No, not makeup in the rear view mirror as you stop at the traffic lights (which I am guilty of!) but simple makeup tips for busy gals, esp moms, who only have 5 minutes to paint their faces pretty in the morning and have no time for touch ups during the day. These great tips from Kirsten Murphy are sure to help you get your pretty on quickly!

For flawless skin and a longer lasting foundation
Make sure your skin is always well exfoliated (at least twice a week) and well hydrated, so your foundation can glide on to fresh, glowing, new skin. After moisturising, apply a skin primer before applying foundation. A Primer fills in the fine lines, I like to call it a poly-filler for the skin, It also helps your foundation to stay on longer. Foundation evens out your skin tone and hides any imperfections. Make sure your foundation matches your skin colour perfectly. Take time to perfect your skin with your primer and foundation or concealer, using a foundation brush or your fingers.

My favourite primers: Inglot Under Makeup base and MAC Prep & Prime Skin

For a golden sun-kissed glow in the middle of winter

Use a bronzer around the edges of your face concentrating on your cheekbones, temples , lightly around your jaw line and gently down into the neck. Make sure your bronzer is only a shade or two darker than your skin tone because there is nothing worse than an Orange bronzed face. Using a fluffy powder brush helps to dust the bronzer evenly and gently across your face and prevents it from looking harsh. After adding your bronzer, you can apply a hint of blush in a fruity colour to the apples of your cheeks (the part that sticks out when you smile). A cream blush applied with your finger is my favourite thing if your skin is not too oily, otherwise a powder blush is just as effective for a healthy flush. Or you could even dab your lipstick on you cheeks with a finger for a creamy colour pop!

My favourite bronzers: The Body Shop Honey Bronze, MAC Bronzer in Golden or Matte Bronze, Accessorize Baked Bronzer in Monaco.

My favourite blushers: Peaches and Coygirl powder blushers and Lilicent cream blush from MAC, Inglot cream blush in No. 91.

For a longer lasting lip colour
Use a lip liner in the same colour as your lipstick and colour your lip in with it before applying your lipstick. Once your lipstick is on, blot your lips gently with a tissue and re-apply lipstick. Using a matte lipstick lasts longer than anything glossy. Or if you prefer a more natural tinted lip, use a lip stain to give your lips that ‘just kissed’ flush. Once you’ve painted your lips in the lipstain, add a touch of gloss to the center of your lips for a fuller effect! If you prefer something even easier, try a tinted lip conditioner, which you can apply with your fingers, its gives you colour and moisturisers your lips as well.

My favourite lip products: Benefit Benetint Lip & cheek stain, Benefit Posie tint, The Body Shop Lip & cheek stain. MAC tinted Lip conditioner in Petting Pink

For eyes that sparkle

Apply an under eye concealer to the dark areas underneath your eye and to the lid, you’ll be amazed how much better your eye makeup looks with a little bit of concealer. Concealer on the lid will act as a base or primer for your eyeshadow and will therefore help it to stay on longer. Make sure that your concealer under the eye has a warm under tone , even if you have a skin with a cool undertone. The warmer shade under the eye makes you look more alive and using a cooler undertone could make you look tired

For a simple and easy everyday look apply a medium brown eyeshadow to your lid, until the crease of your eyelid. Once you’ve passed the crease, blend the shadow away, till it fades to your skincolour underneath your brow. Line your lid with a liner in a colour that compliments your eyes:
For Hazel eyes : Use Ivy
For Brown eyes: Pick Purple
For Blue eyes : Go Bronze
For Green eyes : Choose Burgundy

Once you’ve lined your eyes, add an eyeshadow with a soft sheen to the inner corners of your eye, just to brighten your eyes up. Finish your look with Layers of fresh Mascara, top and bottom.

My favourite concealers: MAC Moistureblend concealer for areas that need a sheer to medium coverage, or MAC Studio Sculpt concealer for areas that need a heavier coverage.

My favourite eye shadows: MAC Soba, medium brown eyeshadow or Espresso which is a darker brown.

My favourite eyeliners: Yardley retractable eye pencils in navy, plum or green. Or for the more adventurous, grab a liner brush and try MAC fluidline in Macroviolet (plum), Waveline (blue), or Rich Ground (bronze).

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