So You Want to Look Like a Put Together Human in Five Minutes

There are a lot of "five minute make-up looks" out there.  I should know.  I've tried quite a few, and the vast majority take at least 10 minutes.  They're kind of like those recipes that expect that you always have finely diced onions in your fridge at all time, and if you don't, the recipe actually takes 30 minutes, instead of 20 (I'm a slow chopper).

Given all of that, I thought it only fair to time myself while I did this look.  My results may be colored by the fact that I had to stop and start my stopwatch to take pictures, but I feel my times are accurate for the most part.

The goal of this look is to appear like a person who cares about their appearance.  It screams "I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF AND ALSO LIKE PINK."  It can also scream about other light colors as well, but I get ahead of myself.

Let's get started.


Materials

(insert photo of materials here)

1. Some sort of easy to apply foundation/tinted moisturizer/bb cream.  The key is to have something you can apply quickly with your fingers.
2. Concealer!  You want something you can apply with fingers here as well.  
3. (optional) Brow pencil.  Brows are important, especially for those of us that were not blessed with full, eye-catching face caterpillars.  A strong-ish brow really does move the focus of your face up to your eyes.
4. Some kind of light, but pigmented cream shadow.  You want something that's not too much darker than your skintone, but that also doesn't totally disappear.
5. Mascara.  You need dis. 
6. (optional) Eyelash curler.  My lashes actually point downwards, so using one of these is the only way I look sort of awake.
7. Cream blush. Brushes?  Ain't nobody got time for that.
8. Lip gloss or lip balm or something tinted that's easy to apply and can go on your lips.

From top to bottom - BB Cream, concealer (man, that looks dark...I may need a new one), brow pencil, cream shadow, mascara, cream blush, and lip gloss.

Bare Face

Face Base - 0:00 - 1:47

Today I'm using Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF 42 PA+++ in #13 Milky Beige and L'Oreal True Match Concealer in Fair-Light-Cool 1-2-3.  I've reviewed the BB Cream elsewhere on this blog.  The Concealer is one I've used for probably eight years now.  It's pretty foolproof and youcan blend it with your fingers.  I suggest making a funny face after a few minutes to see if there's been any creasing and just smooth that out.

To apply, I squeezed out a pea sized amount of BB Cream onto my finger and dotted it on my face, blending as I went.

Use about this much.

Then, I dotted the concealer under my eyes and patted until it didn't look obvious. I did the same with a healing blemish on my cheek.

Brows - 1:47 - 2:04

If you have naturally thick or prominent brows, you can skip this step.  I have very faint and sparse brows, however, and find doing my brows instantly makes me look more competent, especially because it's a detail other people often overlook (and it's hard to spot when done right).

Today, I'm using Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Whiz in Soft Brown, though any brow pencil will do.

I basically make little taps and slashes in the general area of my brow until it looks filled in. Then, I smooth my finger over the length of my brown using medium pressure to blend it a tad.  Pin-up brows, this is not.

Eyeballs - 2:04 - 4:22

Right here's the money shot.

First, put an eyelash curler in your armpit.  Stay with me here.

Okay, now get some sort of light colored cream shadow with at least some shimmer.  I'm using Stila Smudge Crayon Waterproof Eye Color in Rose, which is like, okay.  I got a bunch of these during the Stila Warehouse Sale, and while it's not the worst cream shadow I've used, it's not the best.  Some good alternatives would be Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tatto Shado in Bad to the Bronze, Make Up Forever Aqua Shadow in Pearly Taupe, or even a MAC Paint Pot in a light color.

So, now that you've got your color, here's what you've gotta do.  Because you're only using one color, you need to make it do double duty.

In my mind, there is one purpose to everyday eyeshadow: to make yo eyes look BIIIIGGGG.

Two ways to make your eyes look big are adding a shimmer to your eyelid (if it's visible - sorry hooded people) and moving your crease back with shadow (which moves your eyeball forward).  Choosing a shimmery, but pigmented shadow can fulfill both objectives, if you apply it correctly.

The key is to apply the shadow all over your lid and then a little above your crease.  Adding shadow right above the crease looks like a shadow that would naturally fall if your brow bone and eyeball jutted out more (trust me this makes sense).

So, you're going to rub that shadow all over your lid and then a little above.  Then, after you rub that shit in there, you're going to swipe a finger around the top to make the line not as harsh (because you care about things looking "natural").

It should look kind of like this. It's okay if it's messy, this isn't the most precise thing.

Now, take your eyelash curler that you've had in your armpit.  It should be nice and warm.  Aw yeah.  Curl those lashes.  The heat will help the curl stay longer.  Now, mascara.  I like to use waterproof mascara, because it holds the curl on my downward tilting lashes.  I did one coat of Covergirl LashBlast Volume Waterproof Mascara.

It should look something like this in the end. You want a little cloud of color.  Happy clouds.  Now, do the other eye the same way.

Cheeks  - 4:22 - 4:51

Get some cream blush. I'm using ELF Studio HD Blush in Superstar.  Rub it in at least two fingers away from your nose onto your cheeks.  Don't go over your cheekbones or under the hollows of your cheeks.  Add a little more than you think you need, because your cheeks will flush from you rubbing on them, so you won't get an idea of how much product you've put on until that dies down.  Blend a little of the blush up towards your temples.

Lips - 4:51 - 4:58

Swipe on some lipgloss or a tinted balm.  I used Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in Rebel because it was the closest thing in reach.  I got a sample of this from a Sephora order.  It irritate the lips somewhat for a "plumping" effect, so I likely won't purchase a full size.

You're done!  Make a sexy face.