Downsize your beauty routine!

We all know I am a die-hard beauty addict (if you are reading this, odds are you are too!), but it's not always necessary, or practical, to spend more than ten or twenty minutes (guilty!) getting ready in the morning. In certain situations (such as an impromptu trip to Las Vegas) it's downright silly! So, how does one shave precious minutes off her beauty routine?

Well, let's start with the obvious; Using a one-time use cloth or wipe to cleanse your face is a quick and easy way to make sure your complexion stays clear and fresh even when you're on vacation or pressed for time. A great, wallet friendly pick is Sephora's FACE 25 Makeup Removing Wipes with Vitamin E and Shea Butter (only $8 for 25 wipes at Sephora.com). For those who can afford to spend a little more, Josie Maran Bear Naked Wipes, which also contain Vitamin E, along with aloe vera, cucumber, and chamomile, are a great choice for your face as well as for the planet (They're biodegradeable)! It is $12 for 30 wipes at Sephora.com, and a portion of the proceeds from each package go to help saving polar bears (an endangered species).

The logical next step is moisturizer. When you're on the go or in a hurry, it's best to combine a few steps into one such as moisturizer and foundation. If you have the skin to pull it off, just use a moisturizer suited to your skin type; I love Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturizer from Sephora, although it is a bit pricey ($65 for 2 oz) and since it doesn't have SPF, layering with sunscreen is a must. A more affordable alternative is Aveeno Positiviely Radiant Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15, which is oil-free, proven to improve skin tone and texture, and has UVA/UVB protection. Even I'll admit that it seems to blow Perricone MD out of the water, but hey, different strokes for different folks, right?

If you don't feel you have the skin to pull off just wearing moisturizer, or just feel more comfortable with a little coverage, then use a tinted moisturizer like Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer from Sephora. It isn't the most affordable moisturizer ($42 for 1.5 oz) , but it is a best seller (all of the reviews I saw gave it 5 out of 5 stars!) and it comes in a wide variety of shades so you're sure to find the right one for you, not to mention that it also offers SPF 20.

After your face is clean and moisturized, blush is an absolute must! The key with blush is to apply it in the right quantity, in the right place. I see a lot of women who use too much blush in all the wrong places. Remember, you want it to look natural, the goal is to recapture that teenage glow that we all took for granted in high school. I love Sephora Brand Blush Me Twice in Coral/Bronze ( $8 at Sephora.com it also comes in Hot Pink/Bronze, it works perfectly on my medium/tan skin, the bronzer and shimmery coral blush blended together give me a great, sun-kissed glow!). Another great blush that really lasts is L'Oreal Paris Bare Naturale Blush, I use pinched pink. The mineral formula blends seamlessly into my skin and gives me the perfect amount of color. When I apply blush, I start just behind the apples of the cheeks and make a "C" shape along my cheekbones, right where the sun would normally hit my face. The biggest thing to remember when using blush is that a little goes a long way! You want people to notice your healthy glow, not notice that you are wearing makeup.

Last but not least are the eyes! You may be able to get away with removing a few steps from your beauty routine, but eyeliner and mascara are always absolutely necessary. Before I do anything else, I apply a light, champagne colored highlighter ( I use the highlighting shade in Rimmel's Colour Rush Quad Eyeshadow Palette 005-Chocolatine because it suits my skintone, plus I use the darker shade as a contour in the crease just above my eye) along my brow bone, along the top of my eyelid, in the corners of my eyes alongside the bridge of my nose (the tearduct), and a sweep directly underneath my bottom lashes. Next I use a lighter eyeliner (purple, dark brown, or navy, depending on my mood) to generously line along my top lashes and just a touch in the outer corners of my bottom lashes, and follow up with a long-lasting black eyeliner (L'Oreal Infallible Never Fail Eyeliner is one of the best I have ever used!) as close to the lash line as possible just to polish the look.

Of course the final step is mascara (on curled lashes, of course), and I am a huge fan of Benefit's BADgal Lash Mascara for day and night. I used this routine to get ready in less than 5 minutes in Vegas (I even kept up with the boys!),and if I can do it, I know you can! So next time you are stuck in a hotel or without your complete stash of beauty products, just make sure you have these essentials with you and you will be able to create a sexy look in less time than it took you to read this post.
love,
iCandy