29/10/2012
It’s the morning, your eyes are tight & you really don’t care about spending an extra 20 minutes trying to perfect your eye shadow. We all have those days, but what if you could nail your makeup in 15 minutes & not even think twice about it?
Here’s an easy break down of my daily routine and yes it will still leave you time for a coffee.
Prime or Moisturize: This step is simple, dab a bit on the dry patches or all over depending on your skin type. We won’t get into the argument of which is better, but essentially a primer is just a moisturizer with more silicone in it, leaving you with a nice finish to put foundation over. Rule of thumb: ONE product between your skin and your foundation. If you’re fairly oily, skip this step entirely.
Foundation: There’s no excuse for this, you MUST apply using a brush. I don’t personally use a foundation style brush; instead my Rae Morris Deluxe Kabuki allows me to buff it on quickly. Use circular motions and remember your not painting your face, your working it into the skin gently. Good even coverage is a must and so is going beneath your jaw line and right up behind your ears (especially for when your hair is up). - Rae Morris Deluxe Kabuki $29.95 raemorris.com
Concealer: This will vary depending on your skin type, but for those of us enjoying the nightlife a little too much it’s a necessity. I go under my eyes and usually over any minimal break out areas such as the chin/T-Zone. I apply with the Rae Morris Square Kabuki for $21.45 raemorris.com
Powder: I’m not a fan of the over-powdered matte look. This is where your cake-face appearance will come from at 3pm. That being said I do apply across my cheeks lightly and around my more problematic oily areas (chin/forehead). You may think that over powdering will help improve your makeup’s longevity, but a small touch up of concealer in your purse (at lunch), will do the exact same thing without you looking creased.
Bronzer/Blush: Your preference, I use a neutral bronzer that isn’t as intense as some of the styles available. I like to have a bit of natural colour without overdoing it. Try just applying to the apples of your cheeks and up to your hairline, in a Nike tick/swoosh motion! Oh and applying bronzer all over your face after no powdering elsewhere will render it cakey later. Everything needs a base! Powder sits on powder ladies.
Luminous Cream: This is just a personal preference, not a typical necessity. I dab a cream based pearl shade just above my blush on my cheekbones. What does this do? Makes you look ‘radiant’ when the light catches your cheeks. This is half the secret to glowing skin.
Brows: If this guide is still feeling a little overwhelming for you, then at least do your brows! Pluck stray hairs and then fill them in with a nice matching shade. You can either use a matte shadow or a cream based pencil. I apply shadow with the Rae Morris Angle Brow & Mascara Definer Brush - $13.80 raemorris.com
Eye Shadow: Take a neutral tone shadow in either a matte or regular finish and stare at your eyes in the mirror. See your crease line? Start on the outer corner and draw a semi circle to the highest point of your eyelid. Start with less on your brush and gently blend it into the crease. Don’t worry about whether your makeup looks a little messy when your eyes closed. You can blend it all in so it forms a ‘C’ shape against your lid. I prefer to use chocolate browns for my day-to-day wear. Just remember that if you’re using two colours to contrast, the darker shade goes on the outer corner. This step must be done with your eyes open. No more awkward squinting! I use any of the Rae Morris Precision Shader brushes. They range from $20 - $32 raemorris.com
Next take your contrasting colour, such as a honey or gold tone and fill in the remainder of your blank eyelid. Blend softly and you should have intensified your eyes in just two to three minutes! I use Rae Morris Medium Oval Shadow brush - $36.85 raemorris.com
You may choose to add eyeliner at this stage, however not all of us care for it on a daily basis! Add your mascara, a dab of your favourite lippy or gloss as you’re running out the door and it’s a full face done in just 15 minutes.
