Making Myself Beautiful aka Not Like I Woke Up 80 Times Last Night

I recently did a guest post at Toronto Beauty Reviews (hi Elaine!) and revealed another side of my personality -- the makeup and beauty product junkie. I'm serious. I have loved makeup since I was a little girl. Unfortunately, for many years, my motto was more-is-more, and so we have several unfortunate pictures of me wearing purple or red lipstick, inky eyeliner, and bright pink blush, all in one day. I used to sneak mascara to school and apply it in the bathroom and then wash it off as soon as I got home, before my mom saw me. And this was in grade five!

Over the years I grew to understand that nothing is better than the "you, only better" natural look -- thankfully. I still have a penchant for fake eyelashes and silver eyeshadow on special occasions, but for everyday, less really IS more. The biggest bonus to mastering the natural look is that it can be accomplished really, really quickly.

This brings me to my next point -- you all know by now that I'm a mom to a nine-month-old ball of rubber-legged joy. I don't have a lot of time in the morning. Makeup is an essential part of my daily routine (yes, I really am that vain), much like brushing my teeth or wearing pants. This means that I'm constantly trying to find ways to streamline my routine and make it even faster. I've got it nearly down to a science:

1. Concealer: YSL Touche Eclat



Nothing beats dark circles caused by multiple, MULTIPLE night wakings like a good concealer. And nothing gets me to try a product faster than it being described as a "makeup artist must-have". Touche Eclat (Radiant Touch) is easy to apply and does a great job of hiding undereye circles and other dark imperfections.

2. Foundation: Makeup For Ever Duo Mat


A two-in-one foundation/powder combo that is applied with a sponge, Duo Mat offers full coverage and good skin tone matching power. It stays matte all day, even though my skin is pretty oily.

3. Blush/Bronzer: Nars Orgasm/Laguna


Another makeup-artist must-have is the classic combination of Nars' legendary blush Orgasm and the equally great bronzer Laguna. Both are very flattering to most skin types, are not too glittery, and have great staying power. A little goes a long way.

4. Eyeshadow: L'Oreal One Sweep



So I realize that I just proclaimed my love for Bobbi Brown in my post at TO Beauty Reviews, so let me explain: I bought this L'Oreal One Sweep shadow and then the next day was talked into buying the BB stuff (I had gone for powder and foundation.) The one-sweep stuff is good for everyday wear. Its greatest strength is the one-step application, though the brush is weirdly shaped and thus fiddly to get used to (hint: application instructions are on the back of the box.) The palette for brown eyes (Natural look) is fine, not as rich or as pigmented as the Bobbi Brown shadows, and can look a little chalky, and creased a bit by the end of the day. Still -- one step! It's a great idea for the less experienced and the very, very exhausted.

5. Mascara: L'Oreal Extra Volume Collagen



Thanks to a super-lush brush and super-thick formulation, this mascara gives huge impact with only a few strokes (um, I still do three two coats.)

6. Eyeliner: Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner



This is a great eyeliner, but application requires a steady hand and lots of practice. With the right brush, you can create a very fine line, a thicker line, or a cat-eye swoop. Once it's on it's on, though, so work deliberately and work fast! It really stays put.

7. Lip gloss: Clinique Black Honey



You can throw this on in the car -- with or without a mirror. It's sheer and glossy and flattering to several skin tones.

And that's it! It looks like a lot of product but it takes me under five minutes. And I like to think it looks good. I hope. At the very least, I look more awake.

Now I just have to figure out what to do with my hair...