Universal truth: No woman has ever said she has too much time on her hands in the morning.
But when schedules get tough, we get tougher – by adopting kick-ass cosmetics shortcuts that make us look polished even when we’re panting.
Our motto for 2015 is to beautify smarter, not harder. And the key principles? Bookmark this page, they’re coming right up…
1. Synchronise your beauty space.
At work, it’s impossible to blitz your to-do list if your piles of papers are so high that HR has issued an avalanche warning. The bathroom is no different. If you’ve ever knocked something over and it’s resulted in a domino effect of cosmetics carnage, call the Tidy Brigade.
Move any products that you don’t use every day out of arm’s reach, then organise your go-tos in chronological order: cleanser, toner, serum, moisturiser, makeup bag. It brings daily returns when you don’t lose time (or the plot) trying to locate your eye cream.
2. Double-up your makeup.
Pretty clever things can be done to multitask makeup. Blended well, a dab of lipstick can make an excellent DIY blusher, a shimmery eye shadow can fake a cheekbone highlighter, and a cream blusher can double up as a matte lipstick.
The hesitation point is that trying any one of these out in a rush might look great, or it might look like you’ve smeared lipstick on your cheek – so it might pay to practise beforehand.
Related: Stick blush: the surprising reason this one works.
Better still are the products that have been specifically created to save you time, like Clinique Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer ($50, available from Clinique.com.au and Clinique Counters nationally).
A two-in-one of probably the most vital products in your regime, it covers problem areas as well as your best concealer, illuminates like an under-eye product, and gives a dose of well-rested radiance to the rest of your face.
3. Try the T-zone blow-dry.
Just because I’m using the term “blow-dry”, it doesn’t mean that it’s code for “requires more arms than an octopus”. This is actually the laziest hair-drying move ever. (You’re welcome). Imagine a T-shape at the front of your head, encompassing the fringe (if you have one), front section of hair and parting.