The Foolproof 5 Minute Makeup Routine for Everyone

It's doable with these multi-tasking products!

We all have those mornings when we lounged around for too long in bed on our phones. You now only have a few more minutes spare until you have to leave for work to still make it on time! Luckily, it’s still possible to put together a professional look that’ll save you in a pinch for school or the office. The key is knowing which products and steps you can skip out on to still achieve a refreshed look!

Never skip on skin care

First things first. While we typically talk about foundation and face makeup as the canvas of our makeup, skin care is by far more important! Always remember to wash your face every morning with a gentle cleanser to remove dead skin cells, sweat, and the usual eye discharge to reveal your natural glow. At the bare minimum (if you don’t have time for toners and serums), follow up with a face moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated and primed for your long day. If you’re going to be out, don’t forget that SPF. Now you’re ready for makeup!

How to ace a 5 minute makeup look

1. Apply a tinted moisturizer, BB cream, or concealer

There are so many little parts of applying face makeup, like foundation, concealer, and color correctors. So what do you do when you’re short on time? Aim for a tinted moisturizer or BB cream. While applying a foundation usually requires careful blending and a lot of staring at a mirror, tinted moisturizer will usually blend into your skin more seamlessly and easily with a lot less work. And you might be able to skip out on using your face moisturizer too to save even more time.

The Alight Multi-Mineral BB Cream from Pacifica is a handy formula that helps hydrate and also blur the appearance of pores and fine lines. Happy to go out without full face coverage, but still want to do something about those eye bags or pimples? Skip your foundation altogether, and simply stick to using a concealer on those select spots. The “Un” Cover-Up from RMS Beauty is a fan favorite!

2. Brows, brows, brows

Natural full brows are still in and going strong. We love our eyeshadows and lipsticks, but it’s sometimes easy to forget the impact that eyebrow makeup can have on our look! For a fast, foolproof fix that’ll literally only take a few seconds for each brow, we recommend using the Green Tea Fiber Brow Builder from 100% Pure that comes with its own built-in spoolie. Natural, polished brows in just seconds!

3. Mascara

Trust us, you can skip out on your eye shadow powders and eyeliners for this step. What we love about mascara is that it’s quick and easy to apply, yet really opens up your eyes for a doe-eyed, awake look without looking overly heavy or done up. And unlike eyeshadow that can sometimes look awkward when worn on its own, mascara can really shine on its own stage. Stick to no more than two coats on your top lashes (lower lashes are totally optional), and you’ll be out the door in no time. Pick up the trusty Expressionist Mascara from W3ll People to volumizes and lengthens with one brush.

4. Lip tint

We didn’t pick lip tints just for their beautiful sheer coverage that’s perfect for a natural makeup look. It’s almost impossible to mess up on applying a lip tint, since a few dabs with your finger will do the trick. Rub a small amount onto your bottom lip, and rub your lips together to distribute the pigment evenly (you can even do this while putting your shoes on). And if you use the luscious Coco Rose Lip Tint from Herbivore, you can probably skip on lip balm too.

Like with any makeup routine, practice makes perfect, so don’t feel down if you don’t get it right in 5 minutes the first time. Once you have your beauty staples and some more confidence under your belt, 5 minutes will be more than enough.