Ever since I read an article on GOOP describing the daily routine of a busy, successful woman (
Juliet de Baubigny, to be exact) which included a "daily makeup in 5 minutes", I have been determined to perfect my own 5-minute face. It took some trial and error. Sometimes it looked too natural, too rushed, or too sloppy. Often I am not wearing enough colour or my makeup doesn't last as long as I'd like because I haven't had the time to prep my skin.
HOWEVER. After lots of faffing and adjusting, I have finally perfected it. And here it is!
Please note: I recommend keeping all of your 5-minute products in a case together, to avoid having to rifle through your bathroom or dressing table drawers and wasting valuable time. I use a beautiful big Peter Alexander cosmetics case.
1. Prep.
This is vital, despite the time limit. Start with a waterless cleanser or toner to purify your skin. I love APOT.Care Irido-Radiant Micellar Lotion Cleanser. Follow with a hydrating serum and light moisturiser, suited to your skintype. I have oily, dehydrated skin and am obsessed with preventative ageing so I use N.V. Perricone Acyl-Glutathione as my serum and DDF Ultra-Light Oil-Free Moisturising Dew as a moisturiser. I finish with my holy grail of sunscreens: Clarins Day Screen UV Protect SPF30+. I don't use a primer because I find that these prep products, along with my choice of foundation, keeps my makeup lasting all day long.
2. Base.
I start with a creamy, highly-pigmented concealer, patted gently around my eyes and nose. Hourglass Hidden Corrective Concealer is perfect. I follow with the Dior AirFlash Spray Foundation. This stuff is brilliant - full-coverage, glowy with a flawless satin finish and long-lasting. I close my eyes and spray up and down the centre of my face three or four times, then blend with my MAC 187 Stippling Brush.
3. Contouring.
I swirl my 187 brush into my seemingly bottomless tub of Chanel Bronze Universal de Chanel Sun Illuminator and apply it in a 3-shape on my face - around the periphery of my face, under the cheekbones and under my jaw-line. I also apply a little on either side of my nose. It gives a beautiful glow and adds warmth to my skin.
4. Add a flush.
A full-coverage foundation takes all of the colour out of my skin, so I need to add it back with a pretty blush. I use my Nars Yachiyo Brush and Nars Blush in Orgasm for a radiant peachy-pink glow on the apples of my cheeks and along my temples.
5. Widen and define the eyes.
A 5-minute look doesn't allow time for elaborate eye makeup, so I keep it very simple. I start with my eyelash curler (Utowa Eyelash Curler is one of the best) and follow with my volume and length boosting, never ever clumpy mascara, Chantecaille Faux Cils. I apply a swipe of my favourite eyeliner MAC Eye Kohl in Powersurge in my inner lower rims and Kevyn Aucoin Expert Eye Pencil in Black in the upper inner rim for seamless definition. As a final touch, I subtly fill in my brows with my staple Chanel Brow Set in Brunette.
6. A nude lip.
I smudge a neutral lip liner onto my lips - Nars Lipliner in Tonga is ideal and oh-so-versatile - and finish with a swipe of my signature nude-pink lipstick, Chantecaille Lip Chic in Camellia. (I have a second tube in my handbag for touch-ups.)
And voila! An elegant, chic, everyday look, in 5-minutes flat. Let's not forget, I always finish with a spritz of fragrance. I have been wearing Serge Lutens L'Eau lately and it is clean, fresh and gorgeous. A "you smell beautiful" fragrance, as opposed to "your perfume smells beautiful".
Do you have a 5-minute daily makeup routine? Please feel free to ask me any questions about mine!
