How to Simplify Your Makeup Routine so You Can Spend Less Time Preparing

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I appreciate what makeup is capable of, but my morning time is not limitless. Anyway, I don’t want to spend a lot of time and effort on cosmetics. However, I love the way my eyelashes look curled and my eyes look shaded. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your makeup with the least amount of time, effort, and money.

Makeup is not for everyone, but if you choose to apply it, it can be time-consuming. But with a little organization, you can come up with a basic routine that will make the task easier.

Cut your stash

Like most makeup wearers, I’ve experimented here and there over the years. A new eyeshadow color, a failed attempt at bright red lipstick – it’s easy to collect a small dump of groceries in your own cosmetic bag. The first step to streamlining your routine ? Get rid of everything you don’t use.

First, remove all duplicates. If you’ve experimented with a few blush colors before finding the right one, get rid of any that didn’t work. The Frisky also recommends throwing away anything you haven’t worn in five months. It can be difficult to get rid of what you’ve spent your money on, especially if it’s still good, but be honest with yourself about what you will use and what not. In any case, makeup has an expiration date . Chances are, if it’s been in your stash for about a year, it’s probably time to throw it away anyway. According to Good Housekeeping , here’s when regular makeup products go bad:

  • Mascara: 3 months.
  • Liquid eyeliner: 3 months.
  • Cream eyeshadow: 6 months
  • Lipstick and shine: 2 years.

You can read the full article on the reasons for each of these dates, but it is mostly based on bacteria and effectiveness.

Keep two cosmetic bags

There is makeup that I use every day, which is not much, and then there is makeup that I use when trying to look fashionable, including foundation, smoky eyeshadow, bronzer, and so on. So, to keep things simple, I have two cosmetic bags. One bag for everyday cosmetics and one for unusual, rarely used products. That way, I don’t have to go through a bunch of items that I don’t usually wear.

Reducing the number of products speeds up the entire process. It’s kind of like cleaning the toilet – the fewer options you have, the easier it is to make decisions.

Find multipurpose products

In the spirit of “less is more”, it also helps you find products that serve different purposes. There are standard “dual-use” products like BB and CC creams that are supposed to act as a moisturizer, foundation, primer, and sometimes anti-aging cream. They are intended for multipurpose use and are sold as such. But beyond that, you can get creative with regular products. Money Crashers provides a few examples :

  • The creamy blush can be used as a lip gloss.
  • Mascara can be used as an eyeliner – bring the stick to the lash line and rub gently.
  • The bronzer can be used as an eyeshadow

I also often find myself using two products because one does not work as it should. In this case, it helps to buy quality items. For example, I bought cheap eyeshadow that folded over my eyelids. To prevent this from happening, I primed my eyelids with a masking stick. I used two products to do the same job, whereas at the end of the day it was better to just spend a little more money on quality eyeshadow from the same brand. They don’t cause nasty wrinkles on the eyelids, so I can skip the stick and save time.

Choose and prioritize

Of course, the more products you use, the more impact your makeup will have, but the idea here is to keep it simple. It helps you choose multiple areas you want to focus on and then prioritize your products.

First, decide what you want to focus on (eyes, lips, cheeks, skin tone, etc.). This may be based on your daily activities; it can be based on your own unique features that you want to highlight. This is a general rule of thumb in makeup: if you’re short on time, it’s best to focus only on the eyes or lips because they have the greatest impact. But you know yourself best, so pick the areas that work best for you.

Then mentally list all the products you use in your daily life with those features in mind and prioritize. For me, it’s a moisturizer, eyeliner, eyeshadow, mascara, and blush, all of which I keep in my everyday bag. On a busy day, I know that at the very least I only put on moisturizer, eyeshadow, and blush. If I have more time, I can dig into an eyelid primer or bronzer, but when I try to get things done quickly, I know exactly what to do.

Pick a couple of features to focus on, pick a few staples, and then plan your routine accordingly.

Or use a simple generic procedure

If you’re unsure of where to start with your makeup, or if you’re unsure of what to focus on, just use a basic, pre-planned routine. Here’s a 5-minute routine suggested by Best Health:

  • Prepare your skin with moisturizer and, if desired, primer and foundation (2 minutes)
  • Apply eyeliner (1 minute)
  • Curl lashes and apply mascara (1 minute)
  • Apply blush (1 minute)
  • Apply translucent gloss or lipstick (15 seconds).

It may not be customized to your liking, but it will suit just about anyone.

Know the tricks of the trade

Aside from cutting back on products and picking the best ones, there are quite a few specific makeup tricks that can go a long way without taking a lot of your time. Here are some of my favorites:

These tricks are simple enough to be incorporated into your daily beauty routine, and they can save you at least a little time and effort. Cosmopolitan has a decent YouTube, Beauty, or Bullshit series that tests these tricks and reveals which ones actually work.

Give up the tools

Makeup tools serve a purpose, but they can take up a lot of space in your bag and add a little time to your routine. And there are tons of ways to apply makeup without them. The Live Well Network talks in detail about how to paint your fingers:

Cheeks :

1. Apply three dots of lipstick to cheekbones and rub in to instantly color cheeks.

2. Apply three dots of a light metallic eyeshadow over cheek color and blend to create a natural glow.

Foundation :

1. Apply foundation to high points of the face.

2. Blend gently with your fingertips. The warmth of your fingers will help your makeup apply smoothly.

3. You can achieve more coverage by applying a dots or patting with makeup. It can also cover the area (for larger pores or discoloration).

Of course, you want to start with clean hands too.

Another factor to consider: cleaning. I don’t want to spend a lot of time applying makeup and I don’t want to spend a lot of time removing it. This is why it helps to have a simple routine of less, and better, less to give up. A cold cream can also facilitate the removal of make-up , and it is particularly useful if you are using a tone cream .

Obviously, makeup is not a necessity and some people prefer to save time by ditching it altogether. It’s great, but there is also nothing wrong with using it to look more alert or collected. Plus, it can be fun to play with. But if you want to maximize your impact with the least amount of time and effort, these tips should point you in the right direction.

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