Whether you are going to class or heading to an interview, it’s always smart—and easy—to look your very best. My tips for a quick daytime glam look for any occasion are simple and will make you stand out from the crowd! We city girls know that time is precious and 10 minutes is everything to us. Once you get a solid routine, it’s easy to get things done fast and efficiently. Here are my make-up tips for looking glam in under 10 minutes. You do not have to be a professional to get the job done. All you need are some products, brushes and that beautiful face of yours!
Step 1: Moisturize
Dry skin, oily skin, or a combo of both; moisturizing is so important and will not only hydrate your skin, but will help your makeup last all day. If you go without moisturizing, your foundation is more likely to become blotchy and can even make you look older and tired–eek!
Step 2: Find a foundation that works for you
Personally, I have combination skin and some acne bumps around my chin. I don’t need much coverage, but I look for more of a skin-tone balancing foundation. If you have oily skin, look for foundations that have an oil-free formula. If you need moisture, some foundations are water based and will give you a dewy finish.
Find a long-wearing foundation that matches the color of your chest and be sure to drag it down your neck so everything will blend seamlessly. My current go-to foundation is MAC Face and Body—amazing. I love the CoverGirl Stay Fabulous Foundation too.
Step 3: Conceal
Waking up for an 8:30 A.M. class is not easy and sometimes the bags under our eyes are a clear indicator of that. Combat those bags with a correcting/brightening concealer. Going for a concealer that is one to two shades lighter than your foundation will lift and brighten the under eyes, draw attention your eyes, and make them pop. Contrary to popular belief, it’s more effective to apply your under eye concealer in a triangle shape, starting at the inner corner of the eye, dragging it along the side of the nose and sweeping across the top of the cheek bone toward your brow; then fill it in. My favorite right now is the MAC Prolongwear Concealer. It lasts all day and provides amazing coverage. Check out my Facebook page for pictures.
Step 4: Set your foundation/concealer
You can use a loose powder or a pressed powder. This—especially for oily skin—will keep your foundation in place and will keep you from getting oily throughout the day. Using a fluffy brush for this is key to ensure effective staying power of the foundation. I’ve tried many, but my favorite is the StayMatte pressed powder from Rimmel—available at Drug stores.
Step 5: Brows
I love love love BROWS! Brows shape your face and you can have so much fun with them. Filling them in—if you’re not accustomed to it—can be a bit intimidating. However, I promise you it’s well worth it. Find an eyeshadow or eyebrow pencil that is similar to the shade of the root of your hair, and follow the shape of your brow. Check the pics on my Facebook!
Step 6: Eyes
Whatever eyeshadow look you are going for, it’s important to use lighter shades on the inner corner, and darker shades on the outer corner for a daytime glam look. On days when I’m really tired, I will add a pop of shimmer on the inner tear duct to really intensify and open my eye. Daytime glam calls for neutral tones, which compliment all eye colors and shapes. The Naked Palette by Urban Decay—a fan favorite—retails for around $49. I am now a junior at Suffolk and I got my palette sophomore year of high school and it’s still going strong. I highly recommend this palette to anyone just starting out, or anyone looking to build their make-up collection. It’s a staple in my free-lance kit.
Making sure your eyeshadow is blended is a super important as well; make sure there are no harsh lines! You can find cheap fluffy blending brushes at CVS, ULTA, Sephora, and Amazon. Use your favorite eyeliner for some definition on the lash line—Black or brown, whatever you prefer. I tend to stray from eyeliner on the waterline during the day; I recommend pale or white eyeliner instead.
Step 7: Finishing Touches
Don’t forget to add your favorite mascara! Mascara does wonders when you’re sleepy and completes any look. Blush and bronzer are also important—especially in these upcoming winter months—to give you a healthy luminous glow. Bronzer should be applied to the outer perimeter of the face, where the sun would naturally tan, and down the neck to blend.
Blush—any shade of your choice, I reach for Luminoso from Milani Cosmestics—should be applied to the apples of your cheeks and blended back toward the top of your cheek bone. Use a very light hand when you are applying your blush, as it could make you look overdone.
Step 8: Rock It
Once you have these steps down, you will be able to get more creative with your make up; switching up blush colors, adding shimmer, trying different lip shades, etc. Give these a try the next time you’re getting ready and time yourself. Can you get glam in less than 10 minutes? Good luck and stay beautiful!