5 minutes to get ready? These are the only products you need

Image: Mel with her 5 beauty must-dos.

Sometimes I’m feeling super lazy, other times I’ve become distracted by iPhone. Or I’ve just flat out slept through my alarm… after already snoozing it several times.

No matter the reason, there are times when I’m running late and needed to be ready and out the door 10 minutes ago. In these moments of panic, I’ve got five staple items I can rely on to take me from slob to decent in five minutes flat.

I’m not going to pretend that on these occasions I walk out the door with perfect winged liner and a fishtail braid, but these five beauties do just enough to have me looking presentable, clean, and perky (despite the faint pillow crease dent on my right cheek).

1. Concealer

There is no time to waste blending foundation right now. I grab a creamy concealer and apply it around my face anywhere I feel that I need the coverage. I steer clear from the parts of my face where my skin is looking good. No time! I use fingers and blend the concealer on my nose, cheeks, and any blemishes that are hanging around. This is the fastest way to even out skin tone and create a fresh base when you have very little time.

2. Corrector

Next I go in with a corrector. This is a salmon pink coloured concealer made for correcting blue or purple tones under the eyes. I suffer from fairly dark under eye circles, and if I don’t correct them there is no amount of makeup that can brighten up this face. So I dab the corrector under my eyes to cover up the dark circles, which gives the appearance of wide awake eyes and brings back light to my face.

3. Blush

There are some who would disagree with me here and go for bronzer instead of blush – but I stand by my choice. I think there is nothing that will inject more life into your complexion than a good blush. So I choose a shade that I know pops on my skin tone (usually a peachy-pink) and dust that over my cheeks. It adds just enough contour to my cheeks to stop my face from looking like a moon, and it gives a beautiful flush to my complexion that makes me look wonderfully glowy and fresh (even when I’m not feeling it).

4. Mascara

Even if you have managed to create the most flawless base, your eyes will give you away every time.  I skipped the mascara one day this week, and I’ll never do that again, because all day I was fielding comments from the girls at work asking whether or not I was “doing okay”. So when I’m pressed for time, mascara is a must. Now, I apply a generous amount to my upper lashes to help open up the eyes.

5. Dry Shampoo

There’s no time for fancy hair-dos in these moments. All I want is for my hair to look clean (even though it’s not). Dry shampoo is pure gold. I spray it through my roots, and let it sit for a minute to soak up any oil. I’ll usually take this minute to quickly apply some deodorant, brush my teeth, and pull on my clothes. The dry shampoo also helps hair hold its style. Then I take my fingers and tousle the dry shampoo through my hair to evenly distribute it and make sure it has soaked everything up. I’ll follow up by brushing my hair out and pulling it up into a topknot. Done.

What are your go-to beauty products on rushed mornings?