How to Streamline Your Makeup Routine

Read on to discover the tips I learned, as a former professional makeup artist, to help you streamline your makeup routine and look amazing everyday…especially in a time crunch!

The Old Makeup Routine (Before Children)

When I was a makeup artist, it would take 30+ products to complete a look every day. Sure it could have been done with less, but when you’re selling makeup it helps to look very made up. The list would go something like this…

• Face wash
• Moisturizer
• Eye Cream
• Face Primer
• Eye Primer
• Color Corrector
• Concealer – for around the eye and nose
• Concealer – for any dark spots on the rest of the face
• Foundation to Match the Center of my face
• Foundation to Match the Perimeter of my face
• HD powder to Minimize Shine
• Face Contour Shade
• 5 Eyeshadows
  • Lid
  • crease
  • transition from crease to Brow
  • Under the brow
  • Inner Corner
• Eye Liner
• Lash Primer
• Mascara
• Brow Pencil
• Brow Powder
• Brow Gel
• Blush
• Highlighter
• Lip Primer
• Lipstick
• Lip liner
• Lip gloss
• Finishing spray
• the list can go on and on…

The whole process took about an hour, at minimum!!

**Side note: If you ever wonder why a professional makeup artist charges so much…this list should help your answer. It takes skill and time to create the illusion of a perfect face straight from a magazine. Please keep that in mind before cringing at their rates. They are PROFESSIONALS pay them what they are worth! You won’t regret it…Okay, stepping off my soapbox now….back to the point of this post….**

Marriage and Two Children Later…

Now, fast forward four years into my retirement. When I finally felt like picking up a brush again. (Yeah, I got burned out and did not even want to touch makeup…but that story is for another day and another post.)..I had the impression that I would sit down for my hour long session and go through the transformation ritual of trying to beautify myself again. I mean, after having two children, I really needed to understand that I could be pretty again. Everything changed after them, my body, my thoughts, my clothing sizes, my hair…everything. Makeup was the one thing I knew I could go back to that would immediately change me. So there I was, ready to start my hour long transformation….

Then somebody started crying for something…someone else needed to be put in time out…then another person couldn’t find what he needed so I had to go and assist him. My hour turned into 12 minutes. This was a disaster! Surely I will have an hour next time…..LIES!!! The hour never happened….It NEVER happens. **SIGH**

So, what does a solutions driven person do when things don’t go as planned? ..She finds a compromise, of course!

The Lesson…

Thanks to my nearly decade long stint in the beauty industry, I was able to learn the art of fabulous in a time crunch. Sure, in a controlled environment (such as at a makeup counter) I could take my time and craft a face into the perfect work of art. However, backstage at a performance or a fashion show, there are only seconds and a limited amount of resources to make a look to amaze happen. Not to mention finding multiple uses for a product (unless you want to lug around a 40 pound makeup kit..The Incredible Hulk was not available to assist as a bag carrier on those days anyway.) So, I naturally concluded that I needed to pack light and smart. Surprisingly or not, this same conclusion works in real life as well. Yay!!

Let’s Streamline Your Routine!

Since were friends now, I would like to share some tips to make the most out of the few minutes you have and still look great..

1. Pick five facial focus areas.
2. Narrow your makeup list down to the five products that help you work smarter not harder.
3. Use the five products to perfect the five problem areas.
4. Time your application process for about two weeks (until it fits into your time crunch window. Aim for 10 Min).
5. Try not to do your makeup in your car.

Once you’ve perfected this process, everything else is a breeze! Getting ready for more special occasions just becomes a matter of adding a minor step. Looking great has never been easier! Go you!!

How long does your morning routine usually take you?

What could you do with the extra time you save by streamlining your process?