There are times when we want to look great, but don’t have 30 minutes to do the entire beauty routine. Honestly, we don’t always need to go the whole nine yards. For the days when you’re running late, or feeling bit more laidback and relaxed, you can go for an easy, but polished look. Those are times you only need seven minutes to look fantastic.
Here are the steps to a 7-minute face:
Cleanse. Wash your face with your choice of product. Be sure to choose that right one for your skin type. If you like, give yourself a quick steam facial. Pat your face dry with a clean towel.
Moisturize. Use a moisturizer that works for your skin. This could be a mild, unscented lotion or a product by a beauty line like Clinique. If your skin is oily, look for a lotion. If your skin is dry, opt for a cream. If you use toner, it should be applied before this step.
Base. Use a foundation or powder that matches your skin tone. For dry skin, use liquid foundation, and for oily skin use a stick or powder foundation. Dot your liquid foundation in the areas you need it most, then blend away from the spots using a circular motion. Be sure to blend into your hairline. Even if you used your fingers, use a foundation brush to even out the application. If you have problem areas like blemishes or dark circles, apply concealer in dots, then use a flat concealer brush to spread it evenly. This is the step will probably take the longest.
Blush. Swirl your brush into the most natural-looking blush color, smile, and use a circular motion to apply it to the apples of your cheeks. This is likely the quickest, easiest step. Most people mess it up with the wrong color blush. Check with a beauty consultant or find matching charts online to make sure you get this right.
Light shadow. Cover your eyelid with a neutral eyeshadow, close to your skin tone. If you’re quick, you can take the base color up to your eyebrow, then add a medium color on the lid, working from your lashes to the crease. Blend the colors at the crease with a fluffy brush.
Liner, mascara, brows. Apply your eyeliner as close to your lash line as possible. If you apply to your upper lashes, use a brush or eyeshadow sponge to blend it into your eye shadow. Apply mascara to your lower lashes first. This will prevent wet mascara from your upper lids from leave spoiling your eye shadow when you open your eyes wider to get to the lower lashes. Start at the base and sweep downward. Then apply to your upper lashes, starting from the base and sweeping upward. If you use a back-and-forth motion as your sweep up, you can create a curled effect. Be sure to put the wand back in the mascara each time you apply. For your brows, brush them outward or upward – whichever way you prefer. Use your mascara wand if you’d like them to look fuller. You want to take your time with your eyes and brows because one rushed move could cost you an extra minute or two for correction.
Lips. Start with a moisturizing lip balm. Apply your lip color of choice. If it is matte and you’d like a bit a pop, add a clear gloss or one of the similar shade. This will plump your lips and draw attention to them. You may need to blot for a daytime look, but you can toss the lip color and gloss in your purse for reapplication later.
In most cases, you won’t need to follow all of these steps. You generally want to draw the eye to your eyes or your lips – not both. For that reason, either your eyes or lips should be understated, giving the other a chance to shine. Remember that the more you do with your fingers, the quicker the process will be for you. Your fingers help to warm the products so they blend more quickly and easily. As long as you spend the time finding the right products for your skin type and tone, you’ll be able to complete a simple look in seven minutes or less. Try it!
