The 5-minute makeup challenge
Gone are the days in which a woman could spend hours at her vanity, and more’s the pity, because in truth I find that applying makeup in a leisurely fashion is one of the best de-stressors there is.
But no, we’re in the era of #NMM (no makeup makeup), and most women have but five minutes to spare in order to look presentable to the outside world and claim she #wokeuplikethis.
Luckily, modern makeup is all about multitasking: in addition to their primary function of camouflaging imperfections, they also have skincare benefits, sun protection, mattifiers and luminizers.
Here I’ve devised the perfect five-minute makeup routine, using five essential products that will get you looking good in the time it takes your morning coffee to brew:
1. Even out and protect your skin. Beautiful skin in a flash is possible with today’s high-tech tinted moisturizers and foundations that you can quickly apply with your fingers.
My top three? Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Oil Free Natural Skin Perfector SPF 20 UVB/UVA/PA+++, Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30/PA+++, and Shiseido Synchro Skin Radiant Lifting foundation SPF 30/PA++++.
If you need more coverage, a magic wand is Laura Mercier’s Secret Camouflage Brighten & Correct Duo, which you can wield like a pencil to quickly erase under-eye circles and blemishes.
2. Define your brows. We all know that kilay is life, and never is that truer than in a rush to look good. Undefined brows make you look pale and washed out, while sharply etched arches bring your whole face into focus, making you look fresh and awake.
Best products to try are Benefit Precisely, My Brow pencil, Laura Mercier Eye Brow pencil, and Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Brow Wiz and Dipbrow Gel.
3. Put a sparkle in your eye. Many women are afraid of eye shadow because they think it’s complicated, and nothing could be further from the truth. A beautiful veil of color or shimmer can be yours with one swipe of a finger if you choose an eye shadow in a cream or liquid format (the liquids usually come with a handy doe-foot applicator).
The best liquid shadows I’ve tried are Stila Glitter & Glow and Laura Mercier’s Caviar Chrome Veil liquid lightweight liquid eye color, while for cream shadow, an organic option is RMS Beauty’s Eye Polish. Chanel also has tres chic cream shadows in handy stick and pot formats.
4. Give your cheeks a healthy glow. Blush is another instant prettifier, and — just like with eye shadow — getting a just-pinched flush is a snap if you stick to cream and liquid formulas. They also look more skin-like and natural.
My favorites are Nars liquid and The Multiple stick blushes (which you can also use on eyes and lips), Shiseido Minimalist Whipped Powder Blush, and Benefit Benetint (which can also be used as a lip stain).
5. Shine and hydrate your lips. For the ultimate “your lips but better” look, I’m a big fan of the new glosses and tinted lip balms, which are packed with caring ingredients to alleviate dryness and chapping while you sport a healthy sheen of color. Some great ones to try are Clarins Lip Comfort Oils, Clinique Pop Splash Lip Gloss + Hydration, and Estee Lauder’s Pure Color Envy Color Replenish lip balm, lip volumizer and lip repair potion.
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All products are available at Rustan’s The Beauty Source and Rustans.com.
Follow the author on Instagram @thebeautytraveler_ph.
