Beauty files: Easy 5-minute makeup

Jan 14 2017, 1:20 am

It sometimes feels like more than half the weight of our handbags is makeup. We try to edit it back to a capsule collection, but gradually, products creep back in. We end up with six lipsticks, two bottles of BB, a scratty old mascara, a 12-colour eyeshadow palette, and a referral to a physiotherapist because of crippling back pain.

In an effort to control our excesses, we chatted to Vancouver-native celeb makeup artist Jordy Poon, who’s worked with everyone from Cameron Diaz to Kylie Jenner. Here’s his recipe for five-minute on-the-go makeup using just a few essential items.

1. Go with your fingers

Image: Nude Stix

Image: Nude Stix

Ditch anything that’s powder – or liquid-based in favour of products that come in stick and cream form that can be applied with fingers.

“I love crayons and smudge sticks – products that are small, multipurpose and non-spill,” says Poon.

2. Tidy up your look with a cleansing wipe

 

five-minute makeup

Image: Cetaphil

“Everything starts with a clean face,” Poon explains. “Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths (from $3.49 for 10 cloths, available at Shoppers Drug Mart) act like makeup erasers. You don’t have to scrub away everything – just use the cloths to tidy up,” he says.

3. Use a stick foundation to correct and conceal

five-minute makeup

Image: Bobbi Brown

“They’re buildable and can double up as concealers too,” says Poon. Applied too much? Use a cleansing cloth to blot away excess. “With makeup, it’s not about how well you do it. It’s about how well you can correct,” Poon explains. We like Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick ($53, at Holt Renfrew, Sephora and Murale) because it’s creamy and easy to blend, but still sets to give a long-lasting finish, and comes in more than 30 shades.

4. Apply a cream blush stick and blend it with your fingers

joe-fresh-blush-stick

How to choose your colour? “Usually, brunettes can wear something pinker or bluer, while blondes might look better in something peachy or orange based, but of course it depends on your skintone too,” says Poon. Our current favourite is the Joe Fresh Blush Stick ($10, at Shoppers Drug Mart), which gives just a hint of creamy colour. It comes in four shades.

5. Use lip liner

Image: M.A.C. Costmetics

Image: M.A.C. Costmetics

“Start at the outer corners,” says Poon. “Some women start in the middle and then forget to take the colour outwards so they end up with a little box of colour.” M.A.C makes the best lip liners – for a subtle shade, there’s Lip Pencil in Spice ($20, at M.A.C stores and Hudson’s Bay). For something more dramatic, we love the Charlotte Olympia Pro Long Wear Pencil in Kiss Me Quick, pictured below ($25.50, at M.A.C stores and Hudson’s Bay). Both give eight hours of colour without fading. Poon suggests adding a hint of your blush stick over the lips, just to bring the whole look together.

 

6. Go with Green

Image: Clinique

Image: Clinique

Blue was the favourite eyeshadow colour on Spring/Summer runways but Poon isn’t necessarily a fan. “In the wrong hands, it can look dated. The way it was done on the runway… Certain girls will try every trend, but this one, they should just skip.” He prefers a moss green because it’s easy to wear and suits everyone. Clinique Chubby Shadow Stick Tint for Eyes in Mighty Moss ($20, at Hudson’s Bay and select branches of Shoppers Drug Mart) fits Poon’s brief. Use it as eyeliner, or for a more dramatic (but still subtle) look, all over the eyelids, up to the crease.

7. Double up on mascara

Packshot Butterfly Sculpt

Image: L’Oreal

If your morning mascara has worn away, apply another coat – we love L’Oreal’s Voluminous Butterfly Sculpt ($13.99, at drugstores and mass retailers). Use your wipes to tidy up – you can even pat them over skin to make it look a little dewier – and you’re all set.

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