Work Face

I finally have a solid and speedy work makeup routine! I've been experimenting quite a lot because I like to wear a light smokey eye to work, and I want my makeup to be quick and easy to apply as well as long lasting. I also don't want to have to fumble around too much with too many different makeup items/brushes, and just keep to the main essentials. So here is the kit:

Step 1: Apply Milk of Magnesia

Milk of Magnesia?!! Damn straight. I've been using this as my primer for about a month now and I can't believe how effective it is. My skin gets oily throughout the day and my makeup just ends up melting off, but the MoM keeps me matte throughout the day and my makeup lasts so much longer. I have no need to touch up at all. I apply it to my T-zone, cheeks and chin before I put on my makeup and I'm such a fan now. It may sound strange but I love it. And it has no adverse effects on my skin whatsoever, if anything, my skin has never been better. It was actually my mom who told me about MoM (ha!). She told me it's great to use as a deoderant. At first I thought damn you crazy! But then I tried it and it just kept my armpits dry. Since MoM doesn't have a smell I will use a fragranced deoderant too but by using the MoM first it's like your pits are a guaranteed sweat-free zone. Good stuff.

Step 2: Foundation

I'll apply my foundation with my fingers, I'll only take about a minute blending it around as I don't use much foundation anymore and only apply a thin layer all over.

Step 3: Concealer

I'll apply my garnier eye roll-on onto my clean ring finger and pat all around my eyes. I also use this as a concealer on pimples or uneven skin on my face to reduce the amount of items in my makeup bag + to save time.

Step 4: Eyebrows

I like to use Rimmel eye brow pencils because they are not too soft and not too stiff. I fill my eye brows in with fast stroke movements (like I'm drawing hairs) and if needed I'll soften with a brush.

Step 5: Bronzer

I just use a blusher brush to apply bronzer onto my cheek bones, temples and top of my forehead for some glow.

Step 6: Eye Primer

I use Gosh's stick eye shadow primer all around my eye and also on my waterline.

Step 7: Eyeliner

I recently bought Maybellines black gel liner and it definitely does NOT last 24 hours on my eyes but it's probably the most effective thing I own right now in terms of staying power. I apply this on my lower and upper water line and also around the eyes closely following the lash line and finish with a little outward flick. I do this rather quickly and don't care about mess as I blend it next.

Step 8: Eyeshadow

To save space and time I use my bronzer as eyeshadow all over my lid and under my lower lashline. I don't have to be too careful with this as the shade isn't too far off from my skin colour so its very easy to blend. Then I'll use my dark brown Max factor dip in eyeshadow as it's very fast too apply, I'll put this all around my eye close to my upper and lower lash line. Then I'll take my eye shadow brush and blend all this together so it kind of becomes a smokey gradient from the eyeliner to the dark brown eyeshadow to the goldy bronze. Right after I've blended my eyeshadow I'll run the brush down the sides of my nose for some speedy contouring and the excess shadow on the brush is always enough.

Step 9: Mascara

I start with a couple of coats of my favourite Diorshow primer then I'll use any black lasting/water proof mascara (currently using 17 Photo Flawless in Copper Black). Depending on how much time I have sometimes I'll just do one coat of each.

Step 10: Blush

I bought a pink cream blush specifically for work since I can just apply it with my fingers so it's a lot quicker.

Step 11: Lips

I'll usually apply a little bit of lipstain on when I'm on the bus but sometimes I'll skip this and leave my lips natural.

  

That is the finished look. This will usually take me around 15-20 minutes and that's while watching tv, having my morning coffee and doing my makeup in a compact mirror. I'm forced to do my makeup like this because I live with students so I have to go downstairs to the living room to get ready to avoid waking people up. It makes life so much slower! If I had a proper mirror and space to do my makeup this would probably take 10 minutes. And once it's done I don't do any touch ups except for maybe my cheeks or eyeliner on my waterline. Do you have a work/school makeup routine, and how long does it take you?

Thanks for reading ;)