My Five Minute Face

When I'm not traveling for a meeting or tradeshow, I'm fortunate enough to be able to work out of my home office. This transition occurred within the last six months, and while it has overall been a wonderful change, there are just a few drawbacks. Namely, the grooming situation. When all of my professional interactions take place via web-ex or conference call, it's easy to justify spending all day in my fuzzy yellow robe with my hair in the same state I slept in, and zero makeup on my grubby little face. Hawt, right?

Over the past month, I've tried to make more an effort in this regard, including getting dressed and pulling myself together a bit (before noon), but still wanting to relish in the joy of having some relief from heels, blazers, and lipstick.

Here's my regimen for sprucing up my mug in less time than it takes to brew a carafe of coffee. (Mmmm...coffee.) 

1. Rinse face. I don't wash my face in the morning because my combo skin tends to dry out from a twice daily wash. My night cream is a mixture of YL essential oils, grapeseed, and coconut oil, so there's nothing heavy or medicinal that needs to be washed away. Just a splash of water and a quick spritz of my morning serum (YL's Lavender and Joy EOs mixed with grapeseed oil and filtered water), and I'm spanky clean.

2. Balance the skin tone: 

• Jane Iredale Handi Brush
• Bobbi Brown Sheer Finish Loose Powder in Pale Yellow #1 - The yellow tone of this powder helps camouflage red undertones in my skin. (I also adore the JI Pure Pressed Powder, which has mineral SPF built in, but Mom had a stockpile of BB, so I'm working my way through that.)

3. Define the eyes:

• Rimmel's Exaggerate Eye Definer in Noir - Total steal for the price point. Applied just along the outer corners of the upper lashes to create an awake, fresh look. (If you have lighter coloring, I love the Origins Automagically Liner in Mushroom when I want a softer look.)
• It Cosmetics Universal Brow Powder Pencil - One of my fave new finds because it provides coverage without being too dramatic, and has a spooly on the other end to finish the application with a nice, natural flourish. This may be a step you're tempted to skip, but attended-to brows can make a huge difference in looking well groomed.
• Maybelline Great Lash in Blackest Black - Two coats, separated with a metal lash comb, and I apply to the upper lashes only for a clean look. (If you have lighter coloring, a dark brown or navy mascara would be lovely.)

4. Conceal yo'self*:

• It Cosmetics Dual Airbrush Concealer Brush - Game changer.
• It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye in Light - Under eye concealer is not an option for me...lest folks suspect I'm strung out or moonlighting as a boxer. This is a recent addition to my arsenal, and I love the texture and longevity of this stuff. I apply with the aforementioned brush in an upside down triangle pattern under my eye, blend out with the fluffy end of the brush, and use whatever is leftover on the brush to conceal around my nose and redness on my chin.

5. Blush and glow:

• Jane Iredale Dome Brush
• MAC powder blush in Peaches - Applied to the apples and swept up toward the temples.
• NARS powder blush in Orgasm - Yes, two blushes. The combo of these two colors is absolutely perfect, and I love the matte, bright color of the MAC blush, while the subtle illumination of Orgasm (teehee) gives a lovely glow and really makes you look refreshed.
• (MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Dark - If I'm wearing my hair down, I like to add a quick swipe of this bronzer to the hollows of my cheek, my temples, and just under my chin line for subtle definition. Takes a few extra seconds, but it gives some depth that makes a big difference.)

6. A little lip:

• Stila Lip Glaze in Loganberry - I suspect this color was a limited edition since I received it in a gift set, so I'm rationing what I have left since it's an awesome shade. But this lip glaze creates a nice shimmer (without looking like you've just ate a glitter sandwich), stays put, and the brush is firm enough to allow for a precise application (to avoid toddler-meets-popsicle mouth).

And there you have it! I'd venture to guess that it took you longer to read this than it would take to accomplish this look. So whether you're looking for a no-fuss work look, spending the day chasing around kiddos, or just want to shorten your time in front of the mirror before enjoying a low-key weekend, know that you can enhance your natural loveliness in whatever time you can spare by covering these basics.

*Side note: I never used to do concealer after my eye makeup since it struck me as a prep-your-mug kinda task, but when a gal at Ulta told me to try it, it made such a huge difference that I have been doing it ever since.