On those mornings you would rather snuggle into your warm bed a little longer, try this easy ten minute makeup routine to look polished and ready to conquer the day.
Face Preparation
One of the most important steps in making your makeup look flawless and natural is to first properly prepare your face. When you take your morning shower, give your face a quick wash to remove any grime, oils or bacteria that accumulated overnight. As soon as you get out, use a light, easily absorbed moisturizer. This will give you a smooth canvas on which to apply your makeup.
Prime
Priming your face takes all of five seconds, and next to moisturizing, it is the step that can make the difference between a smooth, even skin tone and dull, textured skin. Use a primer with a green base to cover redness, or a yellow base for skin with dark areas. A primer will also fill in large pores and even out roughness.
Eyeshadow
For days when you want your makeup routine to take virtually no time, you should keep your eye look as simple as possible. It is best to apply your shadow first in these cases, so you can easily clean up fallout without ruining your foundation and concealer. For a simple, elegant look, use a light, shimmery shade all over the lid. If you want more dimension, run a brush with a deeper, matte shade all along your crease. Avoid darker or heavily pigmented shades as these need a lot of blending, which takes some time.
Eyeliner
When you are trying to quickly get out the door, it is best to simply skip eyeliner. If you feel you really need the definition provided by eyeliner, use a liner with a creamy formula on your waterline. It is difficult to mess up this technique, and you will get a dark frame that makes your eyes pop.
Brows
If you have darker brows, you don’t even need to do anything to them. If you really feel like you can’t leave the house with your natural brows, use a tinted brow gel to give your eyebrows color and keep them in place all day. It’s an easy one step process that only takes a few seconds.
Foundation
Girls with oily skin can take a good powder and lightly dust it all over the face. This will provide even coverage and prevent the skin from becoming too oily throughout the day. Those with dry skin should opt for a cream product. A luminous liquid foundation or a good BB Cream will cover blemishes and redness, while adding moisture to the skin.
Blush
Those who have very light skin or lack dimension in their face may want to add a hint of color. Choose a light colored blush that complements the undertones of your skin. You want to choose a product that is not too pigmented so you don’t spend too much time on blending. Blush will make you look more awake and healthy.
Finishing Spray
One of the most important steps you can take to ensure that your makeup stays fresh and in place all day is to use a setting spray. A quick mist will meld the products on your face and make them look natural. It also adds hours to the wear time of your products. Use your setting spray after your foundation but before your mascara to avoid transfer and running.
Mascara
After your setting spray has dried, darken and lengthen your lashes with a coat of mascara. Use a formula that is simple and fuss free. Avoid mascaras with fibers, clumps or formulas that are too wet.
Lips
When you have a ten minute window for makeup, you want your lip product to be simple and easy to apply. Avoid liquid lipsticks, products that need a lip liner or dark colors that transfer and bleed. A simple lip gloss or moisturizing bullet lipstick is quick and gives your makeup the perfect polished appearance.
This makeup routine will make it look like you got up early and had a relaxed, leisurely morning. Stroll into school or work looking polished and awake.
