Late?! Here’s Your 6-Step, Super-Fast, Super-Pretty, Sub-10-Minute Out-the-Door Face
I have a confession. I’m a serial snoozer. As soon as my alarm goes off in the morning, I hit that snooze button. Once. Twice. Thrice. By the time I actually get up, I usually only have about thirty minutes to get myself together. As rushed as I am, I have a really hard time walking out my door with nothing on my face. I’m all for loving the skin you’re in. However, I work with children, and children are brutally honest. There are only so many times you can hear, “Ms. Hoge, are you sick?” or “Ms. Hoge, why don’t you have makeup on?” before you take the hint. If you’re like me and need that extra ten minutes of sleep each morning or if you just want a low-maintenance get-out-the-door-quick routine, keep reading!
Step one: Primer, 30 seconds
Even for my most low-maintenance days, I never skip primer. If you’re not already using a primer, you should. It takes all of 30 seconds, but you will see the benefits all day. There are all types of primers for different skin types and skin concerns. I like Stila’s One Step Correct primer because it smooths my skin’s texture and color-corrects any redness or darkness I may have.
Step two: Tinted Moisturizer, 1 minute
My tinted moisturizer of choice is also a customer favorite. Jouer’s Luminizing Moisture Tint gives you just enough coverage to make you look put together. I prefer the luminous finish, but oily girls may prefer the matte finish. Ditch the brush when applying and try out a beautyblender if you haven’t already. It will blend faster with less product, and we are all about efficiency before your first cup of coffee.
Step three: Cream Blush and Highlight, 1 minute
If you are looking for speed, cream products will be your friend. They require fewer tools for application, and there is no risk of them exploding in your makeup bag for the ladies who like to touch up throughout the day. (Or apply on your commute. No judgement here. We’ve all done it.) I love the Smashbox L.A. Lights line of creamy stick blushes — just swipe your color of choice on your cheeks and quickly blend out with your beautyblender, or the handy little blotter that comes attached to each stick. There is a great selection of blush shades, as well as a highlight shade if you like a little glow!
Step four (Optional!): Powder, 45 seconds
I like to use a little powder to set my cream products because I find they last longer as my t-zone can get somewhat oily throughout the day. If you have dry skin, you can probably skip this step. The key with powdering over cream products is to use a high-quality, finely milled powder. Heavy powders result in cake face and nobody has time for that! Try The Gossamer Loose Powder from Kevyn Aucoin. Not only is this powder whisper light, but it also comes in two shades, “Diaphanous,” a translucent, and “Radiant Diaphanous,” a golden sheer more suited to richer skin tones. When applying, be sure to use a light hand. Heavily swiping the powder on can cause your cream products to move around and gunk up.
Step five: Brows, 2 minutes
I like to devote a little extra time to my brows because like any work of art, if the frame is wrong the whole piece looks off. Most mornings, I like to use a tinted brow gel to get the most bang for my buck. Blinc’s Eyebrow Mousse will fill in your sparse areas as well as set your hairs in place. Just comb through the brows, concentrating on any patchy areas and what direction you want the hairs to go. It may help to have a clean spoolie brush handy to help shape. (Editor’s note: I looked it up for us — a spoolie brush is a brow brush that looks like a mascara wand.)
Expert tip: For those areas that are really bare, try backcombing the hairs with the brow gel to get the most coverage.
Step six: Mascara, 2 minutes
Mascara is another thing I like to spend more time on for a couple of reasons. 1) I don’t want to get mascara all over my face. It takes more time to fix any mistakes, so I might as well put forth the time upfront. 2) I don’t want to poke myself in the eye. I’ve been reaching for Stila’s Mile High Mascara. This mascara does a beautiful job of separating and fanning out your lashes. As the name suggests, it creates maximum length and curl without clumping. I love Liza Minelli, but I don’t need to look like her at work.
7 minutes later…you’re ready to face the world. Take that extra three minutes for yourself. Meditate, have a cup of coffee, or look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself that you’re a fabulous warrior woman who can take on anything!
- About the boutique
Located in historic Old Town Alexandria, for more than 17 years Bellacara has been Northern Virginia's preeminent boutique for high end cosmetic, skincare and haircare products. At Bellacara you will find premiere beauty products that have been carefully edited by the store’s owner, Angela Sitilides, who personally tests all the products sold in store. The boutique carries only the best product lines – Kiehl’s, Jouer, Dr. Dennis Gross, Christophe Robin, Moroccan Oil, Bumble & Bumble, Fresh, Molton Brown, Skinceuticals, Smashbox, Stila, Mario Badescu, Clarins, Dermalogica, Kevyn Aucoin, Kai, Child, St. Tropez, Smith and Cult, and many more.
1000 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
703.299.9652
