Happy Holiday Season, thought I would try a different style of post. As a busy working mom I have no time to really do a full on face of makeup anymore. Honestly I kind of gave that up anyway when I became a nurse as no one wants to get up at 430 everyday just so you can wear makeup. You may also not have kids or that kind of job and just want a way to apply easy makeup in five minutes. If you like a full face, go you and glad it works for you. I switched to more cream based products which allow quicker applications with less effort, blending and mistakes. This all reduces time in application.
I wanted to highlight a few of my favorites that I use all the time, some for years and years. I also wanted to go through how I get what looks like an acceptable face of makeup on in five minutes. My morning skincare routine is a whole other subject. But once I have sunscreen on yes I can complete makeup in five minutes or under. I tend to pick lightweight tinted style foundations as they're quick and easy combined with cream formulations that have great textures and really last well. That's what I look for in a cream product.
So you can yes apply sunscreen then a lightweight foundation (only if you want to, concealer is just fine as well). I love the ease and lightweight texture of Charlotte Tilbury's Light Wonder Foundation (review HERE) or a cushion. My current favorite cushion foundation is Cle de Peau Radiant Cushion Foundation (review HERE) but La Mer is also quite fabulous (review HERE). Sorry I have expensive taste in foundation. Really any light to medium coverage foundation that's slightly dewy will work. You just don't want to using a full coverage matte as that takes longer to apply and blend properly. I can either use the cushion sponge or I use my fingers. Done in 30 seconds easy.
One way you can skip this extra step is just to use a tinted sunscreen that doubles as foundation. There are several I enjoy for that (Elta MD UV Elements, Alastin) but it's really Priori Tetra fx251 that has my heart. This tinted mineral has the right light medium neutral tint that works for me and it's not drying like many minerals. I find it comfortable all day. You can also use a stick foundation, Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer or the new Tower28 tinted sunscreen if you're of a deeper skin tone as I know Priori is not going to be for everyone. Ultimately the choice is yours and whatever works for you, the main idea is pick something you can apply in 30 seconds, I prefer something I can use my fingers with and that doesn't leave streaks.
I do a quick few dots of concealer using Surratt (review HERE) and blend with the Zoeva Concealer Buffer 142 Brush which is fantastic and super affordable. I do feel brows need to be done in some way to have your eyes look more open and appear groomed enough. I love the combination of Surratt's Expressioniste Brow Pencil with the Hourglass Arch Brow Gel. I do spend at least 30-60 seconds on my brows as they are the key to me looking pulled together with minimal makeup. I love Surratt's hard texture plus it looks natural and it has a spoolie attached for easy access.
Blush is an easy step and while not necessary it really adds that look of liveliness your coloring and overall face. I like cream formulations that are on the drier side yet creamy enough to spread easy. They also need to blend well and have good pigmentation. Liquid blushes can take longer to get right so I tend to opt for creams. I also want creams that last 6 hours minimum and don't leave me with an emollient or too dewy feel on my cheeks. They need to set. All of these hit all of those marks. Overall this step should take 30 seconds at most. I reach for one time of shade but in a wide variety of brands. They do have fairly similar qualities like I listed first. Cle de Peau Cream Blush in Perfect Peach is a long time favorite. It's a pinky peach nude that lasts forever (review HERE). I use this literally once a week or more for years and I'm like halfway through the pot. Impressive. Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks is a great luxury stick that's creamy yet lasts. I love shades Chouchette and Mimi (review HERE). They're a slightly pinked nude and a peachy pink nude.
Victoria Beckham Beauty Cheeky Posh in Playground is a new but quick favorite. It's easy to use and a well done formulation (review HERE). This is a more burnt terracotta nude peach. Hourglass Vanish Blush Stick in Loyal is pigmented, creamy and lasts. Plus the design is really nice (review HERE). The color is a pink rosewood nude. MAC Glow Play in Blush, Please is one of my favorites (review HERE). It's a pinky neutral nude with this cool bouncy texture. So pigmented as easy to apply. I do like Nudestix Nudies Blush in Bare Back as well it's a lighter cool nude pink. They have a variety of shades and a creamy pigmented formula that lasts (review HERE). You can apply all of these with your fingers or if you really like a brush I love the Hakuhodo J210 which is a soft goat hair that works great for blending creams. Review HERE.
Highlighter is a step that I skip 50% of the time but if you use a good formula that's easy you can get it done in 20 seconds. Rituel de Fille Rare Light Luminzer in Phosphene (review HERE) is hands down my most reached for cream highlighter. It's a drier cream with this really luminescent pearly pink beige shade. Complex and really just gorgeous. I use it on the cheekbone and can double on the brow bone. One product and done. You can also use it on the inner corner of the eyes for a nice eye opening pop. I love the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Beauty Light Wand. This is a glowing rose champagne fluid that's so quick and easy. I do dislike the non-hygienic sponge tip applicator as you can't wash it but the formula is so spectacular I overlook it. This is my favorite shade but she has many to suit all, sadly this is always out of stock. Spotlight is the next best shade (review HERE). My favorite stick is the YSL Touche Eclat Shimmer Stick in Rose Gold. Easy rose champagne shade to use, creamy but on the drier side (review HERE). While the Westman Atelier Super Loaded Tinted Highlight is a highlighter I use it more like a blush. Peau de Peche (review HERE) is the perfect creamy sunburnt shade to give you that out in the sun look. Put a little on the bridge of your nose to complete the effect. You can also use this first then apply one of the pinker shades on the apple of you cheek.
Eyes are important to me as I have light eyes and just doing mascara doesn't look pulled together on me. So I'm a one shade and done girl 99% of the time. I love cream formulas that are pigmented, easy to use, spread and blend plus they need to last the high heat and humidity here with little to no creasing. These all fit that bill. Overall I spend about 60 seconds on the eye. One of the first cream shadows that actually got me into them was Tome Ford Platinum. While I didn't list it deserves recognition as the formula is great. I just tend to reach for these other colors more. Chanel Ombre Premiere in Silver Pink is the utmost fantastic shimmering taupe. None of my picks will be glittery or a glitter topper style, I find those too glittery for my tastes. I have gone through three of this pot. I'm kind of freaking out it's been discontinued as I cannot find it anywhere besides the Chanel website and it's out of stock. So we'll see if I'm forever going to be sad. They have other shades that may suit your fancy but this one is the best taupe if you're a taupe lover (review HERE). After that cream I discovered By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Bronze Moon. This is the best formula. No creasing ever, so creamy and easy to use, can build up the strength in shade depth. The sparkle and dimension it has is fantastic and it lasts all day. I literally have no idea why this isn't talked about more than Laura Mercier. It's better as Laura Mercier (while I enjoy it) can be a little tacky on my lids. By Terry is not, once it sets it's on. The bronze shade is neutral and not too orange or warm but not too khaki either like some. Total bronze perfection. I'm on number three.
Kaja's Moon Crystal in Tiger's Eye is the best cream shadow. I honestly don't know why more don't talk about this one either. It's super affordable, lasts all day, never creases and has the best pigmentation. I'm on tube two. The shade Tiger's Eye is a shimmering neutral mid tone brown with a green shimmer tint to it. Really adds a nice depth to the eyes and it's so quick and easy. It almost has a slight mousse feel to it. Can start light and build a second layer (review HERE). Danessa Myricks Colorfix in Celebration is the ultimate liquid/cream shadow. This stuff is budge proof and crease proof once applied and it stays. No tacky feeling on any of these so far I listed. Celebration is a slightly shimmering mid tone neutral brown. It can be worn alone but I really like it as a base for a topper of some sort. All those toppers you want to be a smidge darker--add this first, then the topper. Thank me later. I wear MAC Paint Pot in Bougie over this to reduce the redness, it's great under Danessa Myricks Twin Flames as well. It has endless possibilities as a base. Or again use on it's own. The formula is sublime. I just discovered Bobbi Brown Cream Shadow Stick in Golden Bronze and I cannot put it down. It's fantastic. Kinda similar to By Terry but a bit different. More Laura Mercier like but without the tacky feeling. Some times Laura Mercier creases on me too. Bobbi Brown nailed it with this formulation and I need to expand my shade range in it. This lasts all day with no creasing. The shade is a shimmering neutral brown bronze. It's not too gold so don't go by the shade name on this one.
I do love the Chanel Stylo Ombre et Contour as well for a cream shadow. It can be an eyeliner as well. This is the only one I combine two shades on. I use Electric Brown to line and shade the outer bottom lid (like a large wing for liner), then blend, then apply a lighter shade all over on top like Vague or Beige Perle. White they do last all day they do occasionally feel tacky and can crease in sweaty or high humidity summer days like the Laura Mercier. I just really like their brown neutrals so I reach for these a lot. Very light and natural compared to some of the others can bee a bit too shimmery if you had a big meeting or something. The Chanel looks more low key. While I prefer my fingers I have two brushes I do like for the cream shadows in particular. The Chikuhodo Takumi Series T-7 brush (review HERE) is a fluffy tapered medium size brush great for liquids and creams. Use this with the Danessa Myricks or Kaja. I use the Sonia G. Builder Two for the Chanel Silver Pink or any really stiff cream shadow, it can handle the stiff creams due to its density and short bristles (review HERE). I didn't list it but I do like a quick run over of a medium brown eyeliner mostly as I have pale eyes and it pulls everything together well. I love Armani's Smooth Silk Eye Pencil in 2 but it's been discontinued that shade so I need to find a new one. I liked that one as the brown shade is light and you can line real fast and easy without needing to blend much. IT's light enough to add a hint of definition quickly. On the hunt for a new one I shall be.
Lastly is lips. Lately I'm all into the hydrating easy one step lips. No lip liner or lip tint prior to a product. I want one and done easy. I like a formula that's moisturizing with a hint of tint. If I can get a hint of shimmer as well I love it, if not just a good formula. There's no point in wearing deep, pigmented matte shades for me under a mask, just wears off. So I stick with the light my lips but better nude pinks. Boring maybe, but it's for me. Really this could be any product you can apply without a mirror. Just pick your shade and head out the door. Apply in the car after you kissed your kid goodbye to school (they don't need a forehead mom lip mark right?). NARS Soft Matte Tinted Lip Balm in Unrestricted is great for those who want a tint with a less shiny look. It's still hydrating enough. This is a soft pink nude. I'm a big fan of the Fresh Tinted Lip Treatment in Petal or Nude. Petal is the perfect neutral nude pink with a hint of SPF (I do wish they would up it to 30 at least). The new Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm in Vanilla Beige is scrumptious. A glossy balm that smells like vanilla and has a light beige pink tint. Easy way to keep your lips hydrated all day. Lately I have become totally addicted to the Fitglow Beauty Lip Colour Serums ever since the night one came in a Beauty Heroes box. This is just the most plush glossy yet not stick balm. It's like a lip gloss but a balm. Usually I'm totally unimpressed with these lip oils or lip serum types of products. I find they don't last and leave my lips drier than they started. Fitglow nailed the texture. They smell like vanilla and are just absolute heaven. I really like Beach Glow, Gleam, Ti and Buff. As soon as there's amore mid tone nude pink shimmering shade (most are paler and more beige) like Ti or Buff with pink shimmer, then I'll be in hog heaven.
I also included my favorite sheer, moisturizing lipsticks with a hint of shimmer. That's the kind of lipstick I like. And it has to keep my lips just as hydrated as when I first put it on. While sadly the Chanel Rouge Coco formula was changed (not for the better in my opinion) to be lighter, the old formula really nailed it with the hydration that's what the new formula lacks. My lips are drier at the end of the day. Plus they discarded some of their best shades when they revamped. Plumetis is the perfect nude pink for me. Like I could wear it everyday and skip all other lipsticks it's so perfect for me. I continue to use my last tube and will cry for days when it's gone. I'm not a fan of the the Rouge Coco Shine either as my lips just shrivel up and die by the end of the day even though Boy is such a gorgeous color. Such a shame. Good if you don't have super dry lips. Tom Ford makes some of my all time favorite lipstick as well. The Lip Color Sheer is so good. Sheer, hydrating, sometimes they have shimmer. Vanilla scent. Keeps my lips happy all day. Why they always make this limited edition I don't know, and this year they haven't even launched new Boys and Girls for Black Friday in three years it feels like. I used to stock up and get all these cool new shades the day after Thanksgiving. I looked forward to their new shade launches and I'm so sad they stopped. If you like this style of lipstick keep an eye out on his limited items to see if there's any shades you like.
So yes ultimately I can do all of this in five minutes and it really just is a way to get a nice polished easy look without needing too much effort or time. You look natural and like you (or you can vamp it up with a bright blush or lippie or even colored eyeshadow). I do all this in the morning while Ella is brushing her teeth and getting dressed then we walk out the door. If you haven't tried cream products yet and are looking for a more easy makeup routine try a well formulated cream from some of the formulas I've listed. I've tried a ton of cream products and they are all not created equal. Regardless the concept is the same, save steps, reduce time and use one shade that's easy. It's really about hitting all they key points lightly versus going in hard on one area like an intense powder shadow look or time consuming winged liner. Hopefully I helped someone and if not just gave you some new products to check out. Let me know if you have questions.