How to Apply Makeup in 5 Minutes

HOW TO APPLY MAKEUP IN 5 MINUTES

Mornings could be hectic, we usually have few minutes to get dressed and look our best. Follow this fuss-free approach to applying makeup. It’s guaranteed to make you look awake―even when you don’t feel that way.

Rinse and moisturize your face

Cleanse your face quickly but thoroughly and follow up with moisturiser.

Dab on foundation

Use foundation only where you need it to even out your overall skin tone. Focus on your chin, the sides of your nose, and around your eyes. Dab it on using your ring finger.

Sweep on black or brown mascara

Mascara (a black shade is universally flattering; brown is a good choice for the particularly fair) opens up the eyes and makes you look refreshed. Sweep on one coat from root to tip. No need to pump the wand; doing so gets air into the tube, promoting bacterial growth.

Apply lip colour or blush

Apply blush to the apple of each cheek (the roundest part when you smile), sweeping back toward the ear. On your lips, use colour with a sheer or gloss finish, which requires less precision (and time) than a liner-and-lipstick combo.

HOW TO FIX BROKEN BEAUTY PRODUCTS

Getting broken, stuck or shattered shouldn’t end their usefulness; learn how to fix broken beauty products.

Nail-Polish Bottle That Won’t Open

Cause: Each time you remove the brush, you probably swipe it against the bottle’s edge to get rid of the excess polish. Some drips down the outside and dries, and it’s as good as glue. And no one has yet come up with a polish formula that sticks to nails but not glass.

Cure: As a first step, use a jar gripper or wrap a rubber band several times around the cap to give you a better grip. If that doesn’t do the trick, run hot water over the bottle to loosen the dried polish, and then try again.

Preventive tip: When you finish polishing your nails, use a little polish remover on a tissue to clean around the rim of the bottle, then store the bottle upright.

Broken Lipstick

Cause: Because they’re made of waxes and emollients, lipsticks become unstable if they aren’t kept at the right temperature. If you’re not storing it at room temperature, or if it gets too hot in your purse, a lipstick can melt and lose strength, which makes it more susceptible to breaking completely.

Cure: Mash the bullet back into the tube and apply with a lip brush. If it’s too far gone for that to work, scoop what’s left into an empty lip-gloss pot, use a blow-dryer to melt it into place, and let set.

Preventive tip: If a lipstick looks as if it’s melting, put it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes so it can regain its consistency.

Shattered Powder Eye Shadow or Blush

Cause: You bumped it or dropped it. And because compacted makeup is usually less than a quarter-inch thick, it’s very fragile. Extremes in temperature can also make pressed powder more prone to breakage.

Cure: Add a few drops of rubbing alcohol to the compact and use a butter knife to smooth the powder back into shape. Let dry before using. If the damage can’t be repaired, you can crush the cosmetic completely, transfer it to a small resealable bag or jar, and use it as loose powder.

Preventive tip: When travelling, place cotton puffs over each eye shadow, blush, or powder before closing the case. Store them in a cool, dry place.

Clogged Hair-Spray Pump

Cause: A clogged nozzle typically occurs when a small amount of resin, which is what gives hair spray its stickiness and holding properties, dries and sticks to the exit hole in the sprayer.

Cure: Hold the nozzle under warm running water, then remove the residue with a tissue or use a toothpick to gently scrape away any debris lodged in the hole.

Preventive tip: After each use, run the nozzle under warm water, then dry with a tissue. Store hair spray with the cap on in a cool, dry place. If you use hair spray only occasionally, buy small cans to avoid build up in the nozzle over time.

Jammed Lotion Pump 

Cause: It’s either a clog (a bit of lotion in the hole of the pump has hardened) or a pump defect (one of the mechanism’s many parts is misaligned).

Cure: If a clump is the issue, run the pump under hot water, then use a toothpick, a needle, or a bobby pin to dig the blockage out of the hole. If this doesn’t work, and the pump itself is the cause, take it out and pour the lotion into a plastic cosmetics bottle.

Preventive tip: After each use, wipe away any lotion sitting at the tip of the pump with a cotton swab.

Missing or Broken Aerosol Cap

Cause: If the cap is broken, it may have been assembled with greater force than necessary. This can cause the cap to spread slightly, making it weaker. If, on the other hand, the cap has pulled a disappearing act, it probably wasn’t securely attached to begin with or it got jostled loose with use.

Cure: Fortunately, many companies use the same packaging, so try taking a cap from another bottle. Gently press it down onto the stem, being careful to point it away from your face.

Preventive tip: Replace the cap by pressing it gently and directly on the centre of the nozzle.

HOW TO CORRECT 8 COMMON BEAUTY MISTAKES

Look and feel your best with these easy ways to correct everyday beauty blunders.

Common Mistake: Using Conditioner All Over Your Hair

Most people apply conditioner as they do shampoo: starting at the top of the head and working it all through the hair. But the hair closest to the roots is healthy new growth; it’s the ends that are older and more likely to be damaged. Apart from wasting product, conditioning the roots can weigh your hair down and make it look greasy.

A better way: Starting at your ears, apply conditioner all the way to the ends. You will gain volume and won’t have to wash your hair as often.

Common Mistake: Applying Foundation Without Giving Moisturiser Time to Dry

The creaminess of a moisturiser can cause makeup to thin out if the moisturiser hasn’t had enough time to soak into the skin. This can result in blotchiness and ultimately limit the amount of coverage your foundation can offer throughout the day.

A better way: Wait 60 seconds, until the moisturiser is absorbed. Or, if you’re short on time, blot your face with a tissue after moisturising, then apply foundation.

Common Mistake: Spraying on Perfume After You Are Dressed

Perfume can stain fabric, and fabric fibres can make perfume smell unpleasant. Fragrance is formulated to be applied to the skin, where it interacts with the heat of the body.

A better way: Before dressing, lightly dab or spray it onto the skin at one or two of the “pulse points”―knees, wrists, base of the throat, and behind the earlobes. And don’t rub your wrists together. This breaks down a perfume’s molecular structure.

Common Mistake: Plucking Eyebrows Too Close to the Mirror

When you’re focused on every little hair, you don’t keep track of the shape of the entire eyebrow. The result? Thin or uneven brows.

A better way: Find a large mirror near a window, then step back a few feet to survey your face. Brows should be in proportion to your face shape and the placement and size of your features. Move closer to the mirror and begin tweezing. Step back after every few hairs to check the symmetry of your brows.

Common Mistake: Neglecting Your Neck

When you take care of your face, don’t stop at the chin: The skin on your neck can be thinner and more sensitive than the skin on your face and just as prone to changes in pigment, elasticity, and texture―and, yes, to wrinkles.

A better way: When applying moisturisers to your face, keep going, covering your neck and even your chest. (Spread some on the backs of your hands, too―another vulnerable area.) A separate neck cream is not necessary―these are marketing ploys. Your day and night face moisturisers, as well as most treatment creams, should work just as well on your neck. But if you use products containing alpha hydroxy acids or retinols, do a spot-test first.

Common Mistake: Using Moisturiser to Reduce Puffiness Around the Eyes

A salty diet, among other things, can cause fluid retention around the eyes. Step away from the eye cream! Hydrating ingredients hold water in the skin, so moisturisers and eye creams may make your eyes look even puffier.

A better way: If the skin around your eyes is puffy but not red, irritated, or itchy, apply a cold compress or an ice pack for 10 to 15 minutes. You could also follow up with a lightweight eye gel containing caffeine. If your eye area is puffy, red, irritated, or itchy, see a dermatologist. You may have an allergic rash.

Common Mistake: Bathing or Showering Until Your Body and Hair Feel “Squeaky Clean”

The sound may be satisfying, but it also indicates that―either by staying too long in the shower or bath or by scrubbing too vigorously―you’ve removed the natural oils and lipids that seal in moisture and protect your skin and hair.

A better way: First, evaluate your tools and products: A hard sponge or a medicated shampoo may be stripping your skin and hair. In general, try to limit your shower or bath time to 10 minutes or less and use warm, not hot, water.

Common Mistake: Overmedicating Blemishes

Argh! You have a breakout. So you blast it with a spot cream. Then, for good measure, you douse it again. Most of these treatments contain acids that penetrate the skin for hours after they are applied. Overuse can result in a burn that causes redness, peeling, and irritation.

A better way: Follow the directions on the medication’s package; most say to use it once or twice a day. Avoid drying out your skin.