Well,one week into the school year, and if there’s one thing I’ve figured out it’s that I’ve got to simplify my morning routine.
I’m still waking and getting out the door at the same time, but I’ve got a few more things to accomplish each morning. They include (but are not limited to) getting all three kids up and at ’em, feeding said kids, filling out form after form after form (I swear I filled out the same media release form at least four times one morning…and last time I checked I only had three kids), fixing and packing lunches, checking agendas and homework, tracking down bathing suits for swimming day….I could go on and on, but you get the idea.
I figured out quickly that getting myself ready fell very low on the family priority ladder, and that most often I had to choose between a fully made up face and a second cup of coffee.
I’m not able ready to give up on the caffeine, so I need to simplify the makeup routine.
Lucky for us, most cosmetic companies recognize that we’re strapped for time and there’s a plethora of two-in-one products on the market.
Here are a few I love.
I always start with a tinted moisturizer. By the time I squeeze a little of this onto my fingers and cover my face, I’ve smoothed and moisturized my skin and evened the tone. My favourite is Clinique’s Moisture Sheer Tint. The bonus is an SPF of 15. It’s available at department stores for about $30.
One of the best lines for multiple-use products is Benefit. Their original product, Benetint, provides a rose-tinted cheek and lip stain. You can buy it at beauty supply stores and Shoppers Drug Mart stores, and it may seem like a splurge at $35, but it will last forever!
Skin….check. Cheeks and lips…check. All you need now is to tackle your eyes. Stila’s convertible eye colour has powder shadow on one end, and coordinated automatic eyeliner on the other. Find it in tons of gorgeous shades at Sephora for about $30.
The other bonus…if I really need that third cup of coffee, it’s half the makeup to stuff into a bag and smuggle into the staff washroom for a quick makeover when I arrive at work!
Hmmm…I love any NARS products I’ve tried, so I’ll have to check out the Multiples. I’m also a Bobbi Brown fan, and one of the high points of our annual spring trip to South Carolina is a visit to the Cosmetics Outlet which carries all sorts of her stuff at great prices!
i too have had to simplify my routine! A former make-up junkie, i’m now down to just a few products: Nars multiple stick (works as blush and eyeshadow) in South Beach on my cheeks, forehead and chin, Nars Mykonos cream eyeshadow, Lancome definicils mascara, and Bobby Brown (i swear by their lip colours) lip shine. voila!i timed it and it takes 45 seconds.