Makeup Hacks Every Busy Woman Needs To Know

Let’s be real. When you’re short on time (or are just being a little lazy), the last thing you want to do is execute a full-blown beauty routine.

That said, you still want to look damn good when you roll into the office with iced coffee in hand. So, how does one wave a magic makeup wand over their face in the morning and still hit the snooze button two or three times?Cue these six busy-girl beauty shortcuts that will leave you looking like a total boss babe regardless of when you wake up.

Cue these six busy-girl beauty shortcuts that will leave you looking like a total boss babe regardless of when you wake up.

Hack #1: Exfoliate your face before applying makeup
Anyone who wears foundation knows how it can highlight any bit of dryness on your face — and how annoying it is to wash it off, slather on tons of moisturiser, and start all over if it ends up looking patchy. That’s why Julep founder and CEO Jane Park exfoliates before she applies any makeup. “It saves time because your lipstick, makeup, everything goes on smoother after,” she explains. Try using a sponge for gentle daily exfoliation.

Hack #2: Use a clear sunscreen as your moisturiser, primer, and face SPF
It’s one of those things that everyone forgets — or just skips altogether — because traditional formulas dry to a chalky-white finish. Thankfully, newer formulas use a sunscreen with a super-sheer and clear gel consistency that leaves zero white residue behind. Here’s where the hack comes in: Since the SPF is translucent, you can wear it solo, skipping moisturiser because sunscreen is ultra-hydrating, or you can mix it in with your base makeup for amped-up daily protection. Wearing sunscreen on a daily basis is the number-one thing you can do — and the best anti-ageing secret — to protect your skin.

Hack #3: Use a multifunctional mascara
Instead of committing to a full look with bold brows, eyeliner, shadow, and mascara, just focus on your brows and lashes for an easy, pulled-together look. Try a tinted brow gel, like Benefit’s Gimme Brow Volumizing Eyebrow Gel, which has tiny fibres that boost the fullness of your arches while also keeping them in place. As for mascara, look for a tube that has multiple wand functions. Julep’s With a Twist Lash Boosting Bamboo Mascara has a customizable wand that you twist right for length and left for major volume, so you don’t have to layer on different formulas for full fringe.

Hack #4: Make your look monochromatic
Instead of using different shades for your eyeshadow, blush, and lip colour, grab a multipurpose stick, like Milk’s Lip + Cheek. This product is so easy to use you can swipe on the colour straight from the tube, or dab it on your eyelids, cheeks, and lips with your fingers. The best part is that the colours are so sheer you can apply them without a mirror and still look amazing.

Hack #5: Fake the look of clean hair with dry shampoo and a blow-dryer
It’s easy to think you can just target oily looking hair with dry shampoo and be done, but that only leaves you with large splotches of powder that take forever to absorb and might still be visible, says hairstylist Jacob Rozenberg. Instead, spray the oil-sopping formula at least 8 inches away from your hair, let it sit for a minute, and then distribute it into your hair with a brush or blast your hair with a blow-dryer while you rake your fingers through your strands for an even application. Whatever you do, don’t forget the underside of your hair too.

Hack #6: Opt for a lightning-fast drying top coat
Salon manicures are kind of a time suck, but if you’ve got a steady hand (no coffee beforehand, please!) and a few bottles of polish lying around, there’s no reason you shouldn’t give yourself a salon-worthy manicure on the spot. Plus, there are also major relaxation benefits — another reason to DIY your own digits. So, what’s the fastest way to a flawless mani? After pushing back your cuticles with a cuticle pusher or orange stick, swipe on a micro-glitter polish — the micro-flecks of shimmer help the polish dry faster than cream shades. Then, use a top coat that dries your nails via light instead of air, which is what traditional formulas use. hold your nails up to a lightbulb to dry nails even faster!