News flash: We're lazy. Like, really, really lazy. As much as we love makeup, we're more likely to silence our iPhones once or twice (or three times) in the morning, rather than spend half an hour primping and prepping. Oh, and also? None of us are bold enough to claim we #wokeuplikethis.
That being said, we are still beauty devotees and we do need a few minutes of "me time" in the morning to apply a handful of clutch products. From one sleeping beauty to another, we're here to give you a taste of the five-minute makeup routines that get us out the door feelin' fly and (relatively) on time. So here's what we lean on when we're three snooze buttons in, or just don't feel like busting out the six-step contour palettes. Share yours with us in the comments below.
Cat Quinn, Beauty Director
Illustrated by Isabella DiMarzio.
"I ditched foundation a while ago: It took too long to apply and ended up making my face look flat. Now, I pat a few dabs of this over any blemishes, into the ruddy corners of my nose, under my eyes, and around my lips as a sort of reverse lipliner. I get more compliments on my skin than when I used foundation."
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer, $29, available at NARS.
"Taking the extra minute to sweep on blush makes the biggest difference. This rose is closest to my natural flush, so even if I don't blend it just right, it still looks good."
La Prairie Cellular Radiance Cream Blush, $70, available at Nordstrom.
"At this point, I can draw a quick stripe on my cheeks, down the bridge of my nose, onto my Cupid's bow, and at the corners of my eyes in less than 10 seconds. It stays creamy, so I move on to mascara and blend on my way out the door with a free hand."
Glossier Haloscope Highlighter in Quartz, $22, available at Glossier.
"I can't go without mascara, but I found it took too long to sweep on as many coats as I like. (Which, admittedly, is like 26.) So now instead of wiping the tip clean, I carefully dot that excess pigment onto my lashes, then use the plastic wand to comb it through. The result is deep, dark, full lashes in a single dip."
Benefit Roller Lash, $24, available at Sephora.
"I sweep this on as I'm walking down the street toward the subway. It gives the perfect amount of color and gloss to make it look like I tried."
Givenchy Le Rouge Perfecto in Perfect Pink, $36, available at Neiman Marcus.
Mi-Anne Chan, Beauty Writer
Illustrated by Isabella DiMarzio.
"Reaching for coverage products that also double as moisturizers saves me the added step of applying a dedicated lotion in the morning. I've been loving the skin-like finish that NARS' tinted moisturizer has on my skin. I apply it with a foundation brush right after slapping on my daytime serum. It evens out my complexion and covers my redness, but still lets my skin show through. Plus, it has a bit of sun protection, too."
NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer, $44, available at Sephora.
"All problems are solved with this one stick. I never need gel to lock this baby in because the color is just waxy enough that it holds my hairs firmly in place. The color is spot-on, and mistakes are easy to remove with one swipe of your finger."
Maybelline Brow Define + Fill Duo, $7.99, available at Ulta Beauty.
"Then, I set my base with Guerlain's pressed Météorites powder. At $62, there's no denying that this face powder is damn expensive but it's still one of my favorites. A light dusting manages to smooth and illuminate. It also reminds me of my grandmother, who wore this daily with a swipe of red lipstick all her life."
Guerlain Météorites Illuminating Powder Compact, $62, available at Sephora.
"With this double-sided brush, I quickly dust the bronzer shade from Charlotte Tilbury's Filmstar Bronze + Glow palette along the top of my forehead, under my cheekbones, and under my jawline. If I have time, I'll sweep a little of the highlight shade onto the tops of my cheekbones."
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow, $68, available at Charlotte Tilbury.
"I use this thin brow pencil in feather-like strokes to beef up my barely-there brows. Then, I blend the color using the handy built-in spoolie."
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz, $21, available at Sephora.
"After a few quick curls with my trusty Kevyn Aucoin eyelash curler, I'm ready to slick on some mascara."
Kevyn Aucoin Beauty Eyelash Curler, $21, available at Nordstrom.
"I am a huge fan of drugstore mascaras, and this one is the most recent formula I've fallen in love with. It has a thin, tapered brush that helps grab every lash. The volumizing formula is great, too. I've had it for less than three months and I've already gone through my first tube."
Catric e Glamour Doll Volume Mascara Waterproof, $6.99, available at Ulta Beauty.
"I love Burt's Bees so much. There isn't a product the brand has put out recently that I haven't loved. This tinted lip balm is no different. Most tinted lip balms don't actually do much moisturizing, but this one imparts a beautiful, just-bitten stain on my lips with a touch of shine. I normally slick it on while I'm commuting on the subway."
Burt's Bees Tinted Balm in Rose, $5, available at Burt's Bees.
Kelsey Castañon, Beauty News Editor
Illustrated by Isabella DiMarzio.
"First, I slather on Dr. Jart Ceramidin Day Tint SPF 15. It sinks right into skin and blends easily, so I can look quickly even-toned without caking on foundation."
Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Day Tint, $48, available at Sephora.
"I get pretty gnarly undereye circles (damn you, insomnia!), so I go nowhere without the Diorskin Star Concealer. It covers even the inkiest shadows in a flash."
Dior Diorskin Star Concealer, $36, available at Sephora.
"Another eye-brightener I love is the Anticipate shade in the It Cosmetics Superhero palette; I just dab it onto the inner corners of my eyes to quickly look wide-awake."
It Cosmetics Superhero Eye Transforming Anti-Aging Super Palette, $42, available at It Cosmetics.
"Mascara is my ride-or-die, but my favorite one that gets me out the door fast is the YSL Mascara Volume Effet. Just a few swooshes get you that fake-lash effect."
Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils, $32, available at Sephora.
"I’m fairly pale, so I apply a thin veil of Benefit Hoola Bronzer to my cheeks, nose, and forehead to lend my skin some color."
Benefit Hoola Bronzer, $29, available at Ulta Beauty.
Alix Tunell, Senior Beauty Editor
Illustrated by Isabella DiMarzio.
"After letting my moisturizer sink in for a few minutes, I squeeze a dime-sized dollop of BareMinerals Complexion Rescue onto my Artis Oval 7 brush and brush it in upward strokes all over. Then, I erase any streaks with a knockoff Beautyblender. (I'm of the opinion that a sponge is a sponge is a sponge.) The BareMinerals is super-light, so it's great for when my skin is in good shape; if I want more coverage, I use Eve Lom Sheer Radiance."
BareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream, $29, available at BareMinerals.
"If I were only allowed one step in my usual routine, it would be dark-circle coverage. I swipe the Urban Decay peach color-corrector under each eye to neutralize the purplish-blue tones, blend in with a sponge, then go over it with Make Up For Ever Ultra HD concealer. It's been my favorite for months because it's the only one I've ever been color-matched to, so I know it's the perfect shade — and it hides everything."
Urban Decay Naked Skin Color Correcting Fluid in Peach, $28, available at Urban Decay.
"If I had more than five minutes, I'd use highlighter and contour powder, but in a rush, I would just brush NARS Orgasm across my cheeks, draping-style."
NARS Orgasm Blush, $30, available at NARS.
"I draw black kohl pencil across my upper waterlines — I'm not picky, any one will do — curl my lashes with Kevyn Aucoin's curler, then apply a coat of Lancôme Grandiôse mascara to the top lashes only. It's got a wand that's supposed to work with the shape of your face and make applying from every angle easier, but I just love the brush, which deposits formula evenly and leaves my lashes fanned-out."
Lancôme Grandiôse Wide-Angle Fan Effect Mascara, $32, available at Sephora.
"I keep MAC Tendertalk Lip Balm in Side Dish in my bag and swipe it on as I'm leaving the house. It's a fuchsia color-changing formula that looks a little different on everyone, but gives me the sheer berry stain I'd pretty much been searching for my whole life."
MAC Tendertalk Lip Balm in Side Dish, $20, available at MAC.
Maria Del Russo, Beauty Editor
Illustrated by Isabella DiMarzio.
"In lieu of all-over foundation when I'm short on time, I just pop some concealer onto my red spots and dark circles. This one from Glossier has pretty reliable coverage, so it gets the job done in a snap."
Glossier Stretch Concealer, $18, available at Glossier.
"Since I don't have time for a full contour, I tend to focus just on highlighting. I'll tap RMS' Living Luminizer over my cheekbones, on the inner corners of my eyes, down my nose, and on my eyelids."
RMS Beauty Living Luminizer, $38, available at RMS Beauty.
"This is that perfect, your-lips-but-better shade that is also intensely moisturizing."
Glossier Generation G Lipstick in Like, $18, available at Glossier.
"I love that this brow pencil has a spoolie on one end, so I don't have to worry about messing with two products. I simply fill in my bare spots with quick, light strokes, blend it out with the spoolie, and I'm set."
Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil, $24, available at Benefit.
"Since the rest of my makeup tends to be bare, I really load up on the mascara. I'll add about five coats to my top and bottom lashes, making sure they clump in that sexy, French-girl way."
NARS Audacious Mascara, $26, available at NARS.
Sam Sasso, Beauty Editorial Assistant
Illustrated by Isabella DiMarzio.
"I can't do a fast routine without this makeup sponge. I run it under warm water first thing in the morning, which helps seamlessly blend my primer and base. I also use it to blend concealer if I need it, and I can even use it to tone down my bronzer and blush when I go a little too far."
Beautyblender Sponge, $20, available at Sephora.
"Mixing this with my foundation instantly adds a lit-from-within look that I'm always looking to achieve — but this makes it easier. A little goes a long way, and it lasts forever. It also helps control my oil throughout the day, which means less blotting for me."
Shiseido Glow Enhancing Primer, $30, available at Sephora.
"So, technically you're supposed to wear this under your foundation, but I adore the formula and color payoff so much I just use it as my primary base. Didn't double-cleanse the night before? Don't worry about it: This stuff will make it appear like you never skimped on your regimen."
Charlotte Tilbury Wonder Glow Instant Soft Focus Beauty Flash, $55, available at Charlotte Tilbury.
"When I can't bother with bronzer, I pat on Tarte's blushes in Sensual and Exposed with a big fluffy brush. They're so pigmented that I never need to spend more than a minute for the kind of flush Snow White would lust after."
Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Exposed, $28, available at Sephora.
"This no-fuss mascara works for my lashes when I'm in a hurry. When I can't bother with taking my time, it always ensures a long-lasting curl that is jet-black."
Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express Mascara, $6.99, available at Ulta Beauty.
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