Beauty doesn’t have to be tough, even for those of us with stacked schedules. Taking that five minutes in the morning to achieve a polished look will not only make you feel better, but also conveys a non-verbal message of self-confidence (i.e. “I take pride in my appearance”)….and I honestly wouldn’t have a job as a make-up artist if we didn’t live in such a visual society, right?! Right.
One of the most common things I hear from clients is that they don’t have enough time in their morning schedule (p.s. no one does!). Now, no excuses…here are five handy items that are big on beauty for when you’re short on time. Try one or all of them, and let me know it goes! :)
1. Klorane Dry Shampoo
All hail Dry Shampoo!! I can’t tell you how many more minutes of sleep I’ve gained with this little bad boy…or ahem, maybe I shouldn’t tell you because my hair is clean/newly washed all the time! We all know washing our hair everyday actually isn’t good for our locks, as it strips the strands of natural moisture. My hair can get seriously oily though, and oily equals dirty-looking and that used to also equal shower time. Now with Klorane’s dry shampoo, all you have to do is spray your roots (usually where oils, dirt and other telltale signs that hair was washed the day before reside) and leave it in for a couple of minutes. The dry shampoo does all the work and absorbs excess oil, and all you have to do is brush/shake it out for a ‘fresh’ head of hair! Nice, right?! Using dry shampoo saves at least 20 minutes of washing your hair, blow drying and styling it…and that’s just a minimum. See, no excuses!
2. Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentrè
This tube of miracle cream is multi-functional. Use it as a moisturizer, primer and make-up remover. Great make-up always starts with a great canvas…that canvas being your skin. Take care of your skin with a daily cleansing + moisturizing routine. The better the condition you’re skin is in, the less make-up you’ll have to wear.
3. CoverGirl Liquiline Blast
Some women say they can’t leave the house without mascara. I find adding mascara to my puny lashes provides minimal impact in my overall beauty routine, especially when I’m cramped for time. If I could only reach for one item, I would instead line my eyes with a pencil or (my usual go-to) liquid liner for more of an overall wide-eyed effect. Liquid liner can be tricky to use, but CoverGirl’s Liquiline Blast is totally user-friendly while giving a similar bold effect. For a quick and easy daytime routine, line the top lid keeping your line thin on the inner part of the eye and then gradually drawing the line thicker as you approach the outer edge (chant the mantra: “thinner inner, thicker outer”…it helps lol!). Keep the line as is, or option #2 – blend the liner for a more natural look. Option #3: Add more liner, and smudge for a smokier look. From afar, liner will have way more of a polished impact than a couple of coats of mascara.
(Bonus: no mascara means you won’t have to worry about using an eyelash curler and the potential of pinching your lid while half-awake! Don’t worry, I have something for Team Eyelash ladies below..)
4. Stila Convertible Colour
Products that do double-duty mean grabbing and opening one less item in the morning. Use Stila Convertible Colour on the lips and cheeks to create a gorgeous glow. Colours like Petunia and Gerbera help to feign a well-rested face. I like!
5. Maybelline The Falsies Mascara
To add instant drama and make your eyes look both bigger and brighter, try a couple of coats of mascara. Curl your lashes (yes, an extra step) and apply Maybelline’s The Falsies Mascara. I’ve got big love for this big mascara – see more of my review here. The Falsies magnify even the puniest of lashes for maximum impact, as in my lashes below. :)
I know I just discounted the powers of mascara in the blurb about eyeliner above, but that’s just honestly what works best for me and my smaller set eyes. (If I could do it all and take more than one item to that figurative deserted island with me, I sooo would take them all–mascara, lash curler, liner et al.–but that’s the make-up artist/lover in me!) Really, at the end of the day, that’s the lesson here…when you’re pressed for time to get ready in the morning, choose one feature that you want to bring out (or conceal!) and focus whatever minutes you can scrounge together on said feature. You’ll look better and feel better….easy peasy!