Beauty by Ashleigh

Good To Know! Thursday, March 6th 2014

Question: “I get so overwhelmed going to the makeup counter any chance you can share some of your favourite products? I need easy to use and great results!”

Women always ask me what are my best tips for applying make-up in a minimal amount of time. Whether you are a busy mom dealing with getting yourself and your kids out the door or a commuter trying desperately to not miss the train again, we all have our issues when it comes to finding time to look our best in the morning. I believe if you can get your routine streamlined to a few basic steps that give the best payoff, you will be pleasantly surprised what you can accomplish in a short amount of time.

To make your morning as painless as possible I recommend investing in products that do double duty, that way you get more bang for your buck and if you need to do touch-ups later in the day, they take up minimal real estate in your already overstuffed bag.

Start by evening out your skin tone with a lightweight foundation or tinted moisturizer. This is one of my favourite products because you get the benefits of a moisturizing SPF while also getting coverage to even out your tone and brighten your complexion. Next, target any further discolourations or darkness on the lids and under the eyes with a concealer. Bobbi Brown’s Creamy Concealer kit is a great pick because not only is the coverage and consistency great but it also features a small pressed powder in the compact to set your product and avoid creasing, how convenient is that?? To minimize shine try setting your foundation and concealer with a pressed translucent powder. This product is a dream for touch ups as it is virtually invisible so you never have to worry about your skin looking too powdery or cakey.

Foundations, concealers and translucent powders- From top-

Smashbox Halo Foundation, Too Faced Beauty Balm Spf 20, Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit, Laura Mercier Invisible Loose setting powder

Next up is eyeshadow, I love eyeshadow and what it can do for a face but if you are short on time you have got to keep it simple and focus on a few quick tips for big impact. I suggest finding a cream shadow that sets to a powder, you get all day staying power and you can apply it with your fingertips or a brush. Once you get the hang of this product it will be a lifesaver. An added bonus with this is now you can bid adieu to your old friend- the lovely “mid-day eyelid crease”. I know it will be hard to say good bye but believe me you’ll get over it. To add a little extra impact I like to enhance the lash line with eye kohl. It has a softer consistency than regular eyeliner and the pigment tends to be much richer which translates to less effort on your part. Look for a shade like a dark brown or eggplant and no need to be precise here ladies just quickly wiggle it in close to the roots of your lashes and then use a small shadow brush to soften the line. In a pinch a q-tip can do the trick too. To finish off the eyes mascara is essential, it adds so much to complete the look and really makes a huge impact with little effort. If you have time to curl your lashes then do it, this instantly makes you look more awake and on those mornings when you could have slept another hour or two it will make a huge difference.

Cream shadows, eyeliners and mascara- From top-

Laura Mercier Caviar Shadow stick in Rose Gold, Mac Paint pot in Groundwork, Benefit “They’re real” mascara, Mac eye Kohl in Teddy and Prunell

Now all that’s left is to add a little flush to your cheeks and you are on your way. One of my favourite products to add that coveted glow is a bronzer/highlighter duo. You can use the bronzer to add some definition to cheekbones by doing the “selfie fish face” and blending the bronzer all the way from the hairline by the temple down to the hollows of your cheeks. Take the highlighter and lightly enhance your bone structure by applying the powder just to the tops of your cheekbones, your brow bone and the bridge of your nose. A quick tip to make sure its all blended, simply dust your powder brush off on a towel to remove any product and lightly go over the two shades on your cheeks to create a seamless look. If you want a little more colour on the apples of your cheeks I suggest choosing a cream blush that can double as a lip colour. Simply use your fingertips to warm the product and tap onto the apples of your cheeks and your lips and you are done. Once you get this routine down you can add a few extra steps to really kick it up a notch, such as filling in your brows, adding a bold lip colour or lining eyes with a liquid liner, all of which add huge impact in fairly minimal time.

Bronzer, highlighters and cream blush- From top-

Stila convertible colour in Peony, Benefit 10 Bronzer and highlighter duo