Quick make-up tips

What woman hasn’t run late for a meeting or school drop-off because she was struggling with her hair and make-up? We can’t even begin to calculate how many near misses we’ve all had while applying mascara looking in the rear-vision mirror. But there’s no need for all this stress – when the clock is ticking you simply need a clever approach to getting gorgeous fast.

The truth is that as we get older it takes more time to put a look together. “Fine lines and wrinkles need to be handled with a deft hand and choosing the right colours is a high priority as we age,” says make-up artist Natasha Bulstrode. Getting all this right takes time –often time we don’t have. In a perfect world we’d all love to cleanse, tone and moisturise, then spend 30 minutes applying make-up. Frankly that’s not always possible, but you may feel a whole lot better when we tell you that you can achieve an expert make-up look in 10 minutes or less. These expert tips show you how... 

Make-up made simple
“Simple shouldn’t mean slapdash,” says make-up artist Natasha. “Some short cuts can prove disastrous if you don’t have the right products for the job.” One thing you can’t leave out is a good sunscreen. Shiseido’s Sun Protection Liquid Foundation, $50, is a sunscreen and cover-up in one; it stays put all day and contains a water-resistant formula.

Beauty in a flash
If you haven’t got time to do the cleanse, tone and moisturise ritual in the morning, you can use an all-purpose beautifier such as Clarins’ Beauty Flash Balm, $57, which works as a radiance booster and provides enough lubrication to stand in for a traditional moisturiser. Beauty Flash Balm is also a handy pick-me-up after a long day in the office when your make-up needs sprucing; it can be applied over make-up to give your skin a luminous lift.

Cover flaws
“If time is short, dabbing on a bit of concealer or foundation to cover up blemishes, pigmentation or dark circles will cut out the need for a full face of foundation,” says Natasha. Most stick and cream-to-powder foundations can be used as both a concealer and a foundation. “One layer will give you a light coverage perfect for day and a few more strokes will give you a more opaque finish for night.” 

Eyes/lips/cheeks
Sure, you could use three products for eyes, cheeks and lips, but what about just one? NARS’ The Multiple, $85, is the must-have three-in-one pigment stick. A few swipes will produce an instant rush of colour for lips, eyes or cheeks. Or you could try L’Oréal’s Touch-On Colour For Eyes & Cheeks, $19.95, a creamy soft shimmering blush and eye shadow in one. Another trick the pros have up their sleeves is using a bronzing powder instead of eye shadow or blush to deliver a super-fast flush. Chanel’s Silky Bronzing Powder, $75, can be discretely brushed all over the temples, cheeks, eyes, chin and even the décolletage and bust to effect a just-back-from-holiday glow. 

Lippie tricks
Lip colour is one way you can fake a more made-up look, says Natasha. If you opt for richer, darker shades you can go for a more minimal look on the eyes and look done up with just a sweep of lip colour. Try Clinique’s Colour Surge Butter Shine Lipstick, $36, in a shade such as Cranberry Cream to give your mouth a luscious pout. No time for lip liner and lipstick? Reach for gloss. Try Rimmel’s Infinite Colour, $18.95, and dab any excess on cheeks or eyes for a fresh new look. We also like M.A.C’s Gloss Crème Brillance, $36, for a pretty, no-fuss face in seconds. It can be smeared over the lips, eyelids and cheeks.

Words: Nikki Goldstein. Photgraphy: Steven Chee.