The easy & fast make-up for when you're running late All the products to count on to save your face

There are mornings when the problem isn’t so much making it on time as making it on time with a face that looks at least somewhat presentable. The alarm has been snoozed an impossible number of times, there are only a few minutes left and the idea of standing in front of the mirror to do a decent makeup is, realistically, out of the question. The obvious solution would be to leave the house bare-faced, but there are days when we simply feel more comfortable with a little something on. And that’s when it becomes essential to choose carefully what is actually worth doing. Because when we have ten minutes before we have to leave, this is definitely not the time to unleash our creativity: no experiments, endless blending or tutorials to follow. What we need is strategic, quick makeup that is, above all, late-proof.

The easy & fast makeup for when you’re running late

Concealer

Let’s start with what probably makes the biggest difference with the least possible effort: concealer. Obviously, there’s no time for foundation: between applying it, blending it with a sponge and trying to make everything look even, we risk using up the precious minutes we need to catch the tram. And let’s be honest, being in a rush inevitably means we won’t take enough time to blend properly, leaving the house with those lovely harsh lines on our face that we would have rather avoided. We can obviously skip the primer too. A few dots of concealer under the eyes, around the nose and over any imperfections we really don’t feel like showing are more than enough. A few taps with our fingers to blend and we can already move on.

Lip & cheek

At this point, we obviously need a little colour, but preferably without adding another three products to our face. So I’d skip the classic application of contour, blush and maybe even bronzer. One product is enough: lip & cheek. Apply it directly to the cheeks with your fingers, blend it in seconds and don’t worry too much about precision: a little on the cheeks and a little on the lips. All you have to do is choose a shade that combines the rosy tones of blush with the warmth of bronzer, and you’re done.

Mascara

If you’re this late, there’s a good chance your face hasn’t fully woken up yet and needs a serious dose of mascara. One or two coats on the lashes and your whole expression magically changes, without needing anything else. If you have a few extra seconds, a good lash curler squeeze before mascara wouldn’t hurt either, but it’s not essential. The important thing is to choose a mascara you already know and know how to apply without having to go over it ten times to get rid of the clumps.

Setting spray

And then there’s finding the brush, grabbing the powder, picking up the product, tapping off the excess, applying it: too many steps that can easily be skipped when we’re trying not to waste time. Setting spray is our best ally when time is running out: a few spritzes all over the face are enough to set your makeup. Two sprays, a few seconds to let it dry and we can officially call our chronically-late-girl makeup done.