If you had five minutes to complete your makeup and could only use 5 products, which would you use? Share!
IT Cosmetics CC Cream, MAC Brun Eyeshadow (for brows), mascara, Chanel Jersey blush, and Bobbi Brown High Shimmer Gloss (whatever shade I was feeling like that day!).
Thanks to Justine for today’s questions! Do you have a question idea? Submit yours here.
We're here to help you make better beauty purchases that you'll enjoy and love! We recommend signing up to take advantage of personalized features like tracking products you own, viewing dupes that you already have, and more!
Here are some useful resources for you:
Curious how two shades compare to each other? Type in the shades below to get instant side-by-side swatches!
Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!
Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).
We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!
We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!
Mac pro.longwear water proof foundation, Mac brun for eyebrows, Maybelline Collasual Volume Mascara, Mac Sunbasque blush and NYX butter gloss.
Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation, L’Oreal Infallible Continuous Cocoa Eyeshadow for brows, wp mascara, MAC Soft Brown on lid ( mainly crease and undereye), and a satin or velvety matte to use as lipstick and blush!
MUFE HD foundation (old version)
Hourglass ambient lighting powder as a highlight (Diffused light)
Benefit Dallas as a bronzer/blush/contour
Nars Velvet Gloss lip crayon in Frivolous
Benefit Roller Lash mascara
Bareminerals foundation, Intensify Me! eyeliner, Benefit Roller lash mascara, Bobbi Brown blush in Pale Pink & Brightening lip gloss in Popsicle
1) Too Faced Better than Sex mascara. 2) Stila liquid liner (black) 3) ABH Brow Wiz in Brunette. 4) Mac Jubilee lipstick 5) Giorgio Armani Face Fabric. And if I can do a 6) YSL powder blush #3 (Parisienne).
MUFE Ultra HD Foundation
Lancome Maquillage concealer
Rouge Bunny Rouge Murmerings lipstick
Blush from the Hourglass palette–either of the side ones
L’Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Waterproof mascara
I like to have an evened out base so either Nars creamy concealer or Dior’s Nude BB cream do the job depending on the day and state of the skin. Brow gel, brown eyeliner , LOADS of blush and some lipstick worn as a stain.
I usually only have 5 minutes in the morning to do my makeup HAHA.
Here’s a breakdown of what I incorporate, depending on time available –
5 mins: DayWear Anti-Oxidant Beauty Benefit BB Creme SPF 35, Clinique Fig Pop blush, ABH Brow Wiz, Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara, lipstick of some sort.
5-10mins: + Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner, Tarte eyeshadow in Palace of Versaille/Chantilly Lace/Moulin Rouge, Revlon Photoready Two Way Powder Foundation in Shell
*IT CC Cream set with Laura Mercier Translucent Powder
*Anastasia Dip Brow set with brown shadow
*Bare Minerals 5-in-1 Advanced BB Cream Shadow in Linen
*Prestige Total Intensity Liner in Brown
*Revlon Lip Butter in Fig Jam with SFP Lip Balm
I did a five minute routine today! I used Too Faced Born This Way foundation (with a RT complexion sponge), Too Faced milk chocolate soleil bronzer on the face and in the crease of my eye, Josie Maran argan illuminizer, Nars audacious lipstick in Brigitte and Benefit Roller Lash mascara.
If I could sneak in two more products it would be my maybelline age rewind concealer to highlight under my eyes, nose etc. and my Tarte blush in Dollface. I did all of that in 5 mins this morning!!! Who says makeup has to take hours??!!!
Mother of all eyebrow gods: I cannot believe I forgot my brows. Ok, ditch the lipstick and in place put in my l’oreal brow pencil!!!!
Nars Sheer Glow, Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer, Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara, Too Faced Love Flush in Love Hangover and Urban Decay Sheer Revolution Lipstick in Sheer Streak. This is actually the five minute face I wore yesterday. ?
MUFE Face and body, Maybelline Fit me concealer, MAC eyebrow pencil, blush and lipstick. The shades of both depends on my mood and my outfit.
Mascara, ColourPop eyeshadow, blush and highlighter all doable with fingers! Lipstick of choice for the day.
Isadora Brow Gel, Catrice Concealer under eyes and around nose, set with Essence All About Matt Powder, a little mascara, lip balm and done.
I’m assuming we’re just talking cosmetic products and not skincare. I’m also assuming this is for a basic everyday look.
1) BareMinerals Original Broad Spectrum SPF 15 in Fair. It’s very quick to apply, and I can get by without a primer or setting powder.
2) BareMinerals Rose Radiance on cheeks, hairline, bridge of nose, and chin.
3) A shimmery nude powder eyeshadow (whatever I grab first).
4) Black mascara on top lashes.
5) UD Sheer Rapture — it goes with everything and doesn’t need a liner.
MAC Face and Body, Benefit Gimme Brow, UD Rapture Afterglow, Too Faced Better than Sex, KVD Lovecraft
ct wonderglow, clinique airbrush concealer, carmex, maybe a bb cream.
Assuming that sunscreen doesn’t count, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (my favorite is actually Make Up For Ever full coverage, but I am transitioning to cruelty-free products), Anastasia Brow Wiz, Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes! mascara, Flower Cosmetics Creme Blush and an Urban Decay lipstick (it varies).
Missha BB cream, Bobbi Brown Telluride face & body bronzer, GA Fluid sheer #10, NARS creamy concealer in custard, Surratt eyebrow pencil in brunette. Essentially base products with enough ‘colour’ to give my face some dimension.
NYX Brow Pencil, Lancome Teint Idol Ultra, MAC Pro Long Wear Concealer, MAC Translucent Powder, MAC Lipstick Creme in Your Coffee
IT Cosmetics CC Cream, MAC mineralized skin finish, NYX Brow Pencil, Hourglass Mood Exposure, and Sephora Brand tinted oil in Iced Coffee. Skipping mascara for better complexion! LOL
1-a tinted moisturizer type product (right now it would be Stila bronzing BB)
2-concealer just under eyes-MAC Matchmaster
3-cream eyeshadow MAC Indianwood
4-cream blush MAC Posey
5-mascara-Maybelline Full n Soft
Except for the mascara I’d apply everything with fingers. I’d apply some sort of lip product on the road.
Bobbi Brown Concealer
MAC Studio Fix Foundation/Powder
Benefit They’re Real Mascara
MAC Spiked Brow Pencil
Bobbi Brown High Shimmer Lip Gloss
Bobbi Brown tinted moisturiser, Bourjoius Aqua blush, Benefit gimme brow, MAC paint pot, Lancôme Hypnose drama mascara. Pretty much my current go to quick makeup
Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm, mascara, powder, brow gel, and a nude lipstick or gloss.
The latest BB creme I’m into
MAC MSFN, packed on eyelids as balancing eyeshadow as well.
TONS of black mascara
Sheer red/berry lipstick, like MAC hot tahiti for lips and cheeks.
Omg, I forgot concealer!!!
I’d fill my brows with whatever I happen to be using at the moment. Origins Vitazing tinted moisturizer, Cle de Peau concealer under eyes and where needed, a blush of choice, and either Tom Ford or Chanel’s volumizing mascara. I need 6 so I can set the under eye concealer. So, if I must, I would omit the tinted moisturizer and just use the concealer a bit more and spread it out.
Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation
YSL Effet Faux Cils Mascara
Mac Carbon (brows)
Hourglass Visionnaire e/s Duo “Suede”
Dior Cheek & Lip Glow
NARS Sheer Glow in Siberia
Stila eyeshadow in Wheat
Dior waterproof Diorshow Blackout mascara
Too Faced blush in Baby Love
… whichever sheer or semi sheer lipstick I can grab! Let’s just say YSL Sheer Candy in Sweet Fig.
After first having a minor heart attack (not being a 5 minute beauty girl), I’d probably grab my Trish McEvoy Even Skin, the UD palette I made (so the shadows would also double as liner), a swipe of Smashbox Full Exposure mascara, UD blush in Rapture, and finish with a natural lip by using Lipstick Queen in Frog Prince.
maybelline fit me concealer, laura geller balance + brighten, benefit gimme brow, too faced better than sex, and a lipstick i could also lightly dab on my cheeks. No particular lipstick comes to mind though just a rosy neutral tone!
– Bobbi Brown foundation stick
– Anastasia brow whiz in soft brown
– NYX grey kohl eyeliner
– Maybelline mascara
– Tom Ford lipsick in Insiduous as blush and lipstick
clinique concealer, setting powder, mac espresso to fill in my brows, maybelline the falsies mascara, mac coffee eyeliner
That would be my ‘it’s Friday oh lord I’m so tired!’ face! Concealer under eyes and on spots (Urban Decay Naked, Collection Lasting Perfection, Vasanti cover up all options), Lily Lolo mineral foundation which covers foundation and powder, mascara, blush and lipstick- probably something pink/red/coral which is nice and brightening. Put together but easy to do while half asleep!
My normal work look was/is about 5mins but more then 5 products
Mac Studio Fix foundation, Mac Lingering Eyebrow Pencil, Benefit eye bright pencil as eyeliner, Laura Mercier Kajal, Random Mascara, Mac Flaunting it Lip colour.
If I was limited to 5 products
(1) Chanel CC (2) Mac Lingering Eyebrow Pencil (3) Ruby and Milly Grey Eyeliner t as liner and eyeshadow (4) Random Mascara as mascara and liner (5) Mav Viva Galm II as Lipstick and Blusher
(Really I’d want my Dior Flash too)
Clé de Peau Radiant Fluid Foundation, Guerlain Rouge G in Georgia (for lips and cheeks), Tom Ford Spice cream eyeshadow, Bobbi Brown Caviar gel liner (tightline and fill in brows), Guerlain Cils D’Enfer black maracara.
Foundation: maybelline better skin in Cameo. I like it with or without a light sweep of powder on top.
Eyebrows: Archery in hot chocolate, I like the subtle colour AND the spoolie
Mascara: Gosh Growth Mascara
Blush: either bourjois (cream) round pot in 1 or 2 or the trusty rimmel santa rose (powder)
Lips: either lipliner in east end snob by rimmel all over or the lip perfector by Clarins, any colour. ( i only have number 1, had it for less than 1 month but a favourite already) Would like to have all colours but they are not cheap.
Heck, that’s most days for me! LOL! So it’s Paula’s Choice Resist Ultralight sun protection, Smashbox Brow Tech to Go, Tarte Cheek Stain in “flush,” Maybelline Full n Soft mascara, and a Colourpop sheer lipstick in “Juice Bar”
1. Consealer (Nars)
2. Foundation (Loreal inflainable Matte)
3. Eye Brow Pencil (Anastasia : Brow Wiz)
4. Mascara (Too Faced : Better Than Sex)
5. Lipstick (Mac : Russian Red)
BB cream, cream blush, brow powder, a taupe eyeshadow lid only, smudged pencil eyeliner, mascara, lipstick.
1. High coverage liquid foundation
2. My Anastasia Beverly Hills brow pomade
3. A warm toned eyeshadow. Preferably an orangey brown
4. Mascara
5. HIGHLIGHTER (becca x Jaclyn hill champagne pop)
Bareminerals Complexion Rescue, Nars radiant creamy concealer, a blush with bit of sheen, like a Hourglass or Tom Ford blush), mascara, lipstick or gloss
That sounds like every day for me!
NARS TM, Fresh Berry Lip Balm, Armani Sheer Blush in #2, Chanel Le Volume, and Stila Kitten.
Brow pencil
Mascara
Lip gloss in a pretty pink shade
Foundation
Bronzer
Laura Mercier Mineral Powder foundation; Clinique eyeshadow duo (neutral ivory + light brown, can’t remember name) …or UD Basics 1 palette …pale color all over including under lower lashes, and a touch of shadow in crease…; then It cosmetics Universal Brow stick thing; Smashbox mascara; 100% Pure lip gloss in Sheer Cherry (such a great color!!) …might do top eyeliner with darkest color (wet) in Basics palette if I had time and it didn’t “count” as another product. 🙂
1. Too Faced Primed and Poreless primer (I just can’t not use this primer, my pores are like craters otherwise!)
2. MAC Studio Fix Fluid (I’ve been using this foundation so much it’s actually quicker for me than trying to apply a sheer foundation or tinted moisturizer! I’m just so practiced at it I can do it like zip zip! And it’s full enough coverage I could use it for under eye circles)
3. Too Faced Endless Summer bronzer (does double duty as a cheek bronzer/contour and as a crease eye color)
4. Anastasia Beverly Hills tinted brow gel in Auburn
5. UD Perversion mascara or L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara, whichever I have on hand
AND I’m going to cheat and add a lip product since I can do that while walking to class, so it doesn’t count towards the official “makeup time!” So I’d add my long-time favorite, MAC Relentlessly Red (retro matte). And yes, I can apply this lipstick without a mirror! I applied it on a moving train once. I am very talented *takes a bow*
1) Wild Carrot herbals Saffron Nutrient Cream
2) Wet n Wild Coverall cream foundation
3) Clinique Curviest Caramel lip colour (in a pinch I’ll use this on both the lips and the cheeks)
4) Clinique cheek pop in berry
5) Loreal manga rock mascara
I’d use my beauty blender to apply foundation with speed and a real techniques stipple brush for my blush.
concealer, powder foundation, A quick dab of Blush, Mascara and bright lipstick or lip gloss. I actually have an out the door make up tutorial I did on my YouTube channel. User OfficialDaisyLocust this is a really great question! Lots of busy people out there just need a quick application and great coverage and something to make your Face look awake and bright
My Becca tinted moisturizer with SPF 30 in mink (sad it is discontinued), my brow pencil from Smashbox in dark, Covergirl mascara in darkest black, Black Radiance blush in rose gold, and my NYC lipstick in blue rose.
I throw on some powder cause I’m a grease pit, cover the bags under my eyes, some glittery eye shadow, mascara, and some bright or bold lip stick.
Wow – that’s tough!
1. Rimmel Match Perfection foundation in light porcelain
2. NYX Sunkissed blush palette
3. Eyebrow pencil
4. Maybelline In Style Sienna lipstick
5. An eye shadow colour – depending on what I am wearing – Stash from UD Vice 2 blended well.
Foundation (Lancôme teint idole ultra), powder (MAC studio fix), eyebrow pencil (wet n wild), mascara (either Lancôme hypnose drama, or MUFE smokey extravaganza), and lip gloss (stila lip glaze in kitten). All bases covered!
Vichy ProEven BB cream, Clarins Instant Light concealer, blush (on cheeks and eyelids), mascara, lipgloss. Colours for the last three items would depend on mood but for blush, it would be most likely Illamasqua in Sophie (pinky coral powder) or Cargo blush stick in I think Santiago? A medium pink, at any rate!
If I had five minutes to complete my makeup I would use the following five products:
MAC studio fix foundation
Eye shadow – Giorgio Armani Eye Tint in Obsidian
Mascara – Haute & Naughty Too Black Lash
Blush – MAC Just a Wisp
Lipstick – NXY DS Sparkling Amber
Kat Von D liquid liner, cargo e/s in columbia(brows), smashbox soft lights in shimmer, benefit roller lash, and whatever lipstick/Chapstick/lipgloss is in my purse : )
Dr. Jart Premium Beauty Balm SPF 45, Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly, Charlotte Tilbury Colour of Youth (on both cheeks and lips), Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow (does that count as one product or two…), Too Faced Better than Sex Mascara (it’s the current one I have open).
Summer Lumene BB in fair. Edward Bess brow refiner. Charlotte T bronze and glow. CT Rebel w/o Cause. She Umera eyelashcurler.
Fall: edward bess black sea foundation. EB brows. CT bronze and glow. CT eye flick. EB lipstick on Pure Impulse. Or just CT Rocket Chic set. Always the eyelas curler.
Illamasqua Skin Base (3.5), ABH Dipbrow Pomade (using it as an eyeliner too!), MAC Painterly paint pot, Diorshow mascara, Gerard Cosmetics Hydra Matte liquid lipstick in Serenity
1) a BB cream tinted moisturizer
2) my MUFE 12 color flashcase (it’s got silver, gold, black, white, red, blue, light blue, magenta, yellow, brown, green and peach) for cheek color, eye color, and lip color, and even to paint my eyelashes black.
3) MUFE setting powder to set the flashcase
4) MAC in beautymarked (on brows)
5) kat von D tattoo eyeliner.
BAM!! 🙂
1. Aveeno Positively Radiant 30SPF moisturizer
2. Neutrogena concealer (both under eyes and elsewhere)
3. Clinique Double Face Powder (foundation plus finishing powder)
4. Cover Girl Professional Mascara in Clear (lashes and my Einstein brows)
5. Either a Burts Bees shimmer balm, Lipstick Queen’s Medieval, or Clinique’s Think Bronze – they never look bad
(6. Toss a Clinique chubby blush stick in my purse for later 😉 I can survive without blush but not without some lip color!)
This plus a powder or creamy blush is my summer routine when the temps reach 95° and above!
Well, not sure 5 minutes would be enough, but if I try my fastest it’d be:
NARS Sheer Glow foundation (do not really need a powder after it)
MAC Pro Longwear concealer
UD eyeshadow in Beware all over the lid and in the crease
UD eyeliner in Smoke
MAC Studio Sculpt mascara
MUFE Pro Fusion bronzer
MAC Warm Soul blush
MAC Honey Love (or, if I feel like it Japanese Maple) lipstick
and if I had time left, theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer to highlight my cheek bones. 🙂
The biggest challenge would be to have enough time to blend all of this.
Just concealer — currently Mac pro long wear. I’m just not good with being rushed, so I’d just do less.
I can’t do anything in five minutes! If I only had five minutes, I probably wouldn’t bother! (Or I’d do it in the car while my husband drives! Not that I’ve ever done that. *I always do this.*)
Ok, let’s pretend:
Circa BB Cream
Finishing powder (whatever’s at hand, currently Almay, which comes with its own little sponge)
Mascara (again, whatever’s closest, right now it’s Milani)
Tom Ford Spice cream eyeshadow or some other satiny brown eyeshadow
Blush, like a Benefit box powder. That also comes with its own little brush and it’s pretty easy just to slap on. But then again, it takes five minutes just to open the box sometimes, so maybe not…
What I do most days is a 5-min face with about 5-8 products. Today I used:
*NYX mineral stick foundation
*Hourglass blush
*Essence mascara
*Julep brown eye liner
*Benefit posietint
Forgot my brows and I know I’ll apply a different lip product sometime today.
Amazing concealer
Bobbi Brown CC Cream
Charlotte Tilbury Brow Lift
Nars Multiple in Altai
Tom Ford lipstick in Flynn
Elisabeth Arden brow powder, eyelash curler, Rimmel concealer, Chanel mineral powder foundation and Benefit Dallas blush.
Using 5 (or fewer) products to do makeup in 5 minutes is my norm, haha! Here’s what I use every morning:
– Ettusais Mineral BB Cream 020 Natural
– 24h Cosme Silky Air Veil Mineral Powder Foundation 02 Natural Orche
– Canmake Mat Fleur Cheeks 01
– Tony Moly Petite Bunny Gloss Bar 06
I usually wear only these 4 products, I’d add a concealer when needed tho!
Origins Make a difference cream, benefit porefessional, nars creamy concealer, etude house bling bling eyes and marc Jacobs lip gloss. Usually perfect for work!
Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder
Maybelline The Rocket Waterproof Mascara
Nyx Powder Blush – Peach
Nyx Eyebrow Gel – Brunette
abh brow powder in ebony, the first lipstick i grab, nyx blush in terracotta, colourpop super shock highlighter in wisp, and bareminerals concealer! this is actually more or less my daily routine, i don’t wear foundation daily because my skin doesn’t really like having it on every day and it doesn’t really need it anyways. i don’t wear eyeshadow daily either but the highlighter also makes a nice eyeshadow if i feel like wearing it that day.
BROWS: Tarte brow powder
UNDEREYE: Garnier tinted eye roller & nars creamy concealer applied with mini beauty blender
EYES: Maybelline Color Tattoo 24HR Gel Cream Shadow (shimmery shade)
FACE: Neutrogena rice protein powder on tzone and mac msf natural all over
CHEEKS: powder blush ie nars orgasm
LIPS: tintied lip balm or a mlbb gloss
This -usually- happens to me haha 🙂
I like using a base I can apply with my fingers, typically Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua or Nars All Day Luminous. Under-eye corrector by Bobbi Brown. Likely a Benefit Box o’ Powder blush – Dallas is my fave! I’ll top off with an Ambient Lighting Powder all over, Dim Light! And finally mascara, I’m partial to a few but right now in my purse I have a deluxe sample size Clinique High Impact mascara. I need it on the go!