Every single makeup wearer has run into the “Do I get 15 extra minutes of sleep or do my makeup today?” conundrum. It happens to the best and to the laziest of us, so we end up running out of our dorms in PJ’s and make-up wipe washed faces as we curse whoever invented the snooze button. After giving up on wearing makeup during the week last semester, I was able to spend the entire summer finding the best products for a speedy makeup routine.
Photo by Abby Burfine
1. A heavy duty concealer. Heavy duty concealers are heaven sent to the lazy girl. I personally swear by the Benefit Cosmetic ‘boi-ing airbrush concealer’ ($22.00 at Ulta), it might be a little pricy, but it works against all imperfections and lasts all day. A more price-wise option however would be the ‘FaceStudio Master Conceal’ from Maybelline ($8.99 at Ulta). The cream product helps cut time by working as a concealer/foundation combo when you set it with a skin-colored setting powder.
2. Brow Gel. If you haven’t already been using a brow gel, I highly recommend you start now. Not only are they super useful and hold down brows for hours on end, but they also eliminate the need to spend 10 minutes getting even brows. Just brush them out with the product and boom you are ready for your day. Benefit Cosmetics ‘Gimme Brow+ Volumizing Eyebrow Gel’ ($24.00 at Ulta) is a cult classic, but Wet N Wild ‘Ultimate Brow Mascara’ ($4.99 at Ulta) is also a widely used and highly praised brow product.
3. Two blushes with a slightly lighter and a darker color. This is actually a little tip I learned while on a mission trip in high school that I still use to this day. With a palette like Anastasia Beverly Hills ‘Blush Trios’ ($30.00 from Ulta) or the E.L.F Cosmetics ‘Powder Blush Palette’ ($6.00 at Ulta) use the lighter blush shade where you would typically apply blush and use the slightly darker shade as a pseudo-bronzer to shape your face. Apply a bit to your cheek bones and dab above your brow bone, blend it out, and then boom. You are given a nice light rosy contour for your lighter makeup days. Using a lighter blush with a slight sparkle to it will also act as a slight highlighter. Boom – 3 products in one.
Photo by Abby Burfine
4. A naturally curling mascara. I never realized how little I needed an eyelash curler until I invested in a curling mascara. As soon as it dropped I got Milk Makeup’s ‘Kush High Volume Mascara’ ($24.00 on milkmakeup.com) and I honestly may never use a new mascara again. Besides the benefits you can read on the website, the mascara actually curls the lash using hollow heart-shaped fibers. For the first two uses I would try and curl my lashes before putting it on and I would wind up with mascara on my eye. So, no I don’t have a dupe for this product, but I mean come on. It’s amazing.
5. A Skin Colored Finishing Powder. A good setting powder (or setting powder + spray for some of us – shout out to my fellow oily girls haaaaay!) can really make or break a quick routine. You need something to not only set the concealer of your choice, but also make your skin not look patchy. Putting on a product that is the wrong color or doesn’t fully sink into your face will throw off the “your face but better” quick makeup look you are achieving. I personally use two products, but then again oily. Before setting spray using a powder like Maybelline ‘Fit Me Matte + Poreless Powder” ($7.99 at Ulta) will help to blend in all the concealer and blush, making the look more natural. Post setting spray (I live by Urban Decay ‘De-Slick’ Setting Spray) applying a light puff of Milk Makeup’s ‘Blur + Set Matte Loose Setting Powder’ ($29 on milkmakeup.com) will lock in the look and help everything blend out,
There you have it. A quick and easy no makeup/your skin but better/’I woke up like this’ “FLAWLESS” makeup look. I timed myself while testing this look as well and once you know what you are doing and what products to use, this look can be completed in 5 minutes. That leaves plenty of time to hit snooze, get a coffee and still somehow end up late to your lecture. Oops.
Photo by Abby Burfine