Before I became a mom, I spent upwards of an hour and a half getting ready each morning. I never skipped the shampoo, my clothes were perfectly pressed, I took the time to groom my brows, and my makeup was always immaculate.
I remember making a promise that I would continue to keep myself manicured and in good shape when I found out I was pregnant with my daughter, and while I try my hardest to put my best foot forward each morning, life as a parent is unpredictable and there are days when I simply don’t have a lot of time to devote to my appearance.
The good news is that the wonderful world of YouTube has taught me a lot of great tips and tricks, and thanks to this collection of tutorials, I have finally figured out how to apply flawless makeup in 5 minutes or less.
Of course, teaching myself what I should and should not focus on when I’m in a hurry was only half the battle. As a lover of all things makeup, I have drawers of makeup at my disposal each morning, which doesn’t do me any favors when I have next to no time to get ready. So after I mastered the techniques in these tutorials, I gathered together the basics into one makeup bag so that I could reduce my feelings of overwhelm and just FOCUS when I press snooze one too many times.
Here’s what’s in my bag:
Turn on your JavaScript to view content
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat Oil-Free Mattifying Moisturizer for Oily Skin: I’ve been using this moisturizer for YEARS and I absolutely love it. It hydrates my skin without causing my face too look shiny, and I find it’s a great base to use under my foundation as it makes blending a breeze!
Smashbox High Definition Concealer Fair: I find under eye concealers have a tendency to gather in my wrinkles, which ends up making me look old and haggard. I’ve tried tons of different products over the years, and this is by far my favorite as it gets the job done without adding 50 years to my look. I also use this to cover blemishes – works like a charm!
Revlon PhotoReady Makeup & Revlon PhotoReady Powder: I’ve tried a lot of high end foundations in my time, and while they work fairly well, I much prefer my beloved drugstore brands. I’m currently crushing on Revlon’s PhotoReady line as the product covers my imperfections without being too cakey.
Benefit Cosmetics Big Beautiful Eyes Palette: When I’m in a hurry, I need things to be as simple as possible and cannot spend any time fretting over different eyeshadow colors and textures. So I always default to this palette from Benefit Cosmetics. The colors are more natural (with the option to create a smokey eye if you have time), it blends easily, and with only 3 colors to choose from, I can throw a bit of color on my lids in no time.
Anastasia Brow Wiz: I cannot say enough good things about this product. I’ve been using it everyday for the last 2+ years and it gives me perfect eyebrows every single time. It’s one of the few makeup items I splurge on, but it’s superior to any other brow product I’ve ever used and lasts for ages.
Revlon ColorStay Eyeliner Pencil: I flat out refuse to attempt the cat eye look when I’m in a rush, but my eyes look wonky without eyeliner, so I always reach for my Revlon pencil. Goes on fast, looks great, and doesn’t smudge.
Benefit They’re Real Mascara: This is, hands down, the best mascara I’ve ever used. Goes on without clumps, makes my lashes look long and voluminous, and really makes my eyes pop!
Milani Baked Blush: I bought this blush when I was in the US visiting my parents a few years ago, and I’m so bummed they don’t sell it in Canada. It is the most natural-looking blush I’ve ever tried, and it’s cheap and cheery, so I love it!
Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss: A co-worker introduced me to this gloss almost 10 years ago, and despite all of the awesome products I’ve tried since, I still love it. I have one in pretty much every purse I own!
I could also talk your ears off about makeup brushes, but that’s a post in and of itself!
And now for those tutorials to teach you how to apply flawless makeup in 5 minutes or less…
1. FRESH 5 MINUTE MAKEUP by Michelle Phan
2. LOOK FLAWLESS IN 5 MINUTES by Makeup Geek
3. 5 MINUTE MAKEUP FRESH by MissJessicaHarlow
4. 5 Minute Makeup *Get pretty in a hurry* by stillGLAMORUS
5. 5 MINUTE MAKEUP FOR MOMS by WhatsUpMoms