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What beauty products do you grab when you want a polished look but are low on time?


What beauty products do you grab when you want a polished look but are low on time? Share!

Hourglass G*psy on eyes–really great shimmer and sheen that makes eyes look more awake and is effortless to apply, fill in brows, coat of mascara, foundation. If you have time, a pat or two of blush on each cheek and grab any lip product you can!

Thanks to Miss J for today’s question! Have a question idea? Submit yours here.

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Rachael Avatar

For eyes, I generally just do a wash of one of the lighter shades in the Naked 1 palette, or, if I want a little color to bring out my green eyes, a very light application L’Oreal’s Infallible Eyeshadow in Golden Sage, blended out with my fingers if I’m really rushing. The rest is simple: mascara (maybe eyeliner on my waterline if I have time), foundation, and either a light pink lip or just chapstick!

John Avatar

When I really, REALLY don’t have time. Like for example, I wake up with 15 minutes before class starts… Then I just slap on some tinted moisturizer and do my brows.

Since I have to make time to do my hair, change, grab something from the bridge, brush my teeth, I don’t have time to go through my whole face routine: cleanse, tone, exfoliate, apply sunscreen, put on primer, foundation with a brush, concealer, powder, contour, brows… that takes a while as you can imagine!

So for my face routine I just grab the Too Faced BB Cream, which has decent mineral-based sun protection (5% ZnO and TiO2), a smattering of antioxidants, good coverage, and I can apply it with my fingers. I keep a compact in my bag, so I can always powder and set everything after class. Of course I have to do my brows after this. I’m literally running through my room and bathroom lol! I’m sure everyone’s had those days. xD

Instead of taking me 1 hour to get ready, this way I can be out the door in 10 minutes. Not sure why compelled me to describe my rush morning routine in detail, but I guess I was bored? Haha!

Dinitchka Avatar

Clairins – instant smooth line correcting concentrate (my go-to and new fave face primer)
Foundation – one I mixed
* Maybelline – concealer/colour corrector (if I have time)
Random face powder
Brows – Ck brown pencil
Ulta – blush
Hard Candy – bronzer
UD – PP
Stila – Kitten e/s and a random brown e/s
Hard Candy – mascara
* Random lip liner if I have time
EOS – lip ‘primer’
Random lipgloss or Revlon lipstick

August Wrinkle Avatar

Im pretty much low on time everyday lol so I always go for:

– Mascara (currently using Urban Decay Supercurl)
– Eyeliner (either a liquid for just the top, or I will tight line, currently using either Blinc Liquid Liner or MUFE Aqua Eyes Eyeliner both in Black)
– Blush (currently obsessed with Nars ‘Amour’)

Jessi Avatar

Strong lipstick, like MAC Scarlet Ibis, Prince Noir or Runaway Red is all I need if I have to run out fast; or add black pencil liner in the water lines and a nice highlighter/skin finish – I love Elude beauty powder and Crystal Pink Mineralize Skin Finish, for 2 different quick looks.

Mar Avatar

I curl my lashes, put on a coat of mascara, maybe a little ‘All That Glitters’ e/s (MAC) to make my eyes look a bit fresher, a light sweep of ‘Peachykeen’ blush (MAC), a bit of Bobbi Brown concealer where it’s needed and an Inglot lippaint.

Sunny Avatar

Some foundation (thinking about getting a good tinted moisturizer for the job), fill in my brows, Sin + Buck from the Naked Palette, some gel liner, grab a lip product and I’m good to go!

JEN Avatar

FACE
-Laura Mercier Primer in Radiance
-MAC MSF Natural in Medium Dark on top so it’s not so flat looking.

CHEEKS
-Daniel Sandler Watercolour blush in Dare

EYES
-Benefit “They’re Real!” mascara (lots of coats and curled with eyelash curler)
-Make Up For Ever waterproof cream black eye liner on upper waterline

LIPS
-Daniel Sandler Watercolour blush in Dare

Veronica Avatar

Concealer/corrector around the eyes, cream blush in plum or rose, a bold mascara, and maybe a lip color if I have one on hand. Pretty much my go-to look during the week when I am always short of time. 🙂

rowan Avatar

ysl touche eclat, garnier bb cream, some mac blot powder, barry m brow gel because they’re quite thick, a lush lip balm & i’m good to go!

Jennifer Avatar

MUFE Mat Velvet, (Virgin, Sin, Naked) from Naked 1 Palette, Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Zero on waterline and along top lashes, Diorshow Mascara, Urban Decay Lip Junkie in Naked, and Nars Deep Throat or Madly on cheeks. Usually done in 10 minutes.

Mariella Avatar

MAC Painterly Paint Pot, any old neutral shadow in the crease (Patina, Omega, Centre Stage), Gosh pencil liner (black or Metallic Brass), Dolly Mix on my cheeks and Plumful on my lips.

Daria Avatar

Champagne coloured shimmery eyeshadow from lid to brow bone
Fill in brows
Curl lashes and apply two coats of mascara
Tinted moisturizer
Blush
Lipgloss

Seph Avatar

Primer, powder foundation all over with a huge brush, eyebrows and beauty spot (I draw both in with eyeliner), a very quick smudge of Meowth eyeshadow from Shiro cosmetics, mascara, and finish off with a cheek-and-lip-stain. And then spend the whole day feeling really weird because I’m wearing hardly any makeup [grin]

It takes me forever and a day to get ready as well as I’d like of a morning, and yet I’m TERRIBLE at them. So I need to get better at speed, really…

If I’m really pressed my go-to look is that makeup face, an outfit composed of black jeans, a big slouchy black top and cowboy boots, my Queen of Sheba perfume from BPAL, a long chunky silver necklace and scrunching a bit of wax through my hair without even brushing it. I can achieve door-to-bed in less than half an hour this way, but I hate doing it!

Sally Avatar

I always do about the same on the face, just change up the blush occasionally. But lately I’ve really been loving my Buxom Stay-There Eyeshadow in Pug. It’s easily to work with and not too dark, just subtly smokey. I put it all over my lid, contour my crease a lil’ and add something a little more shimmery in the middle of the lid for some pop.

GUSnail Avatar

I’ll tell you what I did yesterday: Foundation put on with my hands, concealer under my eyes and on my lids. Brule on the lid, bit of brown liner in the lash line, mascara and brow gel. bit of blusher and lipstick, all done in about 5 minutes.

Ainsley Avatar

Bobbi Brown foundation stick for foundation and concealer, NARS Desire for a healthy glow, brow gel, NARS Dolce Vita, UD Naked for highlight, and a wash of Baked all over 🙂

Karla W. Avatar

If it has to be done quick I slap on tinted moisturizer, I actually love the super cheap ones made by wet and wild! I dab on a little blush, and usually for a quick brightening eye I use a KatVonDee. color in peanut, sweep on mascara and go. 🙂

Victoria Makeup Avatar

Painterly Paintpot and Blanc Type with a little Outre in the crease. Studio Fix powder foundation with a Sigma F80 and Refined MSF as blush. And of course; Ever Hip on the lips. Hate my self for not buying backups when it came out in the Fashion Flower collection.

Danielle Avatar

I have very unclear skin so when Im in a rush, but want to look really put together I just throw on my foundation 🙂 sometimes I go weeks with no eye make up but hey I get to sleep in

Krista Avatar

Stila Kitten Smudge Pot. I love this baby because I don’t need brushes to apply it on and the shimmers just instantly brightens my eyes. This pared with wing liner or even just mascara and a lip and cheek stain is all I need on mornings where I need something quick yet put together.

Jo Avatar

Stila brown gel eyeliner on top and bottom into a tiny subtle wing, mascara, fill in brows, foundation, concealer, powder blush and done. Usually a pinky neutral lipstick from my bag at some point like MAC Fanfare or a tint and balm.

Wenz Avatar

LOL This happens way too often!

My non-negotiables
-Fill in brows & rubenesque paint pot all over lids
-Concealer undereyes & wherever else needed. Set face w/ powder
– Lips- whatever is in my purse!

If time I’ll add
– Quick swipe of blush (normally Tarte exposed)
– Mascara & eyeliner

Em Avatar

1. Primer, concealer, and Laura Gellar Balance and Brighten.
2. Benefit Birthday Suit or RSVP all from lid to brow bone, a medium matte color(brown or taupe usually) in the crease, outer corner, and along the upper and lower lash line, and mascara.
3. Quickly run powder through my eyebrows.
4. Pretty much any lip color because lips are easy to do when I’m in a hurry but the Revlon Lip Butters and Clinique Chubby Sticks are great all in one lip products.

sabrina Avatar

– medium coverage foundation around my nose and chin: 1 mn

– full coverage concealer under the eyes (3 mn applying and blending)

– light layer of loose powder to set everithing (30 sec)

– blush and bronzer (2 mn)

at this time I put my mascara on my purse and put it whenever I can !

If I’m really running late I put all my stuff on my purse and I do it on my way / or I skip makeup this day.

beachgal Avatar

Brows (a must for me), liner, lipstain, and a fast cheek stain if I have time. Most of all – on a clean, spf moisturized face.

Jenn Avatar

I’m all about the bright or bold lip when I’m short on time! It cuts down on the time that I need to spend on the rest of my face! I feel that a full eye takes the most time, so when I don’t have to work with a lot of shadows I save myself time. A bright lip packs a punch in a much shorter time period!

mel Avatar

Mascara and illuminator! If I’m low on time and I want my eyes to sparkle a little, i love putting a little bit of powder illuminator on them! 🙂

Miss J Avatar

Low on time for me is 5 to 10 minutes, so I usually grab quick, easy, fool-proof products that don’t leave room for error. I go for face first since that’s the area that usually needs most help. I tend to grab a luminizing cream and a light foundation like MAC Strobe Cream + MUFE Face & Body. Those are super fast and easy to mix together and apply to the face for a brightening and evening effect. Next, I’ll grab concealer and hit the areas that need it. Next, I’ll curl lashes, fill in brows, and apply a generous amount of mascara. After that, I’ll grab a cream blush that I can quickly dab on the cheeks and blend out. Then with any remaining time, I’ll tightline, apply a tinted balm or lipstain, and do a light dusting of setting powder if needed and possibly a sprit of MAC Fix+. Oh, and if there’s still time, I’ll hit the inner corners of my eye with a highlight. I basically go in order of importance because then I feel ok if I have to quickly run out of the house before I can finish.

Thanks for using this question, Christine! Maybe a good one for another time would be what people’s favorite multi-tasking beauty products are to use!

Salvinia Avatar

My number one and two priorities are foundations and bright blush if I have very little time; I can generally get away without concealer and I wear glasses so if I cheat and do nothing with my eyes no one’s *really* going to notice, lol! I’ll also grab a neautral lipgloss that goes reasonably well with whatever blush I’m wearing.

Hannah Avatar

When I am short on time, I try to focus on the skin, so I don’t look like I have much makeup on at all, but look fresh and polished and sophisticated.

I use a illuminating concealer/corrector like by Terry Touche Veloutee under the eyes, on the inner corner of my eye lids, on the browbone, and then I swipe whatever is left on the brush along my cheekbones. I use a concealer like MAC Studio Finish to neutralize any blemishes or redness. I quickly fill my brows in with my Anastasia pencil and apply any brown mascara. I quickly rub in some cream blush (I have been loving the LMdB Creme Fresh ones lately) and if I have time top it with a quick blend of MAC Cream Color Base in Luna on the very tops of my cheekbones. Balm on the lips, and maybe grab a lipstick (or the Creme Fresh!) to put on on the commute. Maybe a dusting of translucent powder on the T-zone and over the concealer if I’m feeling oily or if it’s very humid.

I wear this to work nearly every day, actually!

Pami Avatar

Tinted sunscreen & if needed, foundation and/or concealer
Line outer third of lashes top & bottom
Curl lashes
Blush
Lipstick or Stain & Gloss

Depending on the amount of “extra” time, I would include the following in order of “importance”:
Chanel Clair on waterline (really brightens my eyes)
Mascara
Tightline upper lashes
Eyeshadow

Highlight/Luminizer
Bronzer/Contouring
Eyebrows
Guerlain Meteorites

Anne Avatar

Bourjois healthy mix serum foundation blended in with fingers
Maybelline Full n Soft mascara
a touch of theBalm Hot Mama blush
Burts Bees Tinted Lip Balm in either Red Dahlia, Rose, or Hibiscus (which ever one is handy, they’re all nice)

DP Avatar

Always foundation, black eyeliner, blush (Clinique Sunset Glow) and a rose lip (MAC Fast Play) or Clinique Black Honey. Polished, put together, and I find these shades warm, glowy and flattering.

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