Whenever I work with a personal client or real life woman, I tend to get one of two responses:
“Yeah, this makeup looks great but I’d never be able to do it at home” - or - “I don’t have enough time to spend on my makeup”.
So for those of you who are running on limited time and makeup skills, this piece is for you! I’m going to outline some of my favorite time cutting tricks, multiple use products, and must do steps designed to give you the most impact in your makeup regime.
Let’s start with a variety of multiple use and time saving products. You’ll be surprised at how many options you have with some very basic items already sitting in your bathroom drawer.
Lipstick: Depending on the color, use it on your cheeks and lips. Apply straight from the tube for more color or run your finger over the bullet and tap onto your lips and cheeks for a sheer stained look.
Lipgloss: In addition to using it to lacquer your lips try using it as a dewy highlight on your cheekbones. Squeeze the product onto the back of your hand, rub it with your finger to warm up the product, and pat it onto your cheekbones. Please note, this works best with sheer shades in a satin or pearl finish; I would avoid any formulas with glitter or opaque color.
Lipstick Pencils: These are a great product because they combine the softness of a lipstick with the definition of a pencil. These pencils are chubbier than a traditional lip pencil and are available in a wide range of colors and finishes.
Cream Blush: Again, color depending, try this on your lips, cheeks, and eyes.
Blush and Bronzer: Both of these items can be used as eye shadow and will create a warm, uniform look.
Dilute your concealer: While a lot of women choose to not own a foundation, most will have a concealer. Try mixing your concealer with a bit of your moisturizer if you want to use it for all over coverage.
Cream Eyeshadows: These are typically available either in a tube similar to lipgloss or in a compact. Regardless of packaging, cream shadows can be quickly applied with the fingers. Best of all, they dry down to a beautiful powder finish and have great staying power. As with many of the other products outlined here, these can be a great face highlight depending on the color.
Tinted Moisturizer: This is one of the best inventions of all time! Now you can moisturize, protect, and get sheer coverage all in one step.
Powder Foundation: This product gives you the coverage of a foundation with the finish of a powder all in one step. While powder foundations are ok for all skin types, they don’t always look the best on those with drier skin so take care when shopping for this product and be sure to moisturize first!
This list is not complete without one of my favorite products from NARS cosmetics: the Multiple Stick. This is a cream product that was created for the exact purpose we are discussing here – minimal product with maximum effect in an easy to use medium. The Multiple Sticks can be used on the eyes, cheeks, and lips and are available in a huge variety of colors, transparencies, and finishes. Apply these under or over your foundation or on their own.
Lastly, let’s go over some less thought of options and investments that will pay off in the long run.
Priorities, priorities, priorities: Always start by working on the feature you want to play up the most. This way, if you run out of time, at least your favorite feature is finished. This is especially efficient for the eyes, the feature most women are interested in accentuating. If you do your eyes before anything else, any residual fallout from your products can simply be cleaned up without wasting time on patching and redoing your foundation or concealer.
Primers: While priming may seem like an added step, it eliminates the need for more touch-ups in the day therefore saving you precious time. Foundation primers lock in hydration and keep your makeup looking and feeling fresh all day long. Eyeshadow primers allow your shadow to go on more smoothly with better pigmentation and they won’t crease or fade.
Quality Skincare: Better skin = less makeup. Using preventative measures and taking good care of your skin will make your skin look brighter and more youthful through the years thus eliminating the need to cover and mask many common skin issues. As a side note, if you don’t feel like you have time to wash your face, pick up a cleansing water or cleansing wipes for easy, water-free cleansing.
Practice makes perfect: there is definitely a learning curve when it comes to makeup and it might take time to catch up. Experiment with new products and techniques but do it when you have a little more time to invest in the venture. Master techniques and products while you’re relaxed and soon you’ll be able to incorporate special touches into your daily routine with ease and speed.
Get organized: take some time to go through your makeup collection and throw out anything you haven’t used in ages or that may have become discolored or developed an odor. Get little drawer organizers to keep things in order. I have found great trays at Ikea, Fred Meyer, and Bed Bath & Beyond for very reasonable prices.
Invest in duplicate products: keep an extra set of your powder or concealer or lipstick or blush (or whatever your favorite or most needed product may be) in your purse or at the office. This way you won’t be scrambling to put products in your purse as you leave in the morning. Also, if it’s one of those days where you didn’t finish your makeup to your liking, you can complete things as you sit at a red light or in the bathroom at work.
Good luck and happy makeup!
Amy Gillespie, makeup artist, makeup tricks, makeup tips, makeup secrets
