I work (and always want to look put-together at the office) I’ve perfected this simple and fast alternative.
Exfoliate
A quick scrub can help slough off dead skin cells and make skin look more radiant and healthy even before I put on any foundation.
Use tinted moisturizer
This evens out skin tone and gives skin a must-needed boost of moisture, which will help make it look plumper and healthier. If you don’t have tinted moisturizer, just mix together your favorite day cream with a dot of your every day foundation. Another alternative is BB cream.
Dot concealer where you need it
Concealer is the secret of the universe, as makeup guru Bobbi Brown says. This additional step may add a few seconds to your routine, but the pay-off is immense: you look like you’ve had an extra five hours of sleep.
Use gel blush
I just dab this on my cheeks and then blend with my fingers—for me, it’s easier and faster than scrounging around in my makeup drawer for a blush brush. Do this before applying any powder or it will look streaky.
Swipe on pink gloss
A rosy pinkish shade is the most natural and the most fool-proof. Lip gloss doesn’t last as long as lipstick but at least you don’t have to apply it very precisely—sometimes I do this while I’m running out the door.
Swipe on mascara
This opens up the eyes. On busy days I skip the eyelash curler and use waterproof mascara, which may not be as dramatic as my lengthening mascara but won’t smear all over the place. An even quicker alternative is colorless mascara, which has zero chances of looking like a messy, clump mess, and doubles as a brow gel.
Leave a Reply