We’re now a few weeks into the academic year and while we may be bright eyed and fresh faced, we all know what to expect after a few more weeks… Cue the late nights, the ‘not very healthy’ eating, and the stress over the pile of work that’s suddenly appeared out of nowhere! Welcome (back) to student life. This lifestyle often results in dullness, tiredness, and ultimately laziness to the point where a lot of us can’t be bothered with and don’t have time for any products in the morning. But don’t lose hope and have faith in the beauty basics because; I’m about to take you through an easy, everyday makeup routine which requires minimum time and effort! These products are also great if you don’t wear makeup or if you only wear very little very rarely as a few of them work as skincare products and, all of them provide a natural-looking enhancement which could be worn for special occasions rather than regularly.
First up is primer, probably the most overlooked makeup item but if you find the right one it actually does make a difference to your skin. Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration Primer is a good product to start with. It smooths over pores and any bumpy textured areas on the face, making your complexion look clearer and healthier. This primer also doubles up as a moisturiser so you can skip that step completely and save time! It comes in two different types, one tailored for normal skin and the other for dry skin (if you’ve got oily or combination skin a small amount of the normal skin one should do nicely!)
After primer, if you still want a little more coverage then use a BB cream to blur out any blemishes and even skin tone. Garnier BB Cream does this well and also provides a radiant glow. BB creams are great because you simply apply them like a moisturiser and the moisturiser like formula means no caking and no need to waste your morning minutes on blending! The colour range however, isn’t great so if like me, you can’t find one that matches your skin tone you can simply create your own. Sheer out your favourite foundation by mixing it with the primer mentioned above, this way you can also control the coverage! Remember, this step is optional so if you’re happy with your primer or you don’t wear makeup you can totally skip over this.
Let’s move onto eyes… Finding it hard to keep them open for those 9am starts? Maybelline’s Great Lash is a classic for a reason. Not only is it affordable, it has all the qualities of a ‘great’ mascara. It lengthens, adds volume, and can hold a curl to make eyes (at least look) open and wide awake. It’s also the kind of mascara that’s willing to help you out and do the work for you, so no matter how clumsily you apply it (yes, it gets that you’re in a rush) it refuses to clump and just keeps building bigger, bolder lashes. If you prefer not to wear mascara, however, an alternative way to bring life to tired eyes would be by applying some Vaseline to the tips of your lashes to curl them up slightly. This will also condition your lashes and give a shine that will make your eyes look a little brighter!
Okay, we’re trying to use as less products as possible here so this step is also optional. Decide whether or not you want a subtle pop of colour to the face. If you do, applying the award winning Bourjois Little Round Pot Cream Blush (in any colour you want) will add dimension to the cheeks and give you the best natural-looking glow!
Finish up with a couple of swipes of tinted lip balm to avoid getting chapped lips, which may happen a lot this time of year. I would recommend going for a red toned colour like Maybelline’s Baby Lips Lip Balm in Cherry Me, as this will brighten up the whole face and make the look more put together (as if you put a lot of effort in…) Maybelline’s Baby Lips Lip Balm’s are moisturising, lightly pigmented, and smell delicious! That’s all there is to it! That’s how you can keep your face looking fresh throughout the academic year. Skip steps, switch products, and tailor this routine to yourself. Remember to keep it low-maintenance, less is definitely more when it comes to back-to-school beauty.
Edited by Susan Akyeampong
Sources:
http://weheartit.com/entry/254798306
http://www.superdrug.com/Garnier/Garnier-BB-Cream-Original-Medium-50ml/p/282268
http://healthyandstylish.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Beauty-Essential…