We all have those days where you need to look put together for something but are low on time or you just want to feel polished but just can’t be bothered with a full face, long winded makeup routine…this is me most days! If this is also you, keep reading for fast get ready in a hurry/ with minimal fuss inspo and some of my favourite fast but effective products to use…all of them are cruelty free and Vegan too!
First up, you’ve got to prep that skin! Even if you’re in a mad rush, if you don’t spend a minute (’cause that’s all you’d need if you’re short on time) prepping your skin properly…any makeup you put on top just isn’t going to sit as well/ look as good/ last as long! It’s facial false economy! As promised in the title…a pretty new (to me) affordable, cruelty free/ Vegan moisturiser is on the scene and I’ve been really enjoying it! ELF Hello Hydration! Face Cream* is an absolute dream…it’s lightweight, brightens, evens out skin tone and locks in moisture. Free from nasties but packed full of the good stuff (Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinimide, Squalane, Peptides and Vitamin B5), nourishing but without being heavy, a great base for make up and so inexpensive! It’s not scented in an overpowering way (so great for my scent disliking, overly sensitive skin) but it smells so good! Like a light refreshing peach water…which is he most terrible scent description but as close as I can get. I personally always try and throw on some SPF too (easy to forget at times but so important!) and it’s pretty much always The Body Shop Skin Defence Multi-Protection Essence SPF50 it sinks in fast, actually makes skin look brighter and doesn’t leave any kind of white cast on your face. It works well over any moisturiser or you can actually use it as a single one step moisture/ primer/ spf alone to save even more time too.
Next, I go in with one of my all time favourite base products…the Too Faced Born This Way Super Coverage Multi-use Sculpting Concealer*. I use the shades Swan (lightest) and Snow usually, but if I’m just using this I stick with Snow as it’s still super fair but has a bit more warmth for a better more natural finish all over. I use it as foundation and concealer…basically anywhere I want coverage and bounce it on with a damp beauty sponge for fast, flawless but still natural looking skin. It lasts really well (12 hour wear) and with it’s jumbo doe foot applicator it’s so easy to place the product exactly where you want it before the sponge makes easy work of buffing it out. I highlight next before powder…you get a much smoother more believable glow and the liquid base gives your highlight better grip. For an everyday glow I’ll go for something like Melt Digital Dust Highlighter in Stargazer*…it’s a super flattering neutral shade and I love how buildable it is! High points are glowy (top of cheek bones, brow bone, cupids bow etc…I also apply a bit on my inner corner to make myself look more awake!) so I then dust on a bit of setting powder, no baking or anything just all over to set everything in place. This is nearly always the Kat Von D Beauty Lock It Setting Powder IE*/ UK*…it does everything, makes your skin look awesome and makeup stays put! It sets the under eye area perfectly too and never looks cakey or flat.
I use a natural bronzer to warm my face up and put depth and dimension back in to my skin…something with a little more warmth will cut out the need for blush too. A good one for fair skin is the Anastasia Beverly Hills Powder Bronzer in the shade Rosewood* buildable, smooth and blends out beautifully with minimal effort!
Brows! Brows are still a huge thing and rightly so. A good brow can take you from not to polished in minutes…even if you don’t have chance to do much else and I’ve spoken about this loads, but a groomed brow will make the world of difference to your face. Obviously individual brow needs vary…I have a pretty decent natural shape/ amount of brow hairs but they’re so light, so I like to give them more natural definition. I brush them up using a spoolie and for speed and staying power, use Lime Crime Bushy Brow Pen in the shade Dirty Blonde* (I like the shade Brownie too for a slightly deeper brow too, but like to keep my brows lighter day to day) in little hair stokes to build up the brow naturally/ fill in any gaps and then brush through a tinted fibre gel to set in place, add a little extra definition and make them look fuller. The Milk Makeup Kush Fibre Brow Gels* are so good, I love the shade Dutch but they have loads of shades (including some new ones) so there’ll be one to suit you.
Eyes are next up…I like to keep it simple with my signature at this stage one minute smokey eye. I line my upper tight line (this makes such a difference, makes lashes look fuller and eyes more defined in seconds!) and lower water line (smudging between my lower lashes too) with Kat Von D Beauty Cake Liner in Mad Max Brown IE*/ UK*, which gives that smokey depth I’m after but way more flattering that black for everyday. Using a firm brush I buff out the pencil on my lower lash line and then with a fluffier mid size blending brush, take some of my bronzer under the lower lash line, through the crease and in the out corners of my eye lids to soften/ blow everything out…apart from a few coats of mascara, eyes are done! I do so many other more intricate eye looks, but always get compliments when I do these super simple eyes!
The only thing left is lips and you can go for whatever. I tend to stick to nude, sometimes I’ll go for a matte liquid lip blotted on (my fave way to wear them) or traditional lipstick/ liner combo…but 9 times out of 10 I’ll just throw on a gloss or balm for hydration and a little polish. Love the Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizers* for this, so easy to wear and look sooo good on everyone!
I’ll usually finish any makeup with a spritz of the Kat Von D Beauty Lock It Setting Mist IE*/ UK* for extra staying power and to melt all my makeup together and give it a fresh finish. It’s super fine mist is never going to mess up your handy work when you have minimal correction time (some setting sprays are so aggressive and have as good as ruined my makeup after spitting out an uneven and way too heavy drench!) and is a refreshing end to your quick and easy face!
What are your fail safe getting ready in a hurry product favourites and hacks??
Lydia x
PLEASE NOTE:
I’m now based in Cork, Ireland. Although I do take select bookings for North Wales/ Cheshire and Dublin (get in touch for more info) and am available to travel country wide…I’m mainly taking makeup bookings for Cork City and surrounding areas.
As a bridal makeup specialist, I do get booked up well in advance so if you’re looking for wedding makeup in Cork contact me asap to check availability, secure your date and avoid disappointment! I’m freelance and travel to your home/ venue of choice. Also available for makeup for any occasion/ event, lessons and master class…find more information and a full list of services here.
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