If you’ve read anything about me, you know that I wear makeup just about every day. I’m not talking full beauty queen makeup, but my everyday face generally falls somewhere between the “No Makeup” look and “Casual Date Night” makeup.
For several months I stuck to the “No Makeup” makeup look, using just BB Cream, blush, mascara, eyebrow powder, and lip balm. But honestly, this look wasn’t me.
While lovely on a lot of women, I feel more like myself with some eyeshadow, eyeliner, a matte foundation and powder (although I do switch to a BB Cream cushion in the summer, it’s too humid to pull off a matte look where I live), and a strong lip.
Now, if you don’t already know, I’ve got a lot on my plate! I have nine children, I homeschool, I keep the house reasonably tidy, and I have my own business. So how on earth do I have time for a beauty routine every day?
Queue the Ten Minute Beauty Routine!
Why You Need A 10 Minute Beauty Routine
Every woman, no matter what her makeup preferences, really needs a 10 Minute Beauty Routine that becomes a daily habit, no matter where she is going, no matter what she is doing.
I’m not just talking about makeup here, I’m talking about skincare too. If you prefer no makeup or minimal makeup, that’s totally fine! But having a daily ritual where you groom yourself is a must. Being intentional about what you include or exclude in your own routine turns a reactionary haphazard effort into a proactive, calming, rejuvenating morning kick-off.
Decide What Your Signature Everyday Look Will Be
The first step you will need to complete before putting together your 10 minute beauty routine is to decide on your signature, everyday look. Pick a look that makes you feel happy and energized when you look in the mirror.
As I mentioned earlier, my signature look is matte foundation and powder, blush, the slightest bit of cheek contour, eyebrow powder, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, and a strong lip.
Face—My absolute favorite type of face makeup is the powder foundation. It’s the speediest way to an even skin tone. I need to find an inexpensive alternative to the MAC Studio Fix powder foundation that I have used and love. I’ve tried the foundation powder by Maybelline, but the color wasn’t a good match, and the staying power was awful.
Another good option for the speediest face is the BB Cream cushions. I’ve only ever tried a Korean brand called IOPE. It’s fantastic, and I can whole-heartedly recommend it. It’s what I use in the summer, and gives a really lovely, dewy look that is perfect for summer humidity.
What I currently use is L’Oreal’s matte foundation in the palest shade, applied with a damp beauty blender, paired with Rimmel’s matte powder. It’s a cheap combo that stays nice all day.
Think about the look you prefer for your face, and then choose the best product. If you like matte, you’re probably going to do best with a matte foundation and powder. If you like light coverage, try a BB Cream, and know that the BB Cream cushions will give you the quickest application.
Cheeks–Blush is a must! Even for the minimalist, use some blush to give yourself a rosy glow. Contour if you like to, but go really light and easy. My contouring takes me less than 15 seconds, and I blend, blend, blend.
Eyes–Decide how natural you want to go. If you have long, dark lashes, you may forego mascara, same goes for eyebrows. I use both eyebrow powder and mascara because my hair is lighter.
If you want to brighten your eyes, use a simple eyeshadow palette. I use Kat Von D’s plum palette but I only use two colors from it for daily wear. I use a light hand applying, and blend, blend, blend. I finish it off with some eyeliner, make sure you opt for a smudge resistant eyeliner so you don’t end up with raccoon eyes half-way through the day!
Lips– Again, you are going to need to decide how natural you want to go. Many, many women opt for lip balm or gloss and look amazing! I go this way too, probably half the time.
For everyday lip-color, I really enjoy a long-wear, transfer-resistant liquid lip color. I’ve used Cover Girl Outlast, and the L’Oreal one too. Unfortunately, neither of those brands make a good red that doesn’t end up looking worn. However, both brands have great colors in the lighter and mid-range that wear really well and stay on all day. I’m going to give Mac’s liquid lipstick a try though.
I have recently bought Mac’s liquid lipstick in a shade of red, and it is a great formula! The color stays perfect all day long, even through eating and drinking. It does, however, kiss off on my children’s cheeks just a little. Not nearly as badly as regular lipstick, but it is not entirely transfer-proof.
I already wear Mac’s Ruby Woo almost exclusively when I leave the house, and I absolutely adore it. But for wearing around the house….my children end up with kissy marks all over their faces. So for me, long-wear, transfer-resistant is important at home.
Your everyday look will probably look different from mine, and that’s great! Choose what makes you feel like a million bucks.
Create Your Own 10 Minute Beauty Routine
Now that you know what makeup you want to put on, it’s time to create your own 10 minute beauty routine.
Your routine needs to begin with your skin care.
Cleanse, tone, moisturize, serum, you know the deal.
Complete this step as soon as you are out of the shower so that while you are dressing, your moisturizer has time to settle into your skin.
Then go right into makeup. For daily makeup, don’t bother with primer, unless you will be going out later in the day for a date, or a meeting. Adding additional products will make everything take longer. I use a long-wear foundation that most likely has some primer in it, and it has excellent staying power. I can powder my nose half way through the day if I feel the need and look fresh as a daisy!
Another tip for doing your face quickly, is not to sit down in front of a make-up mirror. Just do it standing, and get it on quickly. I will sit down in front of my mirror once or twice a week to tweeze and take a closer look at my skin, or if I am doing heavier make-up for evening. But for everyday, I prefer to be quick.
After everything is in place on your face, move onto your hair. I only wash my hair every third day, so I really don’t have to spend an extraordinary amount of time getting my hair ready. I use a mega-hold hairspray, so I may just need a quick touch-up with the curling iron or straightening iron, and I’m set.
Find a way to get your hair styled quickly. The important part is that it makes you feel cute. Whether it’s a tousled bob, sleek ponytail, a quick chignon, or a messy bun, how does it make you feel? If you love it, then it’s perfect!
Treat your daily 10 Minute Beauty Routine as a time to get yourself into the right mindset for your day. It’s not just about looking great, it’s about feeling great about yourself, being prepared for whatever the day throws your way, and treating yourself like you matter. Because you do!
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