When time isn't on your side, in the morning, if you could streamline beauty routine, would you? Here's how to cut out the faff with these time-saving beauty tips, says editor Trudi Brewer.
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Editor Trudi Brewer shares how to streamline your morning routine on TV3’s The Cafe.
MAKEUP
Sort an everyday beauty wardrobe
When you're in a rush, you can't afford to think too long and hard about applying makeup. Put together a workday makeup wardrobe of neutral colours, like tan, taupe, and soft rose, and peach, these shades blend effortlessly and suit all skin tones.
Five-minute perfect-looking skin fast
All you need for a fast effective makeup look first thing is a matte concealer, a lip-and-cheek stain, eye shadow palette that doubles as a brow groomer, mascara and a slick of gloss. This will help you go from that I-just-woke-up look to a, I'm-ready-to take-on-the-day, in just five minutes
Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer, $53.
Matte without looking dull on the skin, this full-coverage concealer blurs imperfections, and leaves a soft-focus effect on the skin. Wear alone where you need coverage, or under any foundation, to blur the look of dark circles, redness, and blemishes. There are 16 shades.
Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer, $53.
Fingers make the best beauty tools
We all have so many makeup brushes, and while they are great for contouring, lining, and stippling on makeup, whenever you're in a time crunch, you can apply everything with your fingers. It gets your makeup done faster, and the heat from your fingers blends the products so much faster than using all those individual brushes and sponges each day.
Invest in a concealer palette
Full coverage foundations can look great if you're willing to commit the time and effort needed to blend and buff them into the skin. Invest in a concealer palette to pinpoint and cover any blemishes or dark shadows, and then buff on your blush, apply a swipe of mascara and lippy, and you're out the door.
Surratt Beauty Perfectionniste Concealer Palette, in shade 2, $102.
Surratt Beauty Perfectionniste Concealer Palette, in shade 2, $102.
For erasing the look of dark circles and fine lines under the eyes, as well as skin blemishes, you can customise a flattering shade with this creamy concealer duo. Then, to prevent your makeup from moving the built-in powder helps it stay the day. There are six shades.
Invest in a lip and cheek balm
If you only have time to grab one product for your purse, make it a lip and cheek stain. In a pinch, you can even add it to our eyelids for a hint of fresh colour, to offer that tonal look to your makeup.
Nudestix Nudies Matte All Over Face Color Blush & Bronze, in In The Nude, $62.
The balm-like texture of this stick colour can be used on your eyes, cheeks and lips straight from the stick, either blended with the fingers or with the built-in-brush - it’s genius. There are 11 shades.
Nudestix Nudies Matte All Over Face Color Blush & Bronze, in In The Nude, $62.
SKINCARE
Streamline your routine with beauty balms, and moisturisers you can blend with your makeup. Make sure you invest in an eye cream, and night cream, to keep your skin well-hydrated, if your skin is healthy and glowing, it needs less makeup to look good.
Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant, $37,
Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant, $37.
This balm offers dozens of skin healing benefits. Apply, to the lips and brows, and pressed into your palms and then swipe your hands through your hair to tame little rogue flyaway stands, it also works as a nourishing hand and cuticle cream.
Customise your moisturiser
Instead of spending time doing a full face of moisturizer and then foundation, mix a drop of foundation with your daily face lotion to get quick coverage and hydrate the skin in one easy step.
Mix concealer with your eye cream
To make sure your concealer doesn’t sink into those fine lines, blend your eye cream with your makeup to give it a moisturising boost. Look for an eye cream with brightening ingredients to erase the look of darkness and give skin extra luminosity.
Avène Dermabsolu Eyes Youth Eye Cream, $75.
Once you use the cooling metallic massage applicator, built into this eye cream, you will not be without it. Stacked with hyaluronic acid works in seconds to smooth the skin around the eye area, and calm any sensitivities. For puffiness dark circles, and fine lines, it offers visible results - fast.
HAIR
Get the most out of dry shampoo
Spray dry shampoo into your locks as soon as you get out of bed, then get ready with breakfast, shower wearing a shower cap, and then brush the formula through her hair. This way, the dry shampoo has a chance to absorb as much oil as possible, working even better than brushing it out moments after you spray it on.
Co Lab Dry Shampoo, $10.
Co Lab Dry Shampoo, in Black Violet $10.
Created under the watchful eye of UK beauty blogger Ruth Crilly, this quick-fix formula once sprayed into roots will absorb oil without leaving that telltale white residue. It refreshes your hair and lengthens the time between those time-consuming blow-drys.
Prep your hair the night before
Work texturizing cream into damp hair, wrap your hair in an aqueous towel to avoid frizz, or if you have long hair, make two braids, and sleep on it. The next morning, undo your braids, and or remove the towel and your hair with have messy boho waves.
Just wash your fringe
If you want to skip shampooing but don't want to leave the house with a stringy-looking fringe, wash your bangs only. It's simple: pull your hair back in a ponytail, wet your hands with a small dime-size amount of shampoo, run it through your fringe, and rinse it out under the tap. Then quickly blow-dry and style your fringe as normal.