With the world moving at warp speed, it seems like nobody has time to look good. The world, it seems, is full of vapid stars who contest the minimalistic life and the power hungry business-oriented who huff and puff that vanity is overrated. But wait a minute (if you have one). Stop and reflect. Do you really want to become one of those women who frantically apply makeup; in the cab, the car, the subway, the bathroom at work/school? You CAN apply makeup in under 5 minutes. It's perfectly possible. All you need is a few tricks and some elbow grease.
The main reason why really good makeup takes so long is because it requires careful blending. When I see women with thick cakey foundation, crepey lids, splotched lipstick, the problem is not in the products, but the application. So it's a good idea to invest in some multi-purpose porducts that blend well. The easier a product is to use, the less you need to fiddle around with it. Practice, too, minimizes time in the mornings, because practice allows you to make a flawless face, quick.
If you have skin that's near perfect, then it's simple, walk out with just a sunscreen as a shield from the world, with a little bit of cream blush rubbed onto cheeks and lips. If you need a teeny bit of coverage, use a tinted moisturizer or a light flurry of powder (depending on your skin type). Liquid foundation is probably not a good idea if you want to scrunch time. But if you need the coverage, stick to cream/stick or powder foundations instead, depending on your skin type. Some good examples: Vincent Longo Water Canvas Foundation, Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick, Stila Illuminating Powder Foundation. Remember, cream/stick foundations work really well as concealers too (an example of multi-tasking). Just dab onto trouble spots, a quick swipe with a sponge, and you're ready to go. Of course, a simple concealer job works wonders. Just cover the crucial spots: under the eyes, on red spots, near the nostrils, the corners of the mouth, anywhere you need it. Then a quick blot with powder to set it and voila! It's important to realize that everyone has different needs. So experiment to see what will work best. If you're really pressed for time, then a bit of blush masks skin flaws wonderfully, as will a faux tan or a bronzer. Blush, bronzer, and self-tanner add a healthy glow that actually works better to give you a finished look than a careful foundation job might. Just choose one that's cream-based, because you can just rub it on your face without much trouble. Another option is an all-over-shimmer product, dabbed in the right places you'll bring light to your face that makes you look like you've had a good night's sleep. Don't feel obligated to do the whole deal with the eyes (highlight, lid, crease, liner, mascara, brow). Do one or two simple things. A dab of shimmer on the lids with mascara on curled lashes. Or, a wisp of kohl pencil smudged close to lashes. It's about doing one subtle thing. Then a quick swipe of mascara, and your eyes are finished. A prestigous dab of lipgloss or lipstick in a sheer lip toned color is no-fail. Stains work well, they last long as well.
It sounds complex. In the miasma of options, you'll find some that won't work for you, and others that will. Practice makes perfect, and experimentation will give you room to make mistakes and test your boundaries.
Here is an example: * she looks into the mirror, the clock, the mirror, and the clock again. uh oh... * noticing dark circles under her eyes, she quickly blends a stick foundation under her eyes * she takes some cream champagne shimmer shadow & dabs it on her lids for a sheer wash * a coat of mascara on curled lashes finishes off her eyes * brandishing a mauvey-rose suede lipstick in the air, lips are now softly pink * a quick spritz of fragrance in her hair for just a mist of perfume (lasts longer in hair) * and she slips in a compact in her bag and is out the door in less than 5 minutes
It's like performing magic. Monday, July 23, 2001 ยป0 comments
