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In a Rush? Here’s How to Do Your Makeup Super Fast

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We’re all about anything that makes life a little bit easier, especially when it comes to our makeup routines. After you’ve hit snooze once or twice (okay, maybe three times), and you’re left with five minutes to complete an entire makeup look, multipurpose products can be a total lifesaver. Makeup products that cut down on your skincare routine (like hydrating BB creams or tinted moisturizer with SPF) are a good place to start. Ready for a five-minute makeup routine that's ideal for anytime you don’t have any time? Continue reading below for our step-by-step makeup tutorial.

Running even shorter on time? Andrea Tiller shares how to get glam in just one, five, or ten minutes:


About the Expert:

Andrea Tiller is an NYC-based celebrity makeup artist. Her clients include Ariana DeBose, Olivia Palermo, Amy Schumer, and more.

How to Do Your Makeup Super Fast

Beautiful model in a red and white polka dot blouse applying face makeup using a COMPLEX CULTURE makeup brush

Step 1. Apply Your Base

When you don't have time to spend on your entire morning or evening skincare routine, opt for a makeup product that fuses skincare and coverage in one. Choose a CC or BB cream to prime, moisturize, and smooth your skin in one fell swoop. Tinted moisturizers can also hydrate while providing buildable coverage, like IT COSMETICS Bye Bye Foundation Full Coverage Moisturizer™ with SPF 50+. This skin-perfecting product boasts skincare-boosting ingredients like diamond powder, bioluminescence, and of course, SPF 50 for added sun protection.

To make your application even quicker, pour a small amount of product into your palm and use your finger to dot the tinted moisturizer over your face. Using your finger for this step adds some heat to the product, which will make blending extra speedy.

Then, reach for a buffing brush, like COMPLEX CULTURE Angled Foundation Brush. Unlike a traditional round or flat foundation brush, the bristles of this brush are arranged in a pyramid-shaped brush head. The angled edges of this brush head allow you to seamlessly apply and blend makeup onto your cheekbones, nose, under eyes, hairline, and jawline with ease. Simply blend your product into your skin from the center of your face outward using swift, painterly strokes.

Model in a a cream button up blouse applying eye makeup under her eyes using a COMPLEX CULTURE makeup brush

Step 2. Conceal in Seconds

To help brighten your face on sleepy mornings, try a concealer like PURLISSE BEAUTY Perfect Glow BB Concealer. This glowy concealer blends seamlessly to a flawless, second-skin finish while offering weightless hydration. Squeeze a small amount of product onto your ring finger, then dot under your eyes (your ring finger has a lighter touch, so is gentler on your delicate under eye area). Swipe or dot the concealer on any redness or blemishes as-needed.

Using a brush or sponge (we love the ALLEYOOP Multi-Tasker because it has everything all in one product), lightly pat and press the product into your face, making sure to move in short, quick strokes so that you avoid creasing.

Applying blush makeup on a beautiful model using a COMPLEX CULTURE makeup brush

Step 3. Contour and Blush in One Go

The superstar tool of this step is the COMPLEX CULTURE Cheek Chiseler Brush, which seamlessly transitions from contouring to blush application with just a flick of your wrist. To contour, dip the narrower side of this brush into a bronzer or contour powder of your choice (try KIMCHI CHIC BEAUTY Thailor Bronzer). Swipe the powder wherever you’re looking to contour—areas like under your cheekbones, along your jawline, and on your temples are all fair game. Make sure to swipe side-to-side and up, never down, for easy, defined cheekbones in seconds.

Once you’re ready to move onto blush, simply flip the angle of the brush so that you’re now using the wider, fluffier side. Dip this end into powder blush, like COMPLEX CULTURE Good Glow Blush Duo in Blissed Out + Flustered, then swirl it onto the apples of your cheeks. The brush’s densely packed, super soft bristles are made to hold onto powders and blend them out seamlessly, so you don't have to worry about getting too much or too little pigment. Quickly pat each cheek with your palm for a perfectly-blended flush.

Have a bit more time to spare? Finish your face makeup by adding a pop of shimmer with a highlighter, like ABOUT-FACE BY HALSEY Light Lock Highlight Fluid. For this step, tap the highlighter on the high points of your face (your brow bones, the tops of your cheekbones, and the bridge of your nose).

Beautiful young model in a black blouse applying eye makeup using a COMPLEX CULTURE makeup brush

Step 4. Define Your Eyes Fast

When you’re short on time, it’s a good idea to keep your eye makeup simple. Choose a neutral base color (this can be shimmery or matte) that will give just a hint of color to your eyes. For extra fast application, try using a cream shadow stick or liquid eyeshadow, like LUCKY CHICK Liquid Eyeshadows in Fem Bliss, which imparts a glimmer to your eyes that won’t crease or flake all day). Unlike powder-based eyeshadows, these creamy shadows are slick and easier to blend, making them a good option when you're in a rush.

Swipe the color onto your eyelid and lower lash line, then blend and buff it out with a fluffy blending brush (like the one in this MOTD COSMETICS Seas the Day Makeup Brush Set). Finish by applying your favorite volumizing or lengthening mascara, and swipe an eyebrow gel through your brows for a quick-and-easy brow look.

Beautiful young model contouring her nose using a COMPLEX CULTURE makeup brush and holding a compact mirror

Step 5. Set and Add a Lip Color

Set the whole look with a finishing powder or setting powder, like HALF CAKED Star Bright Loose Setting Powder. This loose setting powder’s ability to help blur your pores is as impressive as its non-caking wearability. For this step, we recommend using the COMPLEX CULTURE Press & Set • Bronzer Brush. Dip the flat side of the brush into the setting powder and press it all over your face. Use the brush's tip to lightly dust away any extra product.

Before you run out the door, polish your look off with a swipe of lip stain or a long-lasting lip color. We love ĀTHR BEAUTY Lip + Cheek Stain in Harmony for the perfect peachy shade and nourishing formula. If you need to clean up any smudges around the edges of your lips, go back in with your concealer brush and the concealer left on the bristles to disguise any smudges instantly.

Want in on all the IPSY Glam Bag fun? Take our Beauty Quiz now to get started. Already an Ipster? Refer your friends to earn points, which you can use toward products. Either way, don’t forget to check us out on Instagram and Twitter @IPSY.

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Article Last Updated December 31, 2022 12:00 AM