(Woodstock tee via Urban Outfitters)

Peace out heavy caked on makeup.

Hello lightweight fresh face!  I created this look in 8 minutes flat. 

Now most of you know me, I love love my multi-layers of multi-colors of foundation and concealer.  Plus the blending of 5 different shades of eyeshadow on the eyelids topped off with strip lashes is somewhat therapeutic for me. But sometimes it’s refreshing, even for a makeup lover, to take a day off and go for a more minimalist approach. It doesn’t have to be ALL Kardashian caked on makeup ALL the time!

Since most of us only have a few minutes to go through a makeup regimen in the morning, you can still beautifully master a makeup look with a smart strategy.  It’s all about highlighting important features and forgoing steps that you really don’t need…unless you had an extra 20 minutes!  

Here are some important areas to focus on, products, and ways to simplify that morning routine.  

So peace out heavy makeup, lets have makeup made easy…

Derma e Hydrating Creme // Revlon Colorstay Makeup, “early tan” // it Cosmetics dual foundation + concealer brush (c/o) // Maybelline Dream Lumi concealer

YOUR SKIN IS PRIORITY #1.

Yep the best way to skip steps when you’re applying makeup is to take great care of your skin on the daily.  Of course you gotta wash your skin every night which goes without saying.  But one of my favorite tricks before the foundation goes on is to apply an appropriate moisturizer (yes, everybody needs one even oily gals) that has hyaluronic acid in it which helps to plump and smooth out skin surfaces.

Then I do a light veil of foundation applied with a great foundation brush like my fave it Cosmetics one that gives airbrushed like skin.  Start in the center of your face and buff outwards in a crosshatch motion to give an airbrushed effect. I like using this color stay product because I use so little but it mattes out my skin just perfectly that I don’t need any powder.  Then add your concealer next just under the eyes in a V shape, along the sides of your nose, and spot treat any dark patches left on the face.

Since we are skipping eyeshadow, be sure to dot some on your eyelids to brighten them up and even out the skin tone.

Hourglass Eyebrow pencil “warm blonde” (c/o) // NYX Stay All Day waterproof extreme shine liner in “golden bronze” // it Cosmetics Tightline mascara (c/o)

NOW POP YOUR EYES.

Eyes are really essential and should not be forgotten.  Eyebrows can make or break your eye makeup look, trust me. They are the framework of the face.  So if they’re thin, fill them in with a pencil that is a shade lighter than your natural hair color. If they’re full and unruly, pluck the strays but try to keep them as full as possible, but think clean.

Since we are keeping things simple and skipping eyeshadow, find a great neutral eyeliner with a bit of shimmer to it.  My current fave for all eye colors is this coppery-bronze liner from NYX drawn right along the lash line and just outside of the bottom lashes, then smudged with a tight eyeliner brush . It’s just enough color but doesn’t jump out at you and helps fake a fuller lash line.  Plus no complicated eye shadow techniques necessary!

Finish off with mascara. I can never have too many eyelashes, but if you want to even keep from having spidery lashes, try just going back and forth squiggles along the base of your lashes without really pulling the wand to the ends of the lashes. You want most of the color deposited at the base to give the illusion of a fuller lash line without dark eyeliner.

Charlotte Tilbury Bronze + Glow Duo // NYX Cream blush in “tea rose” (sold out) >>

Updated product suggestion : ELF Cream Blush Palette 

COMBINE CHEEKS AND LIPS.

Make more room in your makeup bag by using your cream blush as your lip color!  And you can use your finger to apply both so hello simple!  I am not afraid of piling on the cream blush either because it gives a beautiful flushed color to the complexion.

A little extra addition that would only take you a minute more, would be to swipe on a bronzer all around the perimeter of your face to warm up your skin (if you need it!).  Also using your ring finger, dip it in a champagne highlighter and dot it right in that tear duct area and press a little more just on top of your cream blush for a subtle skin glow. This Charlotte Tilbury duo is also beauty Olivia Culpos favorite so you know it’s gotta be great!

There ya go – look your best in less time!  Do you have any favorite strategies for cutting down that morning makeup routine?