Quick & Easy - The 5 Minute Face

So, recently with the birth of this new blog, I've had so many people asking me questions. Some of the main ones I get are "Do I need all of that?!" "OMG, I've never contoured, am I supposed to?!". No, you don't need to contour or highlight everyday. You don't need to do most things to be honest. I have drawers full of makeup, but any normal person really should be able to fit all their makeup in a bag. There's no need to freak out about getting millions of products and get caught up in all the fuss. A lot of makeup is just for fun or for special occasions or just added layers,  but not a must do. And makeup isn't everyone's cup of tea. I happen to enjoy it like no other. When I can't sleep, out comes all my makeup and I end up looking fab at 3am for no reason. Crazy, I know. It's like what knitting does for people. It calms me down, allows me to focus on something and be creative. (Did I really just compare makeup to knitting?!!!) But I can definitely relate to someone who doesn't love it like I do because there are plenty of days when I'm rushing and the last thing I'm going to do is be playing with glitter and lip liner. Hell no. And it can be so confusing with tons of options in the market. So, I put together my top things I think are the essentials. What every girl should do when she wants to look pulled together with the least amount of products and the least amount of effort. Because, let's be real, not many of us have time to contour and highlight and liquid line our eyes, etc, etc. Let alone do some of us care. These are the items that will enhance your natural beauty without any of the unnecessary extras. I think this is great for when you're rushing out, for beginners who aren't familiar with makeup or for someone who just likes to keep it simple. Let's get started...


1. Base - I think BB creams or tinted moisturizers are great. I love the DiorSkin Nude BB cream. It will combine moisturizer, SPF and light coverage all in one product. Plus, you can apply it using fingers just like putting on a lotion. I always think that if your skin looks great, nothing else matters!

2. Highlighting Concealer - As a finishing step to the skin, a highlighting concealer underneath the eyes will help eliminate dark circles and keep you looking bright eyed and awake. Really easy to apply from the brush tip on the pen to the darker under eye area and then just use your ring finger to blend it out. I personally love the Clinique Airbrush pen, but I think the Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch is also brilliant.

3. Blush - A little bit of color on your cheeks helps liven up your face and keeps you looking youthful. I love NARS blushes and I particularly like their blush/bronzer duos. They come in a few combinations, but the Orgasm blush/Laguna bronzer combination is so good. Orgasm is the perfect peachy pink color with a small amount of shimmer. The shimmer isn't too much though, it just gives the cheeks a healthy sheen. It's pretty universally flattering. And you could of course use the bronzer as a bronzer, but I actually like this duo because on rushed days, I throw the blush on my cheeks and I use a smaller fluffy blending brush to apply the bronzer into the crease of my eye for a small amount of definition if you feel you want it. And because it's all in one product, it just makes life easier.

4. Brows - I think defining your brows can make a world of difference. It will frame your face and thicker/fuller brows actually keeps your face looker more youthful and polished as well. I love this Anastasia Brow Wiz pencil. The pencil twists up and it's the perfect consistency to just do short feathery strokes to fill in the sparser areas of your brows. Just remember not to draw. Short and feathery is really key to keep it looking like hairs filled in, not like a pencil drawing all over your face! There is also a spooly that comes built into the opposite end which is great to groom hairs into place and also to blend the pencil strokes to keep it looking natural.

5. Mascara - This is essential. Mascara will open up your eyes and keep them looking defined. I love a mascara that packs a punch with volume and length, especially when I'm not doing liner or shadow to support it. If you start at the base of your lashes (by the roots) and wiggle your mascara brush a bit before brushing up, you'll create the illusion of thicker lashes and for me, it actually looks like I have a really thin line of eye liner without the fuss. And if you get a little bit of mascara on your eyelid, just use a Q-tip (cotton bud) to remove it. Easy. Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill is a great option that will give your lashes big impact.

6. Tinted Lips - A tinted lip balm is the perfect ending to a quick look. It will moisturize your lips and give them a hint of color. This Sugar balm from Fresh is one of my favorites. I love their original balm in the brown case and the tinted balms are just as good with added color. They have SPF as well which is always helpful. You can't go wrong.

These few steps will be quick and easy. You'll look pulled together without the fuss of a million products. I did also think about adding in a regular concealer to use on blemishes, but that really depends on the condition of your skin. For me, there are days when I don't need it and others when I have a pesky spot that I do need to cover and that ends up being another step. So, if that's you on some days, a regular concealer that matches your skin tone might be necessary. I love NARS radiant concealer. It's my current obsession! I have suggested products I love to use, but you can always substitute those steps with your own favorite mascara or blush. Anyways, I hope this helps some of you that get overwhelmed with so much in the beauty world and even those of you that love makeup, but don't always have the time before school or work. xoxo.