I know the feeling of being constantly on the go to the point where we sometimes feel as if we don’t even have enough time for a face of basic makeup before heading out of the door each day. Or perhaps you are a girl who has limited dress-up opportunities and you want to make the most of the limited time you have. Don’t just assume looking good has to take a ton of time. It’s all about using the right tips and tricks to help tie everything together beautifully.
Below, find my 13 basic makeup tips specifically for busy girls:
- Know The Steps Of Your Makeup Routine
- Use Stick Foundation When Pressed For Time
- Add A Makeup Blender To Your Collection Of Beauty Tools
- Use Micellar Water To Rescue Small Makeup Mistakes
- Smooth-On BB Cream For A Lightweight Makeup Feel
- Swipe On Some Lipstick For A Quick Transformation
- Color Your Pout With Lip Gloss
- Wear Waterproof Concealer
- Keep A Face Mist On Hand To Revitalize Your Complexion
- Rely On Stick Formula Makeup To Save Time
- Sculpt Your Brows With Brow Mascara
- Use Liquid Eye Shadow To Save Time
- Coat Your Lashes With Clear Mascara To Avoid Smudges
Let’s take a closer look at each of them and see where you can save time you do your makeup. Keep practicing them and your makeup routine is about to get a whole lot easier!
Basic Makeup Tip 1: Know The Steps Of Your Makeup Routine
Many girls find themselves asking what the basic makeup steps are at some stage. Understanding the correct makeup routine order is key to creating even the most simple makeup looks. Here are the simple steps that break down how to do basic makeup if you are a beginner. Practice this routine as often as you can so that the order of applying your makeup becomes instinctive.
Step 1: Prime your face first. When applying your makeup, primer always goes on first. Primer is what gives the rest of your makeup an even base to stick to and helps it last longer.
Step 2: Foundation or BB cream. Next up is your foundation or BB cream. Choose whichever product you want to use for all-over coverage. It is important that this comes before your concealer. I heard this from MtF makeup artist Dafni Coco of Dafni Girls. She said that it made the difference between success and failure when hiding beard shadow.
Step 3: Concealer. If you have any spots that need more coverage, follow with concealer. As I mentioned in step 2, this is how Dafni Coco achieves long-lasting magic for her girls.
Step 4: Cheek products. Now will be the time to apply blush, bronzer, contour, and highlighter. This will be everything you need to sculpt your face and make your cheekbones pop. Girls, don’t use bronzer for contouring. You want to create shadows when contouring and bronzer gives your skin a suntanned glow. Shadows don’t glow. For a full tutorial on how to contour your face, here is the article I wrote on Pink Femme.
Step 5: Eyeshadow. When your face is finished you can move to your eye makeup. When it comes to eye makeup, eyeshadow comes first. Just make sure any fallout doesn’t mess with your under-eye concealer. If you are new to eye makeup, here is the beginner tutorial that teaches you about applying eyeshadow here on Pink Femme.
Step 6: Eyeliner. Eyeliner should be applied after eyeshadow so that it doesn’t get muddied.
Step 7: Mascara. Coating your lashes can really complete any look. Now that you have done your face and eyes, the final step in your makeup application process will be your lips.
Step 8: Lipstick. Last but not least, applying lipstick (or any other lip product you choose) will be the finishing touch. After all the work you have done, the last thing that you want is to have your look spoiled with a lipstick mistake. Here is the article that I wrote for you on Pink Femme that will teach you the tips to Kiss Your Lipstick Fails Goodbye.
Basic Makeup Tip 2: Use Stick Foundation When Pressed For Time
If you only have time for one step in your morning face makeup routine, it should be using foundation. On busy days, I really love my stick foundation, because it’s easy to apply and blend. My stick foundation is also perfect for long-haul travel when I want to do my morning makeup quickly before the plane lands.
Insider tip: set your alarm for 30 minutes before they bring up the cabin lights prior to landing. That way you won’t have to wait for the restroom and will have time to quickly do your makeup while the other passengers are still sleeping.
I use the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Longwear Foundation Shaping Sticks to contour and perfect my complexion in a few quick swipes.
Basic Makeup Tip 3: Add A Makeup Blender To Your Collection Of Beauty Tools
Creating a beautiful femme face is more than just about the foundation you wear. It’s about how you apply it, too. Instead of using your fingers to blend your cream foundation, concealer, and contour products, use your makeup blender for a more seamless finish. I use the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Blend Artist Foundation Blender (available on Amazon) because it has a pointed tip on one end and a rounded edge on the other. The way I use it is I apply a few swipes of foundation on my face, then use dabbing and rolling motions to create even coverage.
Additional tip: When you start adding a makeup sponge to your routine, you need to learn how to clean it correctly. Use gentle soap and water to cleanse your makeup blenders, then squeeze out the excess water and store them in a cool, dry place.
Basic Makeup Tip 4: Use Micellar Water To Rescue Small Makeup Mistakes
I know that this is a skincare product. However, it can still save you a ton of time. If you make a mishap when rushing to apply your basic makeup look, many girls will be tempted to start again from scratch because they don’t know that a bit of micellar water on a cotton swab can save the day.
Stock your vanity with the L’Oréal Paris Micellar Cleansing Water Waterproof – All Skin Types, as I do, and you can use it with a cotton swab for quick fixes. Use the same micellar water to remove all your makeup at the end of the day.
Basic Makeup Tip 5: Smooth-On BB Cream For A Lightweight Makeup Feel
There are days when I don’t want the heavy feel that comes from a full face of makeup. Maybe you sometimes feel the same way and want lightweight coverage without the heavy feel.
This might just be the time to welcome a BB cream to your routine. This is a multi-purpose beauty staple and is a great way to sport flawless skin without the super long process that doing a full face of makeup involves.
Why not give it a try with the L’Oréal Paris Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream (available on Amazon), like I use, which is formulated with encapsulated pigments infused in an ultra-light lotion with vitamin C and vitamin E? This BB cream is designed to smooth my skin’s texture, provide an even complexion, and hydrate my skin.
Basic Makeup Tip 6: Swipe On Some Lipstick For A Quick Transformation
If you have overslept badly and need a quick transformation, in my opinion, a pretty shade of lipstick can instantly perk up your face. So, before you rush out of the door, do yourself a favor and spare a few seconds to apply some color.
I find that the same applies to when I’m traveling. If I have a connecting flight that I need to rush for, I can use the time between when the plane touches down and the seatbelt lights go off to refresh my lipstick.
Basic Makeup Tip 7: Color Your Pout With Lip Gloss
If you’re ready to instantly elevate your pout game, the right lip gloss will definitely get you there.
Lip gloss is an excellent way to liven up your lip color with the just right amount of shine to make your lips look fuller. Lip gloss is a beauty essential that can be worn over top lipstick or solo for a winning look. It is also a great way for me to effortlessly switch from my office look when heading straight out for drinks with the girls.
Basic Makeup Tip 8: Wear Waterproof Concealer
Wearing waterproof concealer is another essential for busy girls. Irrespective of whether you use it along with foundation to contour and highlight or wear it on its own to disguise dark circles/shadow is completely up to you.
Choosing a concealer with a waterproof formula allows it to stay put throughout the day. This means that you won’t have to find time in your busy schedule for touch-ups and can confidently go about your day without dark areas/shadow starting to show through as the day progresses.
Basic Makeup Tip 9: Keep A Face Mist On Hand To Revitalize Your Complexion
Using a face mist can instantly add a dewy glow to your complexion and refresh your basic makeup look in almost no time at all.
In addition, it will help your makeup look last longer. Trust me when I say that this is a must-have for the handbag of any busy girl. I spritz some L’Oréal Paris True Match Shake & Glow Dew Mist onto your face throughout the day, especially in summer, to revive my complexion and keep my summer glow going.
Basic Makeup Tip 10: Rely On Stick Formula Makeup To Save Time
The first basic makeup tip that I gave you involved a stick foundation. However, that isn’t the only makeup product in a stick formula that is worth paying attention to.
You can use other makeup products that come in stick form too such as blush and highlighter sticks. These will help you cut down on the time it takes to create your makeup look.
Basic Makeup Tip 11: Sculpt Your Brows With Brow Mascara
Having groomed brows always looks good and doesn’t have to take you a ton of time. If you’re in a rush like we all often are, simply use some brow mascara to sculpt and shape your brows any of the drama.
Apply the gel mascara in upward strokes following your brow shape and brush through to set your brows. You’ll be surprised what a difference this can make in just a few seconds.
Basic Makeup Tip 12: Use Liquid Eye Shadow To Save Time
When it comes to eye shadow, it always felt as if there was never enough time in the morning. As a result, I’d often skip eye shadow rather than risk spoiling the rest of my makeup look.
That all changed when I encountered liquid eye shadow. Instead of taking out your powder formulas and eye shadow brushes, swipe the color of your choice onto your lids, then blend with your finger, and you’re done.
Basic Makeup Tip 13: Coat Your Lashes With Clear Mascara To Avoid Smudges
Mascara makes a massive difference to your beauty look. However, it can also take time to apply carefully so that you don’t end up with brown or black specks on your lids and under-eyes.
You can still give your lashes a boost without the fear of spoiling your look by applying a coat of clear mascara instead.
Why not expand your knowledge even further by reading another makeup/beauty article here on Pink Femme? You can find them either via the menu at the top of the page or by clicking this link that will take you to the list of all the beauty articles.
When it comes to my choices for makeup and beauty products, I only use L’Oréal Paris (Available on Amazon). I have really sensitive skin and never once have I had any negative reaction to any L’Oréal product.
