'You clean up nice' is usually what I get from my friends on the rare occasions they see me out. Anyone with kids know that having time to yourself in the morning to get ready is a luxury...a luxury that almost never happens. So most mornings in between making myself my much needed coffee, breakfast for both kids, changing diapers, clothes and trying to convince my almost 3 year old that she doesn't NEED her My Little Pony fix at 8am, I TRY to squeeze in some time to brush my teeth and wash my face. But now that the weather is warming up I have a bit more motivation to not look a hot mess...at least 50% of the time. So here are my must haves for a quick and easy makeup routine for the busy mom & you ladies who don't have kids but still don't have the time to sit in front of the mirror for an hour, save that for a friday night.
1. Lash curler- those with naturally curled long lashes don't need this but if your lashes are short and stick straight down like mine, a couple of quick crimps with the curler will help open up the eye.
2. Mascara: one of my all time faves is a fiber mascara from a japanese brand Sana and its their xlarge mascara. It holds your curl and the little fibers add length to your lashes. Its ultra waterproof so make sure to use a makeup remover at night.
3. BB cream: bb creams are great cause it does 3 things all at once. It evens skintone, moisturizes and has spf. So no need to sit in front of a mirror applying moisturizer, primer, foundation, and spf. You just need a pea size amount and make little dots all over your face focusing on areas where you need more coverage, for me its my t-zone, and using your fingers rub into skin like you would your lotion.
4. Concealer: this step is optional and only if your like me and haven't slept more than 5 hours a night for about 3 years. If you are, than you probably suffer from hideous bags like mine if not then..lucky you. Apply a very small amount anywhere you want a little extra coverage. The new Nars radiant creamy concealers are like BUTTER! This has become a staple in my professional kit. You only need a tiny amount though and if you need more coverage its easily buildable.
5. Creme/Gel blush: my fave for personal use is Tarte's cheek stain in flush. Swipe a little right on top of apple of cheeks and blend with fingers.
6. Lipgloss/balm: one of my faves that I reach for all the time is Korres lip butter in jasmine. Its a colored lip balm that can be applied with your fingers like a traditional lip balm. Its the perfect nude color that won't wash you out.
This routine takes about 5-10 minutes max. So hopefully the next time you see me out I'll be looking a bit more presentable, well at least my face will be, i can't guarantee my clothes won't have some type of food smeared on it courtesy of the little ones.
